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."

[RightGeek]

Trans Fats are a lifestyle choice!

[sten]

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.

really? please tell me there's a reference to this online somewhere

[mabarker1]

hydrogenated oils

Just a few Degrees Temp and one or two Chemical bonds away from becoming...

PLASTIC!!!

[Twinkie]

OK. Now the companies can spend time & money developing some other fake horror for an additive to our foods. Most of the boxed stuff in the grocery stores has a whole paragraph of looooooooooooong words I can’t pronounce. - Husband does organic gardening. We’ve had some nice blueberries; but the birds got yesterday’s crop. The snarkers! - We had some decent strawberries; I just ate around the snail bites & they were surprisingly good after washing. - You get cynical after a while. :o)

[polymuser]

Beware of dihydrogen monoxide!

http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html

[Oberon]

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

Irrelevant to my point, which was "hydrogenated oils the way we make them are a chemical that doesn't occur in nature." Yes, there are natural fats that are solid at room temperature, for example butter, lard, and palm oil. These fats are highly saturated.

Still, that doesn't make them the same as artificially hydrogenated oils, the consumption of which both increase LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and decrease HDL cholesterol (the good kind). Naturally saturated fats do not have this effect. More to the point, butter and leaf lard will spoil at room temperature, while solid vegetable shortening will not. This is a GOOD thing, not a bad thing, because it indicates that the substance in question is actually biodegradeable... a desirable trait in my food, at least, if not yours.

The transfats are in the Oreos to give them a long shelf life, not to make them taste better. Eating them is uniformly bad for you. Make mine butter, thanks... better the devil you know.

[Mase]

Irrelevant to my point, which was "hydrogenated oils the way we make them are a chemical that doesn't occur in nature

This statement is irrelevant. There are all sorts of natural chemical compounds that are highly toxic to humans in small amounts. Then there are all sorts of man made compounds which are perfectly harmless. Of course, everything is poisonous in the right quantities. The dose makes the poison is the foundation of modern toxicology.

The organic movement has a hard time admitting that the natural pesticides they use in organic farming are just as toxic (if not more toxic) as synthetic pesticides. Your point is pointless.

Yes, there are natural fats that are solid at room temperature, for example butter, lard, and palm oil. These fats are highly saturated.

Partially hydrogenated oil can be highly saturated as well. So what?

the consumption of which both increase LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and decrease HDL cholesterol (the good kind).

No, that claim is still open to debate. But the fact that artificial trans fat accounts for less than 2% of the average American's diet means that it doesn't really matter. We have dramatically increased our consumption of trans fat over the past two decades yet the incidence of heart disease is rapidly declining in this country

This is a GOOD thing, not a bad thing, because it indicates that the substance in question is actually biodegradeable... a desirable trait in my food, at least, if not yours.

Salt and sugar don't spoil at room temperature, should we be fearful of those as well? Like all oils, partially hydrogenated oils will absolutely spoil. When they oxidize, free radicals will form and increase rapidly. Consuming these can be bad for your health...really bad.

The transfats are in the Oreos to give them a long shelf life, not to make them taste better.

Au contraire. Trans fat in cookies, and many other products, also provides texture and serves as a delivery system for flavor. It's not all about shelf life. This is the only reason why new Oreo's aren't nearly as good as Oreo's were a decade ago.

Eating them is uniformly bad for you.

Trying to classify foods and good or bad is nonsense. There is no good or bad food. There are only good and bad diets.

[Oberon]

Your point is pointless.

You only say that because it's not yours. Very well; we disagree. I'll be leaving the trash food alone, myself, and you can feel free to eat what you like.

[Mase]

Was there a point to your telling us that made made chemical compounds are not natural chemical compounds?

If not, then your point was pointless.

My point was that your suggestions are wrong. You can either accept that or provide evidence to the contrary. I guess you could always run away. To call any food trash only highlights your misunderstanding. The only difference between pharmaceuticals/food and poison is the dose. Same as it ever was.

[Oberon]

Let it go, Mase. You can eat Vaseline, but that doesn't make it food.

Yes, hydrogenated fats in Oreos perform a flavor delivery function, but that function could as easily be performed by a natural fat. Hydrogenated fats are chosen in lieu of natural fats because they extend shelf life.

And my distinction, that man-made trans fats are different and distinct from natural saturated fats, is one that I will stand by. I can start throwing citations at you if you really want to go there. It's tiresome, though, and I'm guessing we both have got better things to do. Your call.

And yes, I consider hydrogenated oils trash and avoid eating them at every opportunity. If this "highlights my misunderstanding," well, then I guess it just does. Make mine real butter, thanks, and you can keep your nasty margarines.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

If trans fats aren’t exactly poison, they at least border on it, so they should be treated as such.

[Cowman]

I can see it now —

Dark sedans with the chrome removed, their trunks full of pastries made with shortening bombing down mountain roads and sneaking into cities for distribution.

Guys on street corners with donuts under their trenchcoats — Psst... I got what you need right here: Crullers, bear claws, even blueberry muffins all in plain brown wrappers...

Even dingy, basement hideaways where you need to know a secret knock and a password to sneak in and eat fried foods washed down with sugary sodas — They'll be called “scarf easys” and be subject to police raid unless a small portion of the goods are given to the boys in blue.

[Mase]

You can eat Vaseline, but that doesn't make it food.

Makes no sense whatsoever, and what does that have to do with the discussion?

Yes, hydrogenated fats in Oreos perform a flavor delivery function, but that function could as easily be performed by a natural fat.

No, not true. If it were, then Oreo's wouldn't suck today compared to what they used to taste like. I'd be happy to explain the food science behind that fact if you would like.

Hydrogenated fats are chosen in lieu of natural fats because they extend shelf life.

In many cases that is true, but not in others. We don't have enough saturated fat available to meet demand, should this ban be enacted, so we are either going to pay a lot more for our food, or we're going to have to accept a less functional product. The nanny state marches on.

And my distinction, that man-made trans fats are different and distinct from natural saturated fats, is one that I will stand by.

Why would I argue this? I'm only asking why you bothered stating what we all know to be true. Stating the obvious is pointless.

I consider hydrogenated oils trash and avoid eating them at every opportunity. If this "highlights my misunderstanding," well, then I guess it just does. Make mine real butter

You're going to use butter in a deep fryer and as an oil for dressing? Good luck with that.

You should try to avoid the good food/bad food dichotomy. Basic nutrition teaches us that diets can be good or bad, healthy or unhealthy. Food is just food.

[Oberon]

You're going to use butter in a deep fryer and as an oil for dressing?

You're not here to converse, you're here to troll.

[Mase]

You suggested butter can replace trans fats. That can only happen in limited circumstances. Me thinks you wrote checks you can’t cash and now you’re looking for any way you can to run away from what you wrote. So be it.

[Oberon]

"You suggested butter can replace trans fats."

In context, I stated... didn't suggest, I stated... "Make mine real butter, thanks, and you can keep your nasty margarines."

By that I meant that I preferred not to use margarine for the applications for which margarine is generally used, but would rather have butter for those same applications. Namely, spreading on bread, making pastry dough, basting roasted meats, applying a light saute, or anything else that someone might use margarine for.

For deep frying I would use peanut oil or leaf lard; for salad dressings I would use olive oil, because I am not a moron.

If you could refrain from further rudeness, I'd appreciate it. Good day to you.