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Trans fat, an abbreviated form of trans fatty acid, is an unsaturated fatty acid whose molecules contain trans double bonds between carbon atoms, which makes the molecules less kinked compared to those of other fats. It is also referred to on product labels as hydrogenated oil or partially hydrogenated oil. Trans fats occur naturally in small quantities in meat and dairy products. However, most trans fats consumed today are created industrially created through the partial hydrogenation of plant oils and animal fats. The process was developed in the early 1900s, and it was first commercialized as Crisco in 1909. Their main advantages are low cost, long shelf life and good baking properties (i.e., a good texture and taste of the pastries and other products in which they are commonly used). Trans fats are neither required nor beneficial for health, in contrast to other fats and oils. Eating them, even in relatively small quantities, increases the risk of coronary heart disease. Trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils are generally considered to be more harmful than those occurring naturally. Thus, health experts are increasingly recommending that their consumption be reduced to trace amounts. Because of their serious health effects, there is a small but growing movement to ban the use of trans fats in food. The only country to do so to date has been Denmark, which passed legislation in February 2003 restricting their use to a maximum of two percent in any food. Although at first there was some difficulty in recreating baked goods with tastes and textures which consumers had been used to, these problems were eventually overcome through the use of alternative ingredients and now there is considerable satisfaction with the ban. Created October 23, 2006. |