Researcher Urges FDA to Revise Trans Fat Labeling Policy

A Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine researcher has called for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to change its trans fat labeling guidelines to reflect more accurate levels of the fat in foods. Eric Brandt, “Deception of Trans Fats on Food and Drug Administration Food Labels: A Proposed Revision to the Presentation of Trans Fats on Food Labels,” American Journal of Health Promotion, January/February 2011.

Current FDA regulations allow trans fat content of less than .5 grams to be listed as 0 grams of fat on food labels. Brandt claims that the policy is misleading and “may result in people thinking they are consuming foods with no trans fats, when in fact they may be consuming food that cumulatively include trans fats in excess of 1 percent of total dietary consumption.” He recommends that trans fat content be labeled in .1-gram increments.