FDA orders food manufacturers to stop using trans fat within three years

CNN ^ | 6-16-2015 | Jen Christenson

[tcrlaf]

Artificial trans fat will have to disappear from the American diet, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA on Tuesday ruled that trans fat is not "generally recognized as safe" for use in human food.

The department gave food manufacturers three years to remove the partially hydrogenated oils, or PHOs, from their products. The companies can petition the FDA for a special permit to use it, but no PHOs can be added to human food unless otherwise approved by the FDA.

Eating a diet rich in trans fat is linked to higher body weight, heart disease and memory loss. It has been shown to raise the "bad," or LDL, cholesterol in the blood, which can lead to cardiovascular disease -- the leading cause of death in the United States.

"The FDA's action on this major source of artificial trans fat demonstrates the agency's commitment to the heart health of all Americans," said Dr. Stephen Ostroff, the agency's acting commissioner, in a news release. "This action is expected to reduce coronary heart disease and prevent thousands of fatal heart attacks every year."

[tcrlaf]

I'm old enough to remember when the Feds and the FDA DEMANDED that all NATURAL fats, like butter, be removed and REPLACED by Transfats.

[Army Air Corps]

A plan for Trans Fats, but not one idea about dealing with ISIS.

[Rio]

But we’re supposed to CELEBRATE trans-everything now.

[Old Sarge]

Transfat is a choice, it’s how they identify, who are you to judge, you must be sexist/racist/fatophobic.

[Crazieman]

Under what authority?

Seriously people have got to stop obeying this stuff.

[crazyhorse691]

I think a lot of us are going to be enrolled in reeducation schools because we remember what happened in the past and are a clear danger to society and the correct order of things.

[Oberon]

I can't really complain about this... hydrogenated oils the way we make them are a chemical that doesn't occur in nature, and they do nothing good for us.

We ought to think twice about eating stuff that germs won't eat (I make exceptions for honey and alcohol). :D

[DannyTN]

I’m glad to see it.
I think the science is strong enough that these unnatural fats should be removed from our diet.

I try hard not to eat trans-fats now. But dang if that tootsie roll I just ate doesn’t have partially hydrogenated soybean oil it as it’s third ingredient.

[G Larry]

Headlines in utopia:

“Citizens tell bloated agencies to shut their mouths and close their doors!”

[SpaceBar]

Trans-fat sounds like the Secret Service’s pet name for the wookie.

[PA Engineer]

I'm old enough to remember when the Feds and the FDA DEMANDED that all NATURAL fats, like butter, be removed and REPLACED by Transfats.

Yep.

I just wish there would be some truth in advertisement. I've lost track (sometimes for my own amusement) grabbing a package proclaiming no transfats and finding hydrogenated oils in the list of ingredients.

Groups like the FDA created transfats inclusion with their war on fat. They should just shut up now.

Admit they were wrong and responsible for almost as much death and suffering as Stalin, and then advise people to avoid it.

Once they finish getting the message out, shut them down and let independent laboratories take over drug certification. Heck, if we can trust a coffee maker not to burn down the house at night (with independent testing) we can assume laboratories like UL can do just a good of a job for a fraction of the cost.

[ComputerGuy]

I’ve got to get myself an updated copy of the Constitution. Mine doesn’t say a word about the federal government having the authority to tell me what I can and cannot eat.

[USMCPOP]

“Trans-fat sounds like the Secret Service’s pet name for the wookie.”

LOL. I think they changed her code name from “Wide Load” to “Trans-Fat” when she started the healthy food crap.

[DannyTN]

"Under what authority?"

The United States Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (abbreviated as FFDCA, FDCA, or FD&C), is a set of laws passed by Congress in 1938 giving authority to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to oversee the safety of food, drugs, and cosmetics.

SCOTUS has upheld the law as constitutional.

[JennysCool]

Seriously people have got to stop obeying this stuff.

Part of what allows this bloated government monster to survive is that we all have friends and relatives who feed the beast by working for it. It may seem callous, but I think it's time the rest of us started shunning those people. They are participating in our destruction for a paycheck.

[RayChuang88]

The likes of Nabisco and Frito-Lay haven’t used transfats for over a decade. It wouldn’t affect them at all.

[Mase]

hydrogenated oils the way we make them are a chemical that doesn't occur in nature

But trans fats do occur naturally, mostly in dairy and meat. Don't think the government can save you from those.

and they do nothing good for us.

Sure they do. They make some foods taste better. Oreo's used to be good, and now they're not because they removed the trans fat. They also prevent fat from turning rancid. When fats turn rancid, free radicals form. Consuming free radicals should be of concern; trans fats, not so much.

[Sasparilla]

“But we’re supposed to CELEBRATE trans-everything now.”

Right. Trans everything...even transracial.

[lowbridge]

“Under what authority?

Seriously people have got to stop obeying this stuff.”

Nice food product company you got there. It’d be a shame if anything happened to it /chicago way

[Crazieman]

This food company is armed. Would be a shame to see what happens if you try to enforce a rule you have no right to make in the first place.