The online edition of Time has an interesting article on the mad scramble that food manufacturers are in the throes of trying to meet the FDA’s January 1, 2006 labeling deadline for trans fats.
Buried deep within the story is an insider tidbit that sends a cautionary message:
Some 85% of the roughly 19 billion lbs. of edible oils Americans consume each year comes from soy. About 10 billion lbs. of that soy oil gets hydrogenated, according to Mark Matlock, senior vice president of food research at Archer Daniels Midland (ADM).
Do the math and you’ll discover that anything containing soybean oil will have greater than 60 percent odds of being a trans fat.
Another troubling statement:
But alternatives are on the horizon. ADM, for example, has developed oils that not only behave like hydrogenated oils but also, Matlock says, are relatively healthy.
“Relatively healthy”? There are some weasel words for you. I would want to see a whole lot of data from a truck load of medical studies showing just how “relatively healthy” these Frankenfats are before I would put them in my mouth.