A healthy dose of information: New labeling rules let buyer know -- not guess -- about trans fat and allergens in food A healthy dose of information: New labeling rules let buyer know -- not guess -- about trans fat and allergens in food (January 11, 2006)

By John Flood

Special to the Almanac

Eating your favorite chocolate chip cookie may have become a bit less enjoyable since the start of the new year -- if, that is, you're in the habit of reading food labels.

That's because new U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food labeling laws took effect January 1 requiring food manufacturers to list the amount of dangerous trans fats present in their packaged products sold in the United States.

And to help protect people with food allergies, the new laws also require food companies to list known allergens on the food labels of their products.

These changes reflect a growing awareness of the health risks posed by unhealthful fats in the American diet and the potentially life-threatening allergens found in many packaged food.

A Harvard University study estimated that 30,000 Americans could be saved from heart disease-related death if they reduce their intake of trans fats. And the FDA reports that 30,000 Americans require emergency room treatment, and 150 Americans die each year, because of allergic reactions to food.

The newly required information can be found on the nutrition facts panel of conventional foods and some dietary supplements.

Don't expect to see the information on all food labels this month, though. Food manufacturers and grocery store retailers are not required to re-label or remove products already on the shelves that were labeled before January 1.

The trans fat and allergen listing requirements are the most significant changes to the "nutrition facts" panel since the Nutritional, Labeling, and Education Act regulations were finalized in 1993, according to the FDA.
Trans fat dangers

Once considered an important breakthrough for the food industry -- one that allowed icing to stick to cupcakes, gave smooth creamy texture to Oreo fillings, and extended the shelf life of baked goods -- trans fat today is considered the most unhealthful fat of all, even more so than saturated fats.

"Numerous studies have found that trans fats raise our risk of heart disease," says Cynthia Payne, a registered dietitian at the University of Maryland Medical Center. "They can also contribute to an increase in total cholesterol levels and a drop in the healthy HDL cholesterol. These man-made fats are much worse for you than any other natural fat, even the saturated fats found in butter and beef."

Trans fats, also called hydrogenated oils, are created when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil. The result is a solid fat, like Crisco, or stick margarine made from hydrogenated corn oil.

And, it's not only used in packaged foods. The restaurant industry uses trans fats extensively as a key ingredient in French fries, fried chicken, hamburgers, apples pies, cinnamon rolls, and milk shakes. Unless you ask, the restaurant industry isn't required to provide information about how much trans fat is used in their products.
New label, new caveats

How will the new nutrition label be different?

Trans fat will be found on a separate line under saturated fat on the "nutrition facts" panel.

But there's a catch: The food company can list trans fat as zero if the total amount of it in a food is less than 0.5 grams per serving.

How is the consumer to know whether or not there are trans fats in the product? Read the ingredients label and look for "hydrogenated oils."

"Look at the ingredients label and keep trans fats as low as possible," says Karen Ross, registered dietitian and instructor at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.
Bad fat for everyone

Think of a kitchen pipe. The more grease going down, the more the pipe clogs up.

Too much trans fat can clog arteries and increase the chance of heart disease, heart attack or stroke.

"The body has no idea how to handle trans fat, and it can't process it appropriately," says Susan Zipin, clinical dietitian at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. "It's a food technology nightmare for the heart. It will, over time, hurt the heart, and it hurts the body to metabolize it," she says.

No one is immune. According to the comprehensive Nurses' Health Study, the largest investigation of women and chronic disease, trans fats double the risk of heart disease in women.

And research indicates that children are also at risk of developing heart disease because of the toxic mix of too much trans fats, saturated fats and sugar in their diets. A study conducted at the University of Maryland indicates that children as young as 8 have high blood fats and cholesterol.

This has health care professionals concerned.

In a 2004 Harvard Magazine article, John Foreyt of Baylor College of Medicine noted that, "this may be the first generation of children who will die before their parents."

The new food label rules come at a time when it is estimated that more than 200 million Americans are overweight. And the FDA hopes that the food label change will inspire some people to make better food choices.

The FDA predicts that within three years of putting the new trans fat labeling in place, up to 500 lives will be saved, with a cost saving of $1.8 billion in medical costs and lost productivity.

"Putting trans fats on the label is a step forward in making a healthy decision about what to eat, in spite of the advertising claims on the front of the package," says Ms. Zipin.
A change in tack

Inspired by the FDA ruling as well as concerns about litigation, legislation and increased health awareness among aging baby boomers, the food industry has intensified its search for alternatives to trans fats.

Already, some of the largest food corporations have eliminated it from their products. PepsiCo removed it from its Frito-Lay brand chips. In December 2005, Kraft announced that it removed trans fats from some of its most popular products, including Oreo cookies, Wheat Thins and Jell-O Pudding Snacks. Kellogg, Campbell Soup, and ConAgra intend to have products that are trans fat-free in the early part of 2006, according to company spokesmen.

But, in spite of millions of dollars in research, a simple replacement for hydrogenated oils hasn't been found. The means to maintain the same taste and consistency have proven elusive.

Companies have found limited success replacing trans fats with sunflower oil blends or palm oil, or by blending oil in a special process.

In the end, the trade-off is usually found by adding more saturated fat to compensate for the reduction in trans fat. And that technique has some nutritionists concerned.

"I still see saturated fats as the bad guy," says Dr. Christopher Gardner, assistant professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center. "Fifteen percent of calories consumed in the American diet are saturated fats and less than 5 percent are trans fats," he says. While Americans should reduce or eliminate trans fats altogether, "cutting saturated fat intake in half would have a bigger impact," he says.
Good fats, bad fats

With all the news about the danger of fats, it is easy to conclude that all fats are bad. But that's not true.

"Fat is an essential nutrient to absorb fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A, D, and E," says Ms. Zipin. "Fats insulate the body, coat the membranes and sheathe the nerve cells.

"We have to educate ourselves about unhealthy and healthy fats and discriminate between them," she says.

Saturated fat, which is found in foods from animals such as beef and dairy products, is the main dietary cause of high blood cholesterol, health experts say. The American Heart Association recommends that Americans limit saturated fat intake to no more than 10 percent of total calories each day.

Healthful fats such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats may help lower cholesterol when consumed in place of saturated fats.

Polyunsaturated fats are found in safflower, sesame and sunflower seeds, nuts, and their oils.

Monounsaturated fats are found in canola, olive and peanut oils and avocados.

"Healthy eating is all about moderation," says Ms. Ross of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. "Eat more fruits, whole grains and vegetables. And balance it with smaller amounts of trans fats and saturated fats. Eat more of the best and less of the rest," she says.

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