Place of origin United States Main ingredients Potatoes, Olestra | Created by Frito-Lay | |
Lay's WOW Chips were fat free potato chips produced by Frito-Lay containing Olestra. They were first introduced in 1998, and were marketed using the Lay's, Ruffles, Doritos, and Tostitos brands. Although initially popular, charting sales of $400 million in their first year, they subsequently dropped to $200 million by 2000. As Olestra caused "abdominal cramping, diarrhea, fecal incontinence ["anal leakage"], and other gastrointestinal symptoms" in some customers, warnings were required to be included on the packaging, with the WOW bag bearing a warning that read, "This Product Contains Olestra. Olestra may cause abdominal cramping and loose stools. Olestra inhibits the absorption of some vitamins and other nutrients. Vitamins A, D, E, and K have been added."
Around the same time, the WOW brand was renamed to "Light". The product then continued under that brand name.