Will the Trans Fat Labels Actually Make it to the Store Shelves?
If you are concerned about diet and nutrition and have been paying attention to the news, then you probably are looking forward to January 1, 2006 - the date by which food manufacturers either had to clearly identify the trans fats in their products or get rid of them altogether. Many manufacturers were taking the latter option, figuring that since trans fats have become widely known as the thickened vegetable oils that create "bad" cholesterol and that have been linked to heart disease, having them in their products would be akin to a nutritional scarlet letter.
However, Kraft Foods admitted this week that while it has created a reformulated Oreo cookie that is healthier because it has no trans fats, consumers cannot expect to see it in stores anytime soon.
The reason? All the old-style Oreos have to be sold first. Which could take weeks or months.
Federal regulations say that manufacturers have to list the trans fats in their products as of January 1, 2006, but also allow for delays if existing stocks need to be sold off. Once the new year begins, only no-trans-fat Oreos will be manufactured ... but they won't be in stores for some time.
Kraft estimates that it has spent more than 30,000 people-hours and carried out 125 plant trials in a bid to develop a redesigned Oreo that has no trans fats but maintains the cookie's traditional taste. And the company estimates that it has spent more than 100,000 man-hours reformulating its entire portfolio to be compliant with federal trans fat regulations.
But for consumers to determine whether the products they are buying have trans fats or not, it will take just a few moments - to check the ingredients on the label. And not just Kraft's labels, but all labels. Read closely ... because there are loopholes in the regulations that in the short term favor the manufacturer more than the consumer.
If you are concerned about diet and nutrition and have been paying attention to the news, then you probably are looking forward to January 1, 2006 - the date by which food manufacturers either had to clearly identify the trans fats in their products or get rid of them altogether. Many manufacturers were taking the latter option, figuring that since trans fats have become widely known as the thickened vegetable oils that create "bad" cholesterol and that have been linked to heart disease, having them in their products would be akin to a nutritional scarlet letter.
However, Kraft Foods admitted this week that while it has created a reformulated Oreo cookie that is healthier because it has no trans fats, consumers cannot expect to see it in stores anytime soon.
The reason? All the old-style Oreos have to be sold first. Which could take weeks or months.
Federal regulations say that manufacturers have to list the trans fats in their products as of January 1, 2006, but also allow for delays if existing stocks need to be sold off. Once the new year begins, only no-trans-fat Oreos will be manufactured ... but they won't be in stores for some time.
Kraft estimates that it has spent more than 30,000 people-hours and carried out 125 plant trials in a bid to develop a redesigned Oreo that has no trans fats but maintains the cookie's traditional taste. And the company estimates that it has spent more than 100,000 man-hours reformulating its entire portfolio to be compliant with federal trans fat regulations.
But for consumers to determine whether the products they are buying have trans fats or not, it will take just a few moments - to check the ingredients on the label. And not just Kraft's labels, but all labels. Read closely ... because there are loopholes in the regulations that in the short term favor the manufacturer more than the consumer.
