California Becomes First State To Ban Trans Fats

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California on Friday became the first state to ban trans fats from restaurant food, following several cities and major fast-food chains in erasing the notorious artery-clogger from menus.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation that will ban restaurants and other retail food establishments from using oil, margarine and shortening containing trans fats.

In a statement, Schwarzenegger noted that consuming trans fat is linked to coronary heart disease.

"Today we are taking a strong step toward creating a healthier future for California," he said.

Violations could result in fines of $25 to $1,000. Food items sold in their manufacturers' sealed packaging would be exempt.

New York City, Philadelphia, Seattle, Baltimore and Montgomery County, Md., have ordinances banning trans fats, but California is the first state to adopt such a law covering restaurants, said Amy Winterfeld, a health policy analyst for the National Conference of State Legislatures.

California and Oregon already had laws banning trans fats in meals served at schools, she added.

The legislation signed by Schwarzenegger will take effect Jan. 1, 2010, for oil, shortening and margarine used in spreads or for frying. Restaurants could continue using trans fats to deep-fry yeast dough and in cake batter until Jan. 1, 2011.

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Trans fats occur naturally in small amounts in meat and dairy products. Most trans fats are created when vegetable oil is treated with hydrogen to create baked and fried goods with a longer shelf life.

Stephen Joseph, a Tiburon attorney who was a consultant to New York City in developing its ban, said trans fat is a larger health risk than saturated fat because it reduces so-called good cholesterol.

A 2006 review of trans fat studies by the New England Journal of Medicine concluded there was a strong connection between consumption of trans fats and heart disease. Studies also have linked trans fats to diabetes, obesity, infertility in women and some types of cancer.

Trans fats are like cigarettes, with no safe level of consumption, said Jeffrey Luther, a Long Beach doctor who is president of the California Academy of Family Physicians.

He said the California law, "when it finally takes effect, will be a tremendous benefit."

The California Restaurant Association opposed the bill. Spokesman Daniel Conway said the federal Food and Drug Administration rather than individual states should be developing regulations on trans fat use.

He said, however, that the association has no plans to challenge the law, in part because restaurants already are phasing out trans fats to satisfy customers. Several major fast-food chains have announced that they have eliminated trans fats from their menus or intend to so do in the near future.

"We're confident that California restaurants can meet the mandates of the bill," Conway said.

Comments

[Felicty]

Does this ban mean we won't be seeing any more posts regarding Sherrie Shepherd?

[JohnFromCensornati]

You liber@l h@ters sure do seem to love your trans-fats!
I don't get it, but it sure as he// is funny.

[UnbiasView]

Not at all, I just love the people to have a choice on the matter of what they want to eat. No one ever forced you to eat any trans fats.

[kellygrrrl]

as a parent, I appreciate that my children can order "Freedom Fries" and not have their arteries clogged.
as they get a little older and are able to understand the science behind trans-fats and learn where to look for them, they will be more able to make those "choices"
but for now, my 14 y/o daughter can order her lunch at the snack stand and not have to break out her text book and ask for a list of ingredients

[jinjinpinti]

No one is forced to eat engine sludge either, but do you want it in the dairy case? Trans fats are so bad for you, if you see any you snould turn and run the other way. " Arteries clog better with BlueBonnet in 'em." Trans fats= Death by Parkay.

[Jessegirl]

YES IT IS!!! If that's all you can afford. Those companies can switch ingredients so that their cheap, last-for-months product contains less toxins. Families who don't have a lot of money have fewer options and they are forced to consume MORE of these harmful substances. No one physically forces poorer people to buy more of these foods, but their wallet leaves them no choice. No one physically forces me to buy gas for my car, even though I'm aware of the "burden", but until ALTERNATIVES replace it and become more mainstream..I have to use it still right now (ie.wallet-factor)
So thank-you for lovin the choices YOU CLEARLY HAVE.

[Bettysdad]

You're free to eat as much trans-fat as you want.

You can buy it by the container load. You can fry butter in it at home. Do anything you want.

Restaurants simply can't force unsuspecting customers to eat something that has been proven dangerous.

It's like this: You can take a dump on your kitchen floor. No one cares. Take a dump on the kitchen floor of your restaurant, and you will be closed. Understand.

No interference in your private life. Control over what businesspeople can do to the public.

[Snoop2]

You can't have trans fat but you can go to San Fran and get some HIV.. What a state.

[outnow]

Then don't come here.

[kellygrrrl]

please, by all means, stay away!

[BrettnCalgary]

Don't worry, I'm sure you can get you some HIV at your local gloryhole as well.

[Bettysdad]

You can have all the trans fat you want, at home.

In fact, you can use it to lube up, and get some HIV.

[foofoolaroo]

California has no budget. The governor has proposed cuts to health for the children and elderly, cuts in education and wants a reduction of state employees wages until the state budget is met. Yet, he signed legislation banning trans fats. What a guy.

