P.M. BRIEFING : Simplesse Sales to Be Speeded

CHICAGO — Driven by a proliferation of low-fat, low-cholesterol foods, Monsanto Co. said today it will speed the marketing of Simplesse, a low-calorie cholesterol-free fat substitute, as an ingredient for other food products.

Simplesse Co., which currently markets its own line of frozen desserts under the Simple Pleasures brand, expects regulatory approval soon to use the egg white and milk-based ingredient in cheese, sour cream, yogurt, salad dressing, mayonnaise and refrigerated desserts.

“Our primary focus in new categories will be as an ingredient, which clearly is a refinement of the strategy,” Simplesse President David Morley said.

NutraSweet, Monsanto’s low-calorie sweetener which revolutionized the diet soft drink industry, generated sales of $933 million in 1990.