Procter & Gamble Co. announced that it...

Procter & Gamble Co. announced that it plans to remove palm oil from Crisco, its vegetable-based shortening product. The National Heart Savers Assn. of Omaha, Neb., which has been pressuring food manufacturers to alter product ingredients, applauded Procter & Gamble’s announcement. P&G; officials said Crisco is made mainly from soybean oil, with palm oil added for stability and baking performance. The new palm oil-free version is to be sold later this year as supplies of the special grade of vegetable oil needed to meet Crisco’s standards become available, company officials said. The new Crisco, like the current product, will be all-vegetable and contain no cholesterol.