Fda Trans Fat Ruling Impacts Food & Beverage Manufacturers

New Nutrition Facts Panels Required For All


New York, NY - As a result of the FDAs long-awaited trans fat announcement, all food and beverage manufacturers will be required to identify trans fat content on their nutrition facts panels by January 1, 2006. The FDA decision requires that products with trans fat be analyzed, and their panels be revised accordingly. Products containing less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving that do not make any claims regarding fat, fatty acid or cholesterol content can declare trans fats as zero. Alternatively, they can eliminate the trans fat line and note not a significant source of trans fat at the bottom of the table of nutrient values.

To be cost effective in modifying their panels, manufacturers should complete their analyses before they need to reprint labels, says Nutritional Solutions Owner, Abby Gerstein, RD, CDN, CNS who has been compiling a comprehensive database of foods with trans fats for nutritional analysis. The 30-month lead time also affords manufacturers the opportunity to reformulate their product in order to reduce or eliminate trans fat as desired, stated Gerstein.

Foods containing trans fat, which research now attributes to heart disease and increased LDLs, are made with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils such as vegetable shortening or margarine. Trans fat is created when hydrogen is added during processing to liquid oil such as vegetable oil. Hydrogenation causes the hydrogen atoms to be on opposite sides of the double carbon bond. This in turn changes the liquid fat into a solid form, increasing shelf life and flavor stability. Naturally occurring trans fats are found in smaller amounts in dairy products, beef and lamb.

According to the FDA, the average person consumes 5.8 grams of trans fat daily representing 2.6% of their caloric intake. The majority of this comes from baked goods (bread, cookies, crackers, cakes and pies), animal products (dairy and red meat), margarine, fried potatoes, savory snacks (chips and popcorn), household shortening, salad dressings and then some breakfast cereals and candy.

For a free consultation, manufacturers can contact Nutritional Solutions at 888-905-FOOD (3663) to determine whether or not their product contains trans fat. For an informative question & answer section about trans fats, go to www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/qatrans2.html.
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