Fake Fat Product, Z-Trim, Is Created

The makers of “guilt-free” goodies are getting another fake fat to cook with, and its developer says this one won’t give you any unpleasant side effects. Z-trim is made of fiber from the hulls of oats, corn or soybeans. It is intended for use by food makers in cutting fat and calories from such products as cheese, chocolate and pancakes. The U.S. Agriculture Department researcher who developed Z-trim said it will not produce cramps and diarrhea, sometimes caused by olestra, the first zero-calorie fat substitute. George Inglett, the researcher, will formally presents his product today at a meeting of the American Chemical Society in Orlando, Fla.