FDA to Ban Trans Fats in Foods

U.S. food regulators have announced a plan to phase out trans fats in processed foods and restaurant meals. Research has linked eating trans fats with higher risks of heart disease and heart-related death. A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) official said the proposed rules could prevent 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths each year. Trans fats also are known as partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. In 2005, New York City required restaurant chains to stop using them. A year later, the FDA began requiring that trans fats be listed on the labels of processed foods. Because of these rules, many restaurants and food manufacturers stopped using trans fats. Americans’ intake fell from an average of about 4.6 grams per day to just 1 gram per day. But these fats remain in some bakery goods, meals at smaller restaurants, frozen pizza, popcorn and other foods.