Hold the Trans Fatty Acids

If it seems like deja vu all over again, that’s because it is. Once again, food manufacturers (yes, we mean "food manufacturers") have discovered that last year’s healthful additive could be next year’s heart attack. This time the culprit is the trans fatty acids found in partially hydrogenated oils, which foodmakers have used for nearly 30 years to replace unhealthful saturated fats, such as palm oil or lard.
For years now, researchers have suspected that trans fatty acids are just as bad for human hearts as the unsaturated fats that they replaced, and some foodmakers have found what they believe to be more healthful alternatives. But as this story in the Washington Post reports, many food companies are still scrambling for a cheaper replacement fat.
What’s the hurry? No, it’s not consumer health. The Food and Drug Administration ruled last year that by January 2006 all packaged food products must list the amount of trans fatty acids, or trans fat, that they contain.