ABSTRACT
With the approach of a January 1, 2006 deadline to disclose trans fatty acids in processed foods, many food companies are busily engaged to reformulate their products to a “trans free” status. They have hired outside consultants, called in their fats and oils suppliers and charged their product development function with eliminating trans fat from the Nutrition Fact panel without affecting product functionality, taste and any other product features discernible to the consumer. At this writing, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labeling regulations do not define claims for “trans fat free” or “low in trans fat.” The terms “trans free” and “zero trans” are used here to mean less than 0.5 gm of trans fat per serving. The term “trans reformulation” refers to the processes for reducing and/or eliminating trans fat content.
