New FDA Rules To Outlaw Artificial Trans Fats
There was major news in the food world on Nov. 7, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it is proposing new rules to govern artificial trans fats that would essentially eliminate them from the nation’s food supply.
Whether you only eat for sustenance or you’ve graduated from an online culinary arts program, you’re probably aware of the dangers of artificial trans fats. Now, the FDA has further cemented its stance on the artery-clogging substance, ruling that it is no longer “generally recognized as safe” in any amount of human consumption.
Getting rid of trans fats
This latest announcement is the culmination of a years-long effort by the FDA to limit the amount of partially hydrogenated oils, the source of artificial trans fat, in grocery stores, restaurant kitchens and family dining tables.
Starting with its 2006 requirement that all foods containing trans fats be labeled to indicate that fact, the FDA has waged a battle against them that has had some remarkable results. Since then, many fast food companies and food producers have phased trans fats out of their supply chains, resulting in a decline in average trans fat intake among Americans from 4.6 grams a day in 2006 to just 1 gram a day in 2012, according to The New York Times.
If the FDA’s proposal is implemented – there is still a 60-day public comment period before it becomes official – food companies or restaurants who want to continue to use artificial trans fats will have to prove scientifically that they are safe to eat. And that should be a tough obstacle to overcome considering the preponderance of evidence showing that they aren’t, including research done by the Institute of Medicine.
Impact of new FDA rules on food supply and cooking
The FDA’s proposed rule should come as a relief to anyone who cooks at home and makes an effort to eat healthy. No longer will artificial trans fats be slipped into foods without the public’s knowledge, or at least, without there being strict consequences for those actions.
For people who are working toward or have completed a baking program online, the sweet treats that have become a staple of your menu will be healthier going forward since the option of using artificial trans fats will no longer be available. That same idea extends to more traditional fare as well, including the meals you might have learned to make in your online culinary arts program.
