THE TRANS FAT BAN : WILL IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SALES?

 

 The FDA has just banned transfats from all foods.  But will that impact taste, or sales?  

Trans fats have now been declassified as no longer generally safe, but harmful.  The decision however is not altogether final, since the FDA is allowing feedback and hearings on the impact of the ban.  Industries that rely heavily on the substances are sure to come to its defence.  However, the ban could only be stricken if the industries can prove that transfats are not harmful. 

Transfats, the demon child of the food industry, is a creation of man.  Its creation involves the addition of hydrogen to vegetable oil, so that it solidifies and makes it easier to use in processed foods.  It also significantly lengthens the shelf life of the product.

Although the use of transfats has already greatly diminished, the FDA would like to see a complete ban on the substances due to their serious effects on the cardiovascular system of humans.   That by the way, means that transfats will be still used in the processing of foods for animal use. 

Here is a list of products that will be impacted by the abolition of transfats: 

Microwave popcorn.  Although the ubiquitous popcorn had other black marks against, including the fact that it could harm the lungs if a person inhales the vapors that escape the bag right after microwave popping, it has one of the highest rates of transfats on the market. Unless the popcorn products claims to be transfat free, the brand or type that still has it should be one of the first products to be removed from the shelves, or at least reformulated. 

Cookies and Crackers.  Most baked goods that sit on the shelf for a good bit of time are a primary source of transfats.  Most cookies contain up to 3.5 grams of transfat, a much higher serving than the safe daily allowance. 

Frozen dough and pie crust.  These products, because they go from frozen to the oven, retain their crispness due to the addition of transfats.  Most of these mixes and pies have between 2 and 3 grams of the offending substance. 

Margarine.  Although the content of transfat in margarine has been considerably reduced in recent time, it is still a significant source of it.  Most margarines have about 2 grams per serving. 

Coffee Creamers.  Believe it or not, those widely used additions to your morning coffee can contain close to 1 gram of transfat per serving.  

The secret, when shopping, is always to look for labelling that reads "hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated".  Most products on the market now have equivalents that have little or no transfats.  Thanks to labeling laws, people can now avoid the problem altogether, even before the ban goes into effect. 

Source : live Science/  11.13.13