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Wednesday, January 14, 2004 ![]()
NEW YORK — Snack foods
company Frito-Lay (search) said Wednesday it is introducing two
new types of chips to capitalize on the popularity
of low-carbohydrate diets (search).
The two new products, called Doritos Edge and
Tostitos Edge, will cut out 60 percent of the carbohydrates that are
in regular Doritos and Tostitos.
Frito-Lay, a unit of PepsiCo Inc. (PEP), has already eliminated trans fats from its
brands. Trans fats, which give products a longer shelf life, have
been linked to heart disease.
The new chips will use soy proteins and fiber as
substitute ingredients, the company said in a statement. Both
Tostitos Edge and Doritos Edge will have six net carbohydrates, 10
grams of protein, and three grams of fiber.
The low-carb craze, popularized by the
high-protein Atkins diet (search), has food companies rolling out new
products to jump on the bandwagon.
Fast food chains McDonald's Corp. (MCD) and Burger King revamped their menus to cater
to customers counting their carbs.
The alcohol industry is also taking notice.
Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc.'s (BUD) low-carb Michelob Ultra beer has been a
big profit driver for the past year and Adolph Coors Co. (RKY) is rolling out Aspen Edge beer to take a
part of the health-conscious market.
Spirits companies such as Diageo Plc.
(search) are using their advertising to point
out that many of their drinks have always been low carbohydrate
offerings.
Doritos Edge is currently being tested in
Phoenix, and both products will be available across the United
States in May.
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