[optiquest]

this is an example of Liberalism run wild. Liberals a facsists are the same. They are anti-choice when it comes to where you live, what you drive, what you eat, where you smoke, and where or when you can protect yourself. However, women certainly have the right to abort their baby. Way to choose priorities!

[ejay579]

Besides not being able to spell the word, it is obvious you have no idea what fascism encompasses. But to help you along, I suggest you look in the mirror.

[Marlyn]

"this is an example of Liberalism run wild." ???

You think Arnold Schwarzenegger is a Liberal?

[realityczech4u]

This is the second time you've asked this. How about you? Do you think that the government taking control of people's diets is a CONSERVATIVE policy? Some further food for thought (npi): Ask yourself why the government has banned trans fats while keeping tobacco legal. Tobacco has been proven exponentially more harmful. Now ask yourself if trans fat were subject to taxation and taxation at the exhorbitant rate that tobacco is, do you think that it would be banned?

[ohiomark]

Yes he is.

[wdw101]

that's just population control

[Bettysdad]

So you don't live where you want, or drive what you want, or eat what you want, and can't protect yourself. I understand you're pissed you can't force others to inhale your smoke.

So just how pathetic is your life?

I'm an extreme liberal, and do all the things you say we won't let you. How does that work?

[CitizenGeek]

Banning trans fats is important because most of the time, the consumer doesn't even know he or she is consuming them. Children, of course, are even less likely to understand what trans fats are, let alone in which foods they are found. The government of California (even with a Republican in charge!) have recognised this and have acted.

Conservative bloggers are so brain-dead that actually see this as an affront to freedom or something. Your government is removing damaging toxins from the food you eat in a effort to protect your body and ease the pressure on hospitals - that's a good thing, d'uh!

[GeekyGirl]

Ahh, so Californians cannot make decisions of their own and NOT eat foods with trans fat in them. You don't HAVE to go to a restaurant to have dinner, you don't HAVE to buy processed foods. If you are knowledgeable about what you eat, you would not need a state to ban it. Let those who choose to be ignorant and unhealthy eat what they want.

Whats going to happen is that the restaurants and food companies will find another way to slide it in because its all about making money. In fact, there are foods that say no trans fat on the front but if you look in the ingredients, there is something that says "partially hydrogenated oils" which is a trans fat. Americans need to learn to make their own healthy decisions. The information is out there.

[purenergy]

You and I have the luxury of a good education, what about the many of Americans who are just trying to get by? They are forced to eat fast foods and processesed food due to their cheapness and convenience. I guess they should GET that education in between the 2-3 jobs they hold and caring for their family. Maybe after paying 500 dollars a month for health insurance, rent, TAXES, etc they should also be buying organic food? I am lucky that I can afford it, but as regular food prices have soared in the last couple of years so have organics. Now these people are required to pay out 25-40 % more for food that won't kill them...nice. Don't we have the right to expect food form restaurants and other food groups be safe? If they are putting toxins in our food they should stop on their own. Too bad it takes government regulation to get these fascist corporations to "do the right thing".

[GeekyGirl]

The argument that many Americans are forced to live off fast foods and processed foods to get by is weak. Thats because so many other Americans who are poor and uneducated are able to feed their children WITHOUT using fast and processed foods. Its cheaper to buy the ingredients to make a meal than to continue wasting it on fast food. And don't assume that because I have a good education, I MUST not be trying to get by or did not have to struggle to get where I am.

With welfare and food stamps, you can buy food from grocery stores. Whats the point of getting food stamps if you are just going to buy fast food since you are obviously struggling to get by.

[JohnFromCensornati]

What's the deal? Do you love to eat trans-fat or something? Does your line of thinking extend to pesticides and pharmaceuticals and cosmetics as well? Let the consumer decide whether or not poisoning themselves or others is a healthy decision?

[GeekyGirl]

Did you read my post at all? If you did, you would have realized that I am against trans fat, however I am for an informed consumer. I said "Americans need to learn to make their own healthy decisions". Yes, let people DECIDE for themselves. Of course, you are all-knowing and you know exactly what my line of thinking was. My line of thinking is that Americans are not health-conscious and need to know what are in their foods. If people decide to blithely ignore the multitude of information out there on what is healthy, then that is their choice.

And since you wanted to jump to conclusions about my line of thinking, are you pro-choice or pro-life? That was a big jump, wasn't it? Think about it.

[outnow]

Maybe the Californians are concerned about their children and other people's children. Are you in favor of selling tobacco and alcohol to minors? The why grease? I know, we should supervise children at every moment. Since they advertise greasy fries on TV then it must be good for the little children? Supersize your kid. Make more money for corporate America. Give 'em diabetes Type II and high cholesterol. That'll teach 'em to make healthy choices and to take responsibility.

