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Back to Olestra 13. Public Acceptance
Chemical
Concepts
Fats play a
significant and unique role in bodily function.
| 1. Energy available |
can be determined from |
The type and amount of food we eat |
| 2. Enzymes |
enable
our bodies |
to metabolize foods |
| 3. Intermolecular forces |
explain |
the fate of fats, fat substitutes
and vitamins in our bodies |
| 4. Proteins |
are
assembled from specific sequences of |
Simple amino acids |
| 5. Proteins |
assemble
into |
Uniquely shaped structural masses |
| 6. Uniquely shaped proteins called
enzymes |
bind
to |
Other molecules and speed chemical
rections |
| 7. Enzymes called lipase |
speed
or catalyze |
Breakdown of fats |
| 8.
Enzymes |
lower |
Activation
energy necessary for reaction |
| 9.
Fats |
are
our |
water
insoluble energy reserve |
| 10.
Edible fat unsaturation |
correlates
with |
melting
point and oxidation |
| 11.
Carbohydrates and proteins |
produce |
16-17
kJ/gram of energy when oxidized |
| 12.
Fats |
produce |
about
38 kJ/gram when oxidized |
| 13.
Specific stomach enzymes - lipases |
catalyze |
conversion
of fats to soluble bile salts |
| 14.
Molecules with 4-8 fatty acid residues |
are
not hydrolyzed by |
lipases |
We have
seen how researchers used these simple chemical concepts
to invent and develop olestra and we will use these
principles ourselves to evaluate and decide on
nutritional issues
Author's
Note
On a more philosophical
level there is some controversy that olestra is
"not natural" and that there is
something wrong with products that allow us to
enjoy full flavor while not requiring any
sacrifice due to the lower calorie content. While
these attitudes are difficult to quantify I, as
author of this chem case, have encountered them
in many discussions. This points, I think, to
some inconsistencies in how people embrace or do
not embrace the advances created through science
and technology.
It is of constant interest to see
how people go about making decisions, sometimes
based purely on science and fact, sometimes
purely on faith and intuition, and sometimes a
blend of all these processes. I think the current
issues regarding the safety and acceptance of
olestra reflect some of this very human decision
making process.
As you complete your Chem Cases.com Olestra task as a
campus nutritionist try to analyze the way you go
about making your decisions.
Nat Cooper
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Olestra 14. Case
Discussion Case Discussion
In this
ChemCases.com case study you are the College Campus
Nutritionist at Panther U. a small college down the road
from Penn State University.
Old
Main at Panther U.
|
You have read an article recently
in the Penn State "Digital
Collegian" about the availability
of olestra containing snack chips like WOW at Penn
State. You have been offered olestra containing
snacks from the Frito-Lay company for
distribution at your campus. |
The students eat a lot of snack
foods. The trucks roll into the dorms every night
delivering pizzas. Your president has told you that
you must make the school-provided meals more attractive.
Case Discussion
Activity
You
must make a recommendation as to whether these
snacks should be served as part of the campus
meal menus. Before you make your decision you
should consider all of the following factors.
- What type of diet will
your students typically eat? Is it
reasonable to expect them to make eating
decisions based on health considerations
or is flavor and convenience a stronger
factor for their food choices?
- Should the
"typical" diet be lower in fat,
and, if so, how can this best be
accomplished? Are the snacks that contain
olestra more desirable than other
current, lower fat alternatives? Do
the students understand the
role of fats in our diet?
- What are the best types
of fats to eat? Remember that there are
saturated animal fats such as butter,
minimally processed oils such as olive
and other vegetable oils, partially
hydrogenated oils found in margarine,
shortening and most commercially baked
goods, and finally the non-absorbable
fat, olestra. What is the different
physiological effect that comes from
eating each type of these fats?
- What is the risk of Trans
fatty acid consumption? Do these fats,
currently found in nearly all snack
foods, pose a greater risk than eating
olestra-containing snacks.
- There are concerns
regarding gastrointestinal complaints and
eating olestra. In controlled, double-
blind tests, however, the incidence of
these complaints is no greater than
non-olestra eating GI incidences. Do you
think these concerns are valid?
- Olestra is currently
formulated with supplemental vitamins. Do
you think that carotenoids should also be
added to the olestra?
- Eating olestra-containing
snacks can reduce both the amount of fat
and calories consumed. Are the potential
benefits of these dietary changes greater
than the potential risks?
Establish
groups of three students each and develop an
evaluative position on these seven questions.
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