Trans-Fat Free Oil Heats Up

Burger King, McDonald's and Marriott Announce Trans-fat Free Menus 

The burger giants are falling into the trans-fat-free oil line in increasing numbers. They are seeing an increasing number of competitors scrambling for healthier oil. Meanwhile, the FDA has chimed in for more nutritional transparency and municipalities are jumping in to restrict or ban outright trans-fat. Studies have shown trans-fat raises bad cholesterol and lowers the good kind.

Two weeks ago Burger King announced that it would start testing several trans-fat-free cooking oils and plans to roll out trans-fat-free food by late 2008. It would also meet New York City trans-fat-free requirements. BK announced their shift a few days after McDonald's announced that it has finally found a tasty oil replacement that preserves the taste of its extremely popular fries. McDonald's new oil will be a hybrid of canola, corn and soy oils. Meanwhile Marriott International announced last Thursday that they are jumping on the trans-fat-free bandwagon as well. It will eliminate trans-fats from its restaurant cooking oil at more than 2,300 hotels in the United States and Canada. Omni Hotels also announced it will cut the unpopular artery-clogging hydrogenated oils by March 1.

Municipalities are also lining up to legislate fast food menus. Wendy's was one of the first to launch into no trans-fat foods shortly after the Food and Drug Administration required food labels to show trans-fat content. New York City has already set July 1 to ban all restaurants from using trans-fat. Florida has proposed a 2007 bill to ban trans-fat in restaurants and school cafeterias. Los Angeles City and County leaders have also unveiled a plan to have its restaurants "voluntarily" phase out trans-fat. Eleven areas in the United States are considering legislation regarding trans-fat, and the number is growing.