Removing industrial trans fat from foods
Abstract
A simple policy that will save lives As part of a 12 step manifesto to better public health, the UK Faculty of Public Health and Royal Society for Public Health proposed that consumption of trans fatty acids (TFAs) should be virtually eliminated in the United Kingdom by next year.1 They noted that, “it has been proven that industrially-produced TFA can damage health,” “there is no known safe level of consumption,” and “banning TFA from foods is a relatively easy way to help protect the public.”1 Are these arguments sound? TFAs are created when vegetable oils are partially hydrogenated to convert large numbers (typically 30-60%) of naturally occurring cis unsaturated double bonds into trans unsaturated double bonds. A high TFA content provides physical and chemical properties that are attractive to food manufacturers, including the creation of relatively inexpensive (compared with animal derived fats) solid or semi-solid fat. The process also destroys labile omega-3 acids (α-linolenic acid), and this reduces the propensity for fats to become rancid, increases shelf life, and optimises deep frying applications. Use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils has increased since the 1950s because of these commercial advantages and since the 1960s because of public health recommendations to replace saturated fats (such as butter and lard) with alternatives. Because mammals and most edible plants synthesise only cis double bonds, TFAs are rare in the natural …
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Contemporaneous with mandates to add trans fat content to food labels in Canada and the United States, many products were reformulated by industry to reduce or eliminate trans fat.
“Contemporaneous with mandates to add trans fat content to food labels in Canada and the United States, many products were reformulated by industry to reduce or eliminate trans fat.125,126”
From Population Approaches to Improve Diet, Physical Activity, and Smoking Habits: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (2012) · cites this paper as [126]
The impact of labeling per se, versus increased consumer and media attention surrounding the policy change or other factors, cannot be differentiated; in both studies, many food products served at restaurants that did not require labeling were also reformulated.
“The impact of the labeling per se, versus increased consumer and media attention surrounding the policy change or other factors, cannot be differentiated; for example, in both of these studies, many food products served at restaurants that did not require labeling were also reformulated.125,126”
From Population Approaches to Improve Diet, Physical Activity, and Smoking Habits: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (2012) · cites this paper as [126]
Some evidence from natural experiments suggests that front-of-pack icons and nutrient labels may influence industry behavior by leading to product reformulations.
“Some evidence from natural experiments suggests that front-of-pack icons and nutrient labels may influence industry behavior by leading to product reformulations.”
From Population Approaches to Improve Diet, Physical Activity, and Smoking Habits: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (2012) · cites this paper as [126]
Each 1% replacement of trans fatty acids for monounsaturated fat (MUFA) or polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) lowers triglyceride levels by approximately 1%.
“each 1% replacement of trans fatty acids for monounsaturated fat (MUFA) or polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) lowers triglyceride levels by Ϸ1%.”
From Triglycerides and Cardiovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (2011) · cites this paper as [384]
Cites
Trans fatty acids and cardiovascular disease
Mozaffarian, D., Katan, M. B., Ascherio, A., Stampfer, M. J., & Willett, W. C. (2006) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejmra054035 · Cited by 1,752 · see citing works
Self-citationNational service framework for coronary heart disease
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Mozaffarian, D., & Clarke, R. (2009) · European Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602976 · Cited by 410 · see citing works
Self-citationTrans fatty acids: effects on metabolic syndrome, heart disease and diabetes
Micha, R., & Mozaffarian, D. (2009) · Nature Reviews Endocrinology · doi:10.1038/nrendo.2009.79 · Cited by 290 · see citing works
Self-citationThe effect of the regulation on trans fatty acid content in Danish food
Leth, T., Jensen, H. G., Mikkelsen, A. Æ., & Bysted, A. (2006) · Atherosclerosis Supplements · doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosissup.2006.04.019 · Cited by 182 · see citing works
Trans fatty acids in human nutrition
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Consumption of trans fats and estimated effects on coronary heart disease in Iran
Mozaffarian, D., Abdollahi, M., Campos, H., Houshiarrad, A., & Willett, W. C. (2007) · European Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602608 · Cited by 123 · see citing works
Self-citationCholesterol Control Beyond the Clinic: New York City's Trans Fat Restriction
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Self-citationEvaluation of fatty acid content of some Iranian fast foods with emphasis on trans fatty acids.
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Is the quality and cost of food affected if industrially produced trans fatty acids are removed?
Nielsen, K. (2006) · Atherosclerosis Supplements · doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosissup.2006.04.014 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
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Garvey, W. T., Mechanick, J. I., Brett, E. M., Garber, A. J., Hurley, D. L., Jastreboff, A. M., Nadolsky, K., Pessah-Pollack, R., & Plodkowski, R. (2016) · Endocrine Practice · doi:10.4158/ep161365.gl · Cited by 1,914 · see citing works
Triglycerides and Cardiovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association
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Global health 2035: a world converging within a generation
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Mozaffarian, D., & Stampfer, M. J.
- Affiliations
- Harvard University (US)
- Venue
- BMJ
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 2010-04-15
- Volume
- 340
- Issue
- apr15 1
- Pages
- c1826-c1826
- ISSN
- 0007-1447 (ISSN-L)
- 0959-8138
- 1468-5833
- OpenAlex
- W2022426006
- Cited by
- 70
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 5
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- BMJ (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Fatty Acid Research and Health
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling
- Keywords
- industrial trans fats, trans fatty acids, partial hydrogenation, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, food policy, public health policy, saturated fat replacement, omega-3 fatty acids, cardiovascular disease prevention
- MeSH terms
- Dietary Fats, United Kingdom, Humans, Legislation, Food, Food Industry, Trans Fatty Acids
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