September 1, 2014

Prevalence of Partially Hydrogenated Oils in US Packaged Foods, 2012

From Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Prevalence of Partially Hydrogenated Oils in US Packaged Foods, 2012
Our analysis demonstrates that industrial trans fat is still common in US packaged foods, particularly in some food categories. 

Jenifer Clapp, MPA; Christine J. Curtis, MBA; Ann E. Middleton, MPH; Gail P. Goldstein, MPH

Abstract
Although there is evidence that consumption of trans fat has declined in the United States, limited documentation exists on current levels of industrial trans fat in foods. We estimated the prevalence of partially hydrogenated oils in 4,340 top-selling US packaged foods. Nine percent of products in the sample contained partially hydrogenated oils; 84% of these products listed “0 grams” of trans fat per serving, potentially leading consumers to underestimate their trans fat consumption. Government efforts to eliminate partially hydrogenated oils from packaged foods will substantially reduce exposure to this known cardiovascular disease risk factor.

Objective
Trans fat consumption is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (1). The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has tentatively determined that partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), the main dietary source of industrial trans fat, are not “generally recognized as safe” for consumption (2). The FDA is considering public comments on this determination. If FDA finalizes the proposed change, products containing PHOs will not be allowed as ingredients in packaged or restaurant food unless the FDA makes a determination that they are safe. This study estimates the prevalence of PHOs in US packaged foods to better understand the implications of the proposed restriction of PHOs.

Methods
To estimate the prevalence of industrial trans fat in the packaged food supply, we used a cross-sectional database of brand-name products developed for the National Salt Reduction Initiative (NSRI) in 2012 (3). The NSRI Packaged Food Database (NSRI database) includes products in 61 commonly consumed food categories including baked goods, frozen foods, and snacks (4) that represent many of the top contributors of dietary trans fat (5).


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