FDA to ban trans fats within three years

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The FDA announced on Tuesday that it determined that partially hydrogenated oils, the primary dietary source of artificial trans fat in processed foods, are not generally recognized as safe for use in human food, according to a statement. The FDA is mandating that food manufacturers remove PHOs from products within the next three years.

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

The announcement comes after a 2013 conclusion that PHOs could no longer be considered GRAS.

Although consumption of trans fat has decreased by 78% between 2003 and 2012 — progress that the FDA attributes to the labeling rule for trans fat and industry reformulation of foods — the FDA still considers current consumption a public health concern.

The FDA currently allows foods lowed to be labeled as having 0 g of trans fat if they contain less than 0.5 g of trans fat per serving. These servings include PHOs, which contain artificial trans fat in processed foods.

“Studies show that diet and nutrition play a key role in preventing chronic health problems, such as cardiovascular disease and today’s action goes hand in hand with other FDA initiatives to improve the health of Americans, including updating the nutrition facts label,” Susan Mayne, Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said. “This determination is based on extensive research into the effects of PHOs, as well as input from all stakeholders received during the public comment period.”

The FDA-issued, three-year compliance period will allow companies to reformulate products and/or petition the FDA to use PHOs in products, according to the statement. After the three-year period, PHOs can only be added to human food with the permission of the FDA.

The FDA predicts that many companies will remove PHOs before the three-year deadline.