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Here's some of the things that can be done...
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BanTransFats.com, Inc. is a newly established non-profit corporation based in California. Our goal is the reduction and elimination of trans fats from all food products.


We have sued Kraft/Nabisco, because it is targeting its marketing of Oreo Cookies to young children. Oreo Cookies contain partially hydrogenated soybean oil, a trans fat. This is the first anti-trans fat lawsuit ever filed by anyone. PLEASE DON'T BUY KRAFT/NABISCO OREO COOKIES.


We have launched the DON'T PARTIALLY HYDROGENATE ME™ T-shirt and bumper sticker campaign. (Be sure to get yours.) We will also take legal action against food manufacturers and organize selective boycotts.


We are proud to announce that Dr. Mary Enig, who is widely regarded as the world's leading expert on the danger of trans fats, is our principal consultant.


Trans fats cause significant and serious lowering of HDL (good) cholesterol and a significant and serious increase in LDL (bad) cholesterol; major clogging of arteries; type 2 diabetes; and other serious health problems. Trans fats are placed into food to increase shelf life, but they decrease human life.


If the hydrogenation process were discovered today, it could not be adopted by the oil food industry.


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recently taken the position that “intake of trans fats should be as low as possible.” This is the only legal food ingredient that merits such strong concern by the FDA.


There are recommended maximum daily allowances for total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium on the FDA approved “Nutrition Facts” labels on food packages. For example, the labels state that 25 grams of saturated fat can be consumed daily as part of a 2,500 calorie diet. However, the FDA has refused to set a maximum recommended daily allowance for trans fats, because the only safe level is zero.


Kraft has objected to the FDA's proposal to include trans fats in the "Nutrition Facts" labels on food products on the ground that it will “mislead consumers and may result in food choices inconsistent with public health goals.'' Kraft's objection is an insult to everyone's intelligence.


In fact, the FDA's proposed labeling will be completely useless for children. There is no way that a child will be warned by the technical "Nutrition Facts" label, especially a child who is so young that he or she cannot read. Kids need prominent bright obvious graphic labeling, so that they know to steer away from those products. A parent can say: "If you see that label on something, don't eat it."


Frito-Lay is completely eliminating trans fats from Doritos, Tostitos and Cheetos and is converting to corn oil, a trans fat-free oil. And even McDonald’s is reducing by 47 percent the level of trans fat used in its French fries. But Kraft has made no announcement that it will eliminate trans fat from Oreo Cookies.


In March 2003, Denmark issued new regulations limiting the amount of trans fat in processed foods. Denmark's food minister said: "We put the public health above the industry's interests." Why can't the United States do the same?


We are very concerned that the Federal Government announced on May 8, 2003 that it will not force companies to produce healthier food. The Health and Human Services Secretary, Tommy Thompson, said that he hopes that the food companies will do so voluntarily. We do not agree at all. We need to put pressure on the food companies, and pass appropriate legislation and regulations.


The best way to get the food industry to remove the trans fats from its products is to avoid buying products containing trans fats. If you see the words "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" or "fractionated" in the ingredients, choose a different product. If enough of us avoid products with trans fats, the food industry will get the message.


Incidentally, there are several "Oreo" alternatives that have no trans fat. Newman's "O" cookies contain no trans fat and taste just as good as Kraft/Nabisco Oreo Cookies. An Oreo doesn't need trans fat to taste great. (We have no relationship with the Newman company or any other commercial interest.)


We are looking for corporate sponsors. We have a huge battle ahead of us and we need all the financial backing that we can get. We will accept financial support from any company that agrees with our goal of reducing and eliminating trans fats and does not attempt to influence us to deviate from that goal in any way. We will list all sponsors on this website.
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More info is available on their site bantransfats.com

I think this is interesting in that it does demonstrate various approaches available to address such issues. We touched on some of them in the current discussion.

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