848-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 13, 2003 UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre Co.) Consumers with a hunger for more nutritious foods and a healthier diet soon will get an as sist from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. An FDA mandate that food la bels include information about Mandate: Food Labels To Include Trans Fatty Acids artery-clogging trans fatty acids by 2006 will help consumers make better food choices, accord ing to a nutrition specialist in Penn State’s College of Agricul tural Sciences. “Researchers have found that trans fats affect cholesterol levels and are associated with a greater risk of heart disease,” says Lynne Brown, associate professor of food science. “They also have been linked to obesity.” The FDA has estimated that by looking at the trans fat con tent on labels and reducing the consumption of trans fats, Amer- icans could save up to $l.B billion in annual medical costs. Produced through a process called hydrogenation, trans fatty acids are found in most processed foods. “You’ll And them in mar garines, baked goods and snack items,” says Brown. “Trans fats are found any time the ingredient list includes partially hydrogenat ed vegetable oils.” Hydrogenation makes the fat more stable and in creases the food’s shelf life, she explains. Eventually, partially hydro genated oil will be replaced with other ingredients.
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