<table border=0 cellpadding=2 cellspacing="0"><tr><td>
<pre>This is a general FYI, as the new changes should increase the use of olive
oil by informed consumers.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/334604.asp <A
HREF="http://www.msnbc.com/news/334604.asp">Click here: New labels to list
dangerous trans fat</A>

New labels to list dangerous trans fat

FDA proposes change

MSNBC NEWS SERVICES

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 — No one actually thought doughnuts and cookies were
health foods. But it will be harder to hide from just how unhealthy they are
under proposed nutrition labels that would list a little-known artery-clogger
called trans fat.

THE FOOD AND DRUG Administration on Friday proposed the change, the first
since the government required labels on food products in 1994.

Experts believe that trans fatty acids, the stuff that makes french fries,
crackers and lots of other foods taste so good, may be even worse for the
heart than saturated fat. Studies show trans fat boosts the levels of LDL
cholesterol, the “bad” cholesterol that contributes to coronary heart
disease. At the same time, it decreases the amount of HDL — the “good”
cholesterol that is good for the heart.

But consumers have had no way to know how much of it is in their foods.

FDA Commissioner Jane Henney said the requirement would help consumers reduce
their risk of heart disease. “This will make a real difference to them in
terms of the safety of the products they’re about to consume,” Henney said.

Coronary heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. If
consumers limit trans fat consumption thanks to the new labels, about 6,400
cases of coronary heart disease could be prevented each year, Henney said.

The FDA is seeking comments on the proposal for 90 days before making final
rules.

Food labels now list saturated fat, another artery-clogger, and total fat.
The FDA’s proposals would require that the amount of trans fat be added to
saturated fat, with an asterisk listing trans fat by itself.

Also, foods labeled low in fat or cholesterol must account for trans fat
before making those claims, the FDA said.

‘PHANTOM FAT’
The consumer group Center for Science in the Public Interest, which has been
warning about the dangers of trans fat for more than five years, said the
total fat content listed for some products may double once trans fat is
included. The group has been lobbying the FDA since 1994 to require labeling
on what it calls “the phantom fat.”

“The public health impact of trans fat is significant,” said Margo Wootan, a
CSPI senior staff scientist. “In many foods, you’re almost getting twice as
much heart-unhealthy fat” than what’s listed on the label.

Consumers concerned about heart health should limit both trans fat and
saturated fat in their diets, Wootan said.

The proposed rule would also allow manufacturers to label certain foods as
“trans fat free.”

And products that call themselves low in saturated fat, low in cholesterol,
“lean” and “extra lean” would also have to be low in trans fat. For
instance, baked items such as cookies and shortbreads could be high in trans
fat but low in saturated fat.

A certain snack cake, for example, has 3 grams of saturated fat, meaning it
would comprise 14 percent of the recommended daily allowance. “That’s not
terrible. You could probably squeeze that in,” Wootan said.

But that same cake has another 4 grams of trans fat. Adding the two gives you
7 grams of “bad” fat — or 35 percent for an entire day.

Trans fat comprises up to 10 percent of the calories in a typical diet. The
best example may be stick margarine, but it’s also hidden in crackers,
cookies, pastries and deep-fried fast foods. Spreadable margarine in tubs,
though, contain little if any trans fat.

Until now, the only way consumers could determine whether a food included
trans fat was to look for “hydrogenated” on the list of ingredients.

Nutrition Notes: Making sense of the new margarine choices

That’s because the most common source of trans fat is partially hydrogenated
vegetable oil, in which liquid oil is turned into a solid to protect against
spoiling and to maintain the flavor over time. Typically, the harder a
margarine or cooking fat, the more trans fat it includes.

Henney said the FDA hopes the new labels will prompt manufacturers to change
the way they create products — cooking them in lower-fat oil, for instance,
to reduce the amount of trans fat.

An industry spokesman said the labels may just confuse consumers.

“There’s a concern about turning an information label into an
encyclopedia,”
said Brian Sansoni, spokesman for the Grocery Manufacturers of America. “Is
it going to be presented in an understandable way?”

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report

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The bad fats

All fats and oils are high in calories but only some are damaging to the
arteries and heart. Artery-clogging fats that increase blood cholesterol
include:

• Saturated fat: Found in dairy and meat products including milk, cheese, ice
cream, ground beef, steak and pork. It also can be found in coconut and palm
oils.

• Trans fat: Formed when vegetable oils are hardened into solids, usually to
protect against spoiling and to maintain flavor. Examples include stick
margarine and shortening, deep-fried foods such as french fries and fried
chicken, and pastries, cookies, doughnuts and crackers.

The good fats

Fats that do not clog arteries include:

• Monounsaturated fat: Found in higher levels in olive, canola and peanut
oils.

• Polyunsaturated fat: Found in higher levels in soybean, corn, safflower and
sunflower oils.

The Associated Press
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