Restaurant operators will need to examine menu items for artificial trans fat if the Food and Drug Administration declares that partially hydrogenated oil isn’t “generally recognized as safe” in food.
Last fall, the FDA tentatively determined it not to be safe, and it will issue a final ruling after considering comments from the food industry and other stakeholders. If the agency decides the oil isn’t generally recognized as safe, restaurants wouldn’t be able to sell partially hydrogenated oil directly or as in ingredients without prior FDA approval.
In that case, restaurants will need to carefully read labels and work with suppliers to eliminate trans fat from menu items. The long-term solution is to replace partially hydrogenated oil with fats that have more healthful benefits, such as monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.
Here are three ways you can start to remove artificial trans fat from menus:
1. Fry food in oil that doesn’t have trans fat. For example, canola oil is high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat, has a neutral flavor and can handle high heat.
2. Start reading product labels. Identify products with partially hydrogenated oil, and look for alternative products that have eliminated them. Remember: just because something is marketed as trans fat-free doesn’t mean it contains no trans fat. Read ingredient lists to check that products don’t contain partially hydrogenated oil.
3. Work with your supplier to find replacements. Call the manufacturer to find appropriate product replacements. The manufacturer can tell you whether they are reformulating an item to eliminate partially hydrogenated oils, or plan to do so later.
Scientific evidence shows that artificial trans fat typically raises bad cholesterol, lowers good cholesterol and increases the risk of heart disease. Partially hydrogenated oil generally is the greatest source of artificial trans fat.
In 2003, the FDA required food manufacturers to declare trans fat on nutrition labels. After the rule took effect in 2006, major shifts occurred in the food supply as restaurants and food manufacturers decreased the amount of trans fat in their products.
Consequently, consumption of trans fat fell to 1.3 grams a day per person from 4.6 grams. Today, menu items or products with fewer than 0.5 grams a serving can be declared “trans fat-free.”
This article was written by Betsy Craig, founder and CEO of National Restaurant Association partner MenuTrinfo. The views in this article are those of the author and don’t necessarily reflect the National Restaurant Association’s official policy or position.
