AHA Opposes NYC Trans Fat Ban

Oh the irony

great link. At the company we've been talking a lot about this issue and I've been involved in a committee to address trans fatty acids in our products.

The AHAis actually leading the food industry in getting them to convert - and food companies are beginning to develop guidelines that make a lot of sense. The AHA scares the beejesus out most manufacturers and QSRs (quick serve restaurants), who converted to trans because of 1) the belief that trans fats had a longer shelf life than non-trans (since hydrogen was bound up, harder to oxidize I think was their rationale); and 2) it was cheaper. The AHA is not on the side of big business, but understand the reality of manufacturing and the limitation of supply.

One of the short term guidelines that my company has developed is that TFAs (artificially occurring, not those 'naturally' occuring in ruminants) should be replaced, but not if the replacement fat results in the doubling of sat fats, which are also bad (in that they raise LDL, but they not quite as bad as high trans, which raise LDL and decrease HDL). Given that supply of a 'good' fat alternative is both limited and more expensive (given scarcity), it makes sense for a phased-in ban. Most commercial foodservice providers using TFAs will find it hard to have products ready in 8 months, ahead of a July date. It can take several years for a company to secure the total supply they need - KFC's recent phase-in of trans-free cooking oil is a pretty good case study in this.

Most companies have to pick and choose which items they convert to trans-free...and in what order. When the supply increases over the coming years, it will be easier for large foodservice manufacturers to make trans-free products and they will have no excuses around supply.