The Food and Drug Administration could be on the verge of banning artery-clogging trans fats -- but business owners are trying to drum up opposition by complaining that recipes will need to be rewritten and that the donut won't taste the same.
Some companies have stopped using these unhealthy partially hydrogenated oils, but many foods we eat every day -- like frozen pizza, cookies, and margarine -- still contain trans fats, and restaurants can still serve them to their patrons in any amount.
Trans fats raise bad cholesterol levels and increase the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. According to the FDA commissioner, more than 7,000 deaths a year could be prevented by removing trans fats from our food.
Some food producers are fighting the ban by claiming that our food won't taste the same, but studies have shown that most foods can be reformulated to exclude trans fats.
The FDA is holding a 60 day "comment period" to collect information about public support for the ban before making a final decision. Add your name to the petition now to show your support for a ban on trans fats.
I am writing to show my support for the Food and Drug Administration's preliminary determination to classify partially hydrogenated oils as no longer “generally recognized as safe.”
In the interests of the health of the American public, please finalize this determination and classify partially hydrogenated oils as a food additive so that it will no longer be widely available in common food items.
