Business Notes FAST FOOD

"Food, folks and fun," boasts a cloyingly cheerful McDonald's jingle. But increasingly, health advocates have been concerned about a different F word linked to the ubiquitous burger empire: fat. The average quarter-pounder packs a hefty 20 grams of it, along with 410 calories. But last week McDonald's unveiled its response to cholesterol-conscious carnivores -- the new Lean Deluxe burger, a quarter-pounder that weighs in at 10 grams of fat and 310 calories.

The Lean Deluxe owes its slimmed-down status to a special ingredient -- water -- plus an algae-based food additive. One thing that will not be slimmed down is the price: in Harrisburg, Pa., where the Lean Deluxe is being test-marketed, it costs 5 cents to 10 cents more than the quarter-pounder.