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.