(This article by Susan Mayne, Ph.D., director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, was originally posted here on June 15, 2015.) FDA is taking a step today to remove artificial trans fat from the food supply. This action will save
Continue Reading Protecting Consumers From Trans Fat
FDA Finalizes Decision to Ban Artificial Trans Fat
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has finalized its determination that partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), the primary dietary source of artificial trans fat in processed foods, are not “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) for use in food. The move, based on “a thorough review of the scientific evidence,” essentially bans
Continue Reading FDA Finalizes Decision to Ban Artificial Trans Fat
Tracing Food Controversies Back to GRAS
Update: This article has been edited to remove references to caramel coloring. What do trans fat, caffeine and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have in common? Each of these distinct, seemingly unrelated food controversies actually shares a common origin: the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) process. In fact, a wide
Continue Reading Tracing Food Controversies Back to GRAS
NY Congressman Reintroduces Bill to Close Trans Fat Labeling Loophole
On Nov. 22, Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) reintroduced a bill that would require clearer labeling of trans fats on food packaging. In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration adopted a requirement that trans fats be listed on the nutrition facts panel of food packaging. But 0.4 gram or less
Continue Reading NY Congressman Reintroduces Bill to Close Trans Fat Labeling Loophole
FDA Moves to Reduce Trans Fat in Processed Foods
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday that it has made a preliminary determination that partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), a major source of artificial trans fat in processed foods, are not generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use in food. Michael Taylor, FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods, said that
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Dramatic Drop in U.S. Trans Fat Levels
In Australia, Margarine is Better Than Butter
Butter has, on average, 20 times the trans fat levels of most Australian margarines, according to an investigation done by the Australian Heart Foundation and published in the October issue of the food safety journal Food Australia.
“Butter is mostly made of the fat that raises your bad cholesterol
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Monsanto Gets FDA OK for New Soybeans
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent Monsanto a letter of no objection, indicating that the company’s new product–nutritionally improved Vistive Gold soybeans–is generally recognized as safe (GRAS).
Vistive Gold soybeans contain an oil that can be used to reduce the amount of saturated and trans fats in
Letter: Trans Fat Commentary Misses Mark
Matt Cheung’s uninformed article (Banning Trans Fats–How Important Is It?, Jan. 16) has no place in Food Safety News, unless the latter now has a fiction section.
Mr. Cheung questions whether it makes sense for states to be devoting resources to banning artificial trans fat from restaurants. Of
Banning Trans Fats–How Important Is It?
On January 1, 2010, California became the first state to ban trans fats in restaurants. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the bill back in July 2008, but restaurants had until the first of this year to comply. Under the new law, restaurants may only use oils, margarine, and shortening with less