Dietary fats, specifically
trans fats, have become a hot-button in scientific circles and the media in recent years. With new labeling, we are likely to see media coverage increase even more. Where
trans fats are concerned, there are many terms that are used, such as "hydrogenated," "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil," "LDL-cholesterol," "HDL-cholesterol," and others that are often not explained fully or with enough context for consumers to understand what it means to them and what to do.
The use of partially hydrogenated oil increased in the 1980s when it became widely accepted as a functional replacement of saturated fat in the food supply. At that time, scientific thinking indicated that partially hydrogenated fats were more healthful than animal fats, so partially hydrogenated vegetable oils were used as a replacement. Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils contain trans fatty acids. Since then, the science has evolved, providing a clearer picture of the role that various fatty acids play in health. Today, scientific recommendations, such as the Dietary Reference Intakes and the Dietary Guidelines, agree that the intake of trans fat should be as low as possible, as part of a nutritionally adequate diet.
In 2003, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a final ruling that required the Nutrition Facts Panel on food packages to declare the absolute amounts of trans fat in the food. This rule is effective as of January 1, 2006. This will be of great help to consumers in determining the relative amount of trans fat per serving and the overall healthfulness of the fatty acid profile of the product.
Recent International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation consumer research indicates that consumer understanding of dietary fats has grown over the years but consumers still have many misunderstandings about the roles of various fatty acids in their health and where individual fats are found in foods. Further IFIC Foundation consumer research has also demonstrated the importance of research using easily understandable language in trans fat footnotes to ensure that consumers will understand and use the information appropriately.
State of Trans Reformulation in Foods
Numerous factors come into play when the best options for developing new oil formulations for food products are determined. Among these are health, functional properties in food products (taste, stability, etc.), availability, economics, and logistics.
Functionality is the reason that, in many food products, trans and saturated fats cannot merely be replaced with unsaturated oils. Although innovations continue to be developed for the reformulation of food products so they do not include trans fat, the following options currently exist:
- Naturally stable oils and fats (i.e., palm, canola, corn, and cottonseed oils; nutritionally-enhanced oils from newer oilseed varieties)
- Fully hydrogenated vegetable oils
- Modified partially hydrogenated oils that significantly reduce trans fat content
Communication Needs
According to the IFIC Foundation's consumer research, although understanding has increased over time, much confusion still remains regarding dietary fats, fatty acids, and foods. Areas of confusion include determining which fatty acid to consume more or less of and where they are primarily found in foods. Other key areas of misinformation and misunderstanding that require further examination and clearer communication include specification of the trans fat content versus the saturated fat content of individual foods and in overall diets and clarification of the difference between "hydrogenated" and "partially hydrogenated" oils. The latter area may be of particular concern regarding trans fat alternatives because one solution uses fully hydrogenated vegetable oil. Fully hydrogenated vegetable oil creates stearic acid, which many think is suitable as a replacement for trans because of its neutral effect on blood cholesterol.
Ultimately, all communication should acknowledge the "evolving" nature of the science of fatty acids and the relationship between fatty acids and the risk of coronary heart disease. It is imperative that consumers be given clear and consistent messages about dietary fats, their role in the diet, and actionable steps that consumers can take to balance all nutrients they consume to achieve overall healthful diets.
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