Trans Fat Ban Could Change Junk Food for the Better

There’s a lot to love about trans fats, the partially hydrogenated oils that smooth texture, stabilize flavor and improve shelf life in everything from crackers to doughnuts to microwave popcorn. But there’s also a lot to hate, starting with their link to heart disease, which is why the Food and Drug Administration may outlaw them for good.

On Nov. 7, the FDA announced that it is starting the process of eliminating artificial trans fats from the U.S. food supply. The move follows the passage of local laws in New York and California that banned trans fats in restaurants in 2006 and 2008, respectively, and efforts by McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts and Kraft to reformulate their foods.

Numerous studies have linked the additives–introduced in the 1950s–to clogged arteries; the Centers for Disease Control estimates that trans fats contribute to 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 heart-disease-related deaths each year. Those mounting stats prompted the FDA to declare that trans fats are no longer “generally recognized as safe.”

But that doesn’t mean they will disappear tomorrow. Because eliminating trans fats would require so many businesses to overhaul their food production–and perhaps pay for pricier substitutes like butter–the FDA is allowing a 60-day “commenting period” so industry advocates can weigh in on a realistic timeline. (Mandating trans-fat disclosure on food labels took seven years.) The FDA will also field petitions from food producers, which can try to prove that their use of trans fats warrants an exception to the rule.

Ultimately, though, this is good news for eaters and eateries alike. “Everyone agrees trans fat is bad,” says Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center. “This is one of the least contentious issues in nutrition.”