FDA's trans fats ban bucks hands-off approach
When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ruled on Tuesday that artificial trans fats are not safe to eat, it stripped the food additives of their “generally recognized as safe” status.
Such a move is rare: In April, the Center for Public Integrity reported on how the food industry, not the federal government, largely determines whether food additives are safe for consumption. When the food industry declares an additive to be “generally recognized as safe,” or GRAS, the FDA allows food companies to avoid an extensive safety evaluation.
Food companies, many of which have recently chosen to replace trans fats with other oils, have three years to completely remove the additives from their products, according to the FDA.
From now on, companies seeking to add trans fats to food must submit a formal petition to the FDA and undergo a thorough safety assessment.
The FDA’s ruling today on trans fats — or partially hydrogenated oils — cites a wealth of scientific research linking trans fats to chronic health problems such as heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes.
The move “demonstrates the agency’s commitment to the heart health of all Americans," Stephen Ostroff, the agency’s acting commissioner, said in a statement. "This action is expected to reduce coronary heart disease and prevent thousands of fatal heart attacks every year.”
The Grocery Manufacturers Association, which represents the food industry, said it will work with regulators to ensure that food manufacturers comply with the law within the time frame laid out in the ban.
“GMA is pleased that FDA has acted in a manner that both addresses FDA's concerns and minimizes unnecessary disruptions to commerce. GMA will work in collaboration with FDA to further reduce [trans fats] in foods,” the association’s statement reads.
Related: Why the FDA doesn't really know what's in your food
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Copyright 2014 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.
