FDA Moves to Ban Trans Fats H
eart-clogging trans fatty acids may soon be a thing of the past. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken the first step to re- move trans fats from its GRAS (gener- ally recognized as safe) list, effectively banning their use in food products. Trans fats, also known as hydro- genated vegetable oils, can be found in many processed foods, including baked goods, microwave popcorn, peanut butter, frozen pizza, marga- rine and coffee creamers. Created by adding hydrogen to liquid oils to turn them into a solid form, trans fats have been used to improve the texture, shelf life or flavor of foods. For more than a decade, numerous scientific studies have documented that trans fats raise dangerous LDL cholesterol and lower good HDL cholesterol. The FDA’s proposed ban would require the food industry to gradu- ally phase out all trans fats, likely over several months or years, noting their threat to health. Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said the move could prevent 20,000 heart attacks a year and 7,000 deaths. Many food manufacturers have already phased out trans fats since new nutrition labeling requirements were intro- duced by the FDA in 2006; plus an increasing number of local laws have banned them.
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