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Feature Articles: Health
Food Labels to List Trans Fats and AllergensTammy Roberts, MS, RD, LD, Nutrition and
Health Education Specialist in Barton County |
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As of January 1, 2006 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has
new requirements for food labels. Consumers will now be able to
look at a food label and know how much trans fat a product
contains. In addition, proteins from eight foods that cause
allergens must also be included on the food label. These two new
requirements will allow consumers to make important decisions
about the purchases they make at the grocery store.
The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 requires that manufacturers list ingredients that contain protein from milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. According to the FDA, these foods account for about 90% of allergic food reactions. The labels must list the protein that causes the allergic reaction as well as the food in which that protein is found. For example, the label must list “casein” which is the protein and “milk” the food in which the protein is found.
This will help children make decisions about the foods they
consume. This is important because more children than adults
suffer from food allergies.
Listing of the amount of trans fat is the other new labeling
requirement. Saturated fat, trans fat and dietary cholesterol
raise low-density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol. High
cholesterol levels increase the risk of coronary heart disease.
Saturated fat and cholesterol are already required on the food
label.
Trans fats are formed when hydrogen is added to vegetable
oil. This process turns the liquid to a solid. Keep in mind that
saturated fats are hard at room temperature. Hydrogenation makes
vegetable oils hard at room temperature which makes our body
recognize and utilize like a saturated fat.
On the Nutrition Facts panel of the food label, trans fat
will be listed directly under saturated fat. There is no Daily
Value established for trans fats so there will be no % Daily
Value listed. The total number of grams of trans fats per
serving will be listed. A recommendation is that no more than
10% of total calories should be from saturated fat and trans
fats. For a person consuming 2000 calories per day, that would
mean no more than 22 grams of saturated and trans fats for the
day.
Don’t expect that you will find this information on all food labels at this time. Food that was labeled before January 1, 2006 is not required to be re-labeled. Within a few months, you should start finding this information on most food labels.
Last update: Monday, August 14, 2006
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