FDA's new nutrition labeling requirement for trans fatty acids

American Heart Association
Thursday, 10 July 2003

The American Heart Association supports the new requirement announced by the Food and Drug Administration that will require food labels to list the amount of trans fatty acids in food products beginning on January 1, 2006.

"Individuals should limit the combined amount of trans fatty acids [trans fat] and saturated fatty acids [saturated fat] to less than 10 percent of total calories consumed daily. Consuming excess amounts of foods high in these substances has been strongly linked to the development of atherosclerosis, the disease process that underlies heart attack and stroke," says Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, vice-chair of the American Heart Association’s Nutrition Committee and a professor of Nutrition at the Friedman School of Nutrition at Tufts University in Boston.

"For the first time, the new labels will help consumers identify sources of both saturated fats and trans fats, so they can make informed choices about the foods they eat," says Lichtenstein.

The American Heart Association dietary guidelines have recommended limiting saturated and trans fat since 2000, but consumers have not been able to easily identify foods that contain trans fat since that information was not provided on the labels.

Trans fats are formed when manufacturers "hydrogenate" vegetable oils, which makes them solid at room temperatures, and are commonly found in commercially baked cookies and cakes, salty snack foods such as chips, some margarines, commercially fried foods and other processed foods.

Like saturated fats, trans fats raise levels of LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) in the blood. LDL cholesterol is known as the "bad" cholesterol, because it is a significant contributor to the plaque deposits that line the arteries. Saturated fats are derived from animals: meat, butter, cheese, and whole-fat dairy products. Some tropical oils also contain saturated fats.

In addition, trans fats also occur naturally in foods such as meat and milk. However, by adhering to the association’s recommendation to limit lean meat to less than 4 to 6 ounces daily, and consume fat free or low fat dairy products, individuals can easily stay within the recommended limit for both trans and saturated fats combined.

The American Heart Association recommends a dietary pattern that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry and lean meats and also advocates maintaining a healthy body weight.

For more information, or to contact American Heart Association, see their website at: www.americanheart.org