Ban Trans Fats in Australia & New Zealand

Partially hydrogenated oils or trans fatty acids, have been shown to raise "bad" cholesterol. Reducing the use of trans fats could prevent thousands of heart attacks and deaths from heart disease per year.

Trans fat remains legal in Australia and New Zealand, which share a regulatory agency, FSANZ. Manufacturers only need to declare trans fats on the label if they make nutrition claims about cholesterol or fatty acids.

There is compelling evidence that TFAs increase the amount of bad cholesterol in our blood, a key indicator for heart disease.

In the US, the FDA has made a preliminary determination that the primary source of trans fat, is no longer “generally recognized as safe,” and that it plans to ban their use in the market. The ban will only apply to trans fat added to foods.

Companies will need to come up with alternative replacements for trans fats. Some alternate oils may work in some cases but some products might have to be removed.

Health care professionals welcomed the FDA's step towards banning trans fats in US foods.

"Banning the use of artificial trans fats is a life-saving move that can help keep the public healthy," said Patrice Harris, a member of the board of the American Medical Association. "Healthier options, such as extra virgin olive oil, could prevent 30,000 to 100,000 premature deaths each year".

We should be realising this in Australia & New Zealand and putting a ban on all added trans fats in ALL foods on Australian and New Zealand shelves.