FDA Officially Bans Artificial Trans Fats

After a years-long process, the FDA has officially banned artificial trans fats from the U.S food supply on Tuesday, ruling that they are not “generally recognized as safe.”

The use of partially hydrogenated oils, which are the main source of artificial trans fats in processed foods, is associated to heart disease. According to the FDA, removing these ingredients from processed foods can help “prevent thousands of fatal heart attacks every year.”

Susan Mayne, director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said, “Today’s action is an important step forward for public health, and it’s an action that FDA is taking based upon the strength of the science that we have.”

The enforcement of the new rules will give manufacturers three years to remove the partially hydrogenated oils from their products. Companies can either remove it entirely, or they can petition the FDA to gain approval for specific uses. The latter will require proof that the particular use will not be harmful to people’s health. Companies have until June 2018 to conform to the new rules.

“The FDA’s action on this major source of artificial trans fat demonstrates the agency’s commitment to the heart health of all Americans,” said Dr. Stephen Ostroff, the FDA’s Acting Commissioner, in a news release. “This action is expected to reduce coronary heart disease and prevent thousands of fatal heart attacks every year.”

Since 2006, manufacturers have been required to include on their nutrition labels the trans fat content. According to the FDA, there has been nearly a 78 percent decrease in trans fat consumption between 2003 and 2012.

The FDA says that consumers should still be attentive to the ingredient list and beware of partially hydrogenated oils. Manufacturers can claim a product has “0” grams of trans fat if it contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving.