FDA (Food and Drug Administration) bans trans fats in food

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/Cons.../ucm372915.htm

The FDA has stated that trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils) are no longer regarded as safe and are giving food manufacturers 3 years to comply with the new rule, that all trans fats must be removed from their products by the year 2018.

While some of us (myself included) see this as a good thing - since I already avoid purchasing food that has "partially hydrogenated oils" in the ingredient list - others aren't so happy about it. In fact some people are actually angry about it, saying it's just more regulation and that the government should stay out of our food.

Have they done anything like this in the UK yet? If not, do you wish they would? Hope they don't? What do you all think?

Re: FDA (Food and Drug Administration) bans trans fats in food

We tend to follow a few years after, must admit i gave up looking at ingredients on labels a while back, you need a degree in chemistry to understand them

Re: FDA (Food and Drug Administration) bans trans fats in food

That I can't argue with. But I always look at fat content and check the ingredient label for the hydrogenated oils. A food can claim 0 trans fat per serving, but it doesn't mean the hydrogenated oils aren't in there.

Re: FDA (Food and Drug Administration) bans trans fats in food

I think a few here have removed hydrogenated fat from their food, especially from ready meals. I read all my labels though it takes longer with each passing year!

Re: FDA (Food and Drug Administration) bans trans fats in food

Yeah, many food manufacturers have already dropped it and restaurants, one by one, have announced that they've switched to healthier oils for frying. But it's still out there. Even some breakfast cereals still have the bad oils, so I don't buy them anymore. And it's pretty common in things like crackers, cookies, cakes (frozen desserts as well as boxed desserts you make yourself, which I also don't buy anymore), snack foods and even ice cream. There's a LOT of stuff I stopped buying years ago because of the trans fat content.

Re: FDA (Food and Drug Administration) bans trans fats in food

Nightmare trying to stay healthy and sometimes I feel like giving up but I just can't buy anything without reading labels and more so now I have to be gluten free!

Re: FDA (Food and Drug Administration) bans trans fats in food

That's got to be hard, having to give up gluten. That's something I hope I never have to do. However, I have mild IBS. So who knows, maybe gluten is the culprit.

Re: FDA (Food and Drug Administration) bans trans fats in food

Many retailers here announced they would be removing manufactured trans fats from their own brand foods about 8 years ago...
I guess it is still around in some processed food and take away meals.

Re: FDA (Food and Drug Administration) bans trans fats in food

Yes it is. We had the same thing, they said years ago they would remove trans fat, and some of them have. But it was by their own choice. Now it's going to be mandatory.

Re: FDA (Food and Drug Administration) bans trans fats in food

Linda I understand some trans fats occur naturally in meat and dairy products so I am guessing you are talking about manufactured trans fats which occur when fats are hydrogenation turning liquid oil into solid fat.

I have always believed the less processes a food undergoes the better it is so I have never really eaten processed foods or takeaways prefering home cooked and fresh food.

When the fad began for spreads which were supposed to be healthy I stuck to butter (in small amounts) because it seemed more natural to me.