G.R. LIST

On July 11, 2003, the Food and Drug Administration published final rules mandating trans acid content to be included on food labels by January 1, 2006, in accordance with the Nutrition Labeling Act of 2003. This ruling will have a profound effect on the food and edible oil industries. This article provides some background and describes some strategies that will permit the food industry to comply with the new regulations.

Decreasing Trans and Saturated Fatty Acid Content in Food Oils

Trans Fats
Fats and oils are triglycerides containing both saturated and unsa…


Fig. 1—Hydrogenation flow diagram. Oils are hydrogenated to increase their oxidative stability and improve their melting properties by increasing their degree of saturation. Hydrogenation is also a primary cause of formation of trans fatty acids.

Table 2—Properties of partially hydrogenated soybean oils




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