Time to start hoarding vintage Cheetos for eBay: This morning, the FDA announced it will ban the largest source of trans fats in the American diet. In 2018, partially hydrogenated oils — a major preservative and general nastifier of processed foods — will no longer be “generally recognized as safe.” The reasoning? Uh, it kills you:
“In this case, it has become clear that what’s good for extending shelf-life is not equally good for extending human life,” said Susan Mayne, director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, in the announcement. The FDA said it expects the action to result in reductions coronary heart disease and fatal heart attacks.
Industry giants like ConAgra and General Mills have already banned trans fats from 90 and 95 percent of products, respectively. Companies can, however, petition the FDA for exemptions. Let’s see: Thousands of lives saved vs. oily donuts? Tough call.