This is a consumer issue just like salmonella and asbestos. I hope that you understand that this should have been done in the 70's. It is 45 years late as it is.

[kellygrrrl]

a 13 y/o is generally not quite ready to ask the server behind the counter for a list of ingredients

[GeekyGirl]

Thats what PARENTS are for to let their children know what they can and cannot eat. I was not allowed to eat fast foods as a child because I was TAUGHT by my PARENTS who were NOT college-educated what to eat. The information is out there and are we as American citizens so reliant on our government, that we cannot govern our own lives? Are millions of adults 13 y/o children?

[clsmithj]

This is rule is going to ruin businesses like Little Debbie, which hasn't changed any of their products yet in this America awakening of the dangers of partially hydrogenated oils.

[Pupadup4oBama]

I don't think it has to ruin them - but it will sure wake their asses up that if they want to stay competitive, they need to go the healthy route.
They can do it if they have the creativity and foresight to forge ahead.

Good for Ah-nauld! Too bad he supports MickyC's

[expatwing]

"legislation that will ban restaurants and other retail food establishments from using oil, margarine and shortening containing trans fats."

Little Debbie should be safe.

[realityczech4u]

Have you ever known of government to restrict it's own power once it established it in a given area?

[purenergy]

Little Debbie was a successful snack industry BEFORE trans fats, it can be again. Are we supposed to just keep eating toxins so a corporation won't have declining profits???

[IronMikeKaty]

Well you don't have to eat Debbie Cakes if you don't want to. I don't eat them. I try to eat healthy. You have choices in life and not everyone needs the government telling them what to eat. Arnold took steroids and he is so hypocritical on this. Let people decide what they want to eat.

[JohnFromCensornati]

I don't feel sorry when businesses that sell poisonous sh/t go belly up, but I don't think Little Debbie runs restaurants (or other retail food establishments). According to this article, I don't think she has to worry.

[realityczech4u]

Sorry but I am a bit more of a skeptic. Just because food manufacturers are not subject to this control now does not mean they won't be. This is a new area for government to establish control. History has shown that it always starts out small and then follows a snowballing, cascading pattern. I would expect that with the advent of a national health care system, it would not be unrealistic to expect government to monitor everyone's body mass index, cholesterol levels and much more and to impose penalties on those who fall outside of an established range. Sorry but Big Brother can keep his nose out of my personal business. I am glad to see trans fats, which are unecessary and harmful, go. It is the ramifications of where this may lead that I am concerned about.

[zizyphus]

I remember reading Adelle Davis, "Let's Eat Right to Keep Fit " in 1970. She said back then that hydrogenated fats were dangerous and disease causing. The body has no idea what to do with these artificial fats, and so just lines the arteries with them. I always avoided them after that. "Experts" at the time pooh-poohed her claims.

I remember also a German doctor saying that cancer was caused by viruses from meat at that time, and she too, was soundly scorned. Today we know that viruses cause cancer.

The fundamental truth is that your food is your medicine. The common vegetables that humans have selected over the ages are packed with phytochemicals that ward off disease. The Western diet includes too much processed and artificial foods to ward off disease. Your body gets toned inside by eating green leaves, roots, seeds, fruits, flowers. Fresh food that still has some life in it. Of course, if you want the finest, you must grow your own foods. The exercise and practice of producing food is so basic, yet so overlooked, but the connection is profound, and missing from the lives of many.

[Pupadup4oBama]

Well said!
I know i"m definitely trying to eat healthier, and I feel great. Having a puppy also motivates me to walk an hour a day, at least.
My husband and I were watching a video of Deepak Chopra and he said food should say "look at me, eat me, taste me." Colorful fruits and vegetables.

[cdnnewsjunky]

North America is a continent of lard asses, so this is good news. Women's arches won't fall and guys will be able to see their dicks when the piss.

[Mort]

WARNING: This article contains ideas which are known to the state of California to cause obesity and retardation in laboratory animals.

[djk20042]

Too bad CA can't ban stupidity---all the democrats out there would be out of work!

[djk20042]

What a waste of taxpayer money. Can we please repatriate this state to Mexico?

[alted1663]

Betcha those french fries taste like crap now. If you can afford them after Arnold wacks your pay to $6.55 an hour.

[raker]

Our cowardly government allows products to have half a gram of trans fat and still claim to have none. The best I can tell, "zero grams trans fat" on the label means "has trans fat," while "no trans fat" means the product really doesn't have trans fat.

And that's per serving, mind you, as though any serving on a label matched a real-life serving size. Food manufacturers and politicians get to boast that they've done a good thing, while they go right on poisoning the food supply. Pretty sweet.

[purenergy]

Thanks! I never realized the difference before. I don't eat processed foods anymore, but that is a good bit of info to pass on.