New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Food & Drink Weekly, August 15, 2005

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) has asked the city's restaurateurs and food suppliers to voluntarily make an oil change by eliminating partially hydrogenated vegetable oils from the kitchen. Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils have been chemically modified and contain relatively high levels of trans fat, which significantly increases risk of heart disease, the city's top cause of death, the department said.

Commercial vegetable oils used by restaurants for cooking, frying, and baking often contain trans fat, as do many margarines, shortening, and pre-fried foods, baked goods and snack foods. DOHMH is announcing this new educational initiative following recently released federal dietary guidelines, which recommend that consumers keep their trans fat intake as low as possible. While many nutrition labels already indicate trans fat content, the federal Food and Drug Administration is requiring that trans fat content be listed on all nutrition labels starting January 1, 2006.