Unilever Pushes Trans Fat One Step Closer to Extinction

Recommended Sources

About Food Industry

BNET Food provides daily industry trends and news coverage with insights for managers and executives, focusing on the major companies in the food and beverage sector, from manufacturers to retailers. In addition to detailed company profiles, we bring you industry analysis on new alliances and partnerships, food products, mergers and acquisitions, contamination events, health risks, investments, and a host of other important business issues.

Unilever this week became the latest company to get rid of artificial trans fat, an ingredient linked to heart disease. The company is removing all partially hydrogenated oil (a source of trans fat) from I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, Country Crock and other spreads. The phasing-out will start next month and be completed by mid-2010.

This isn’t good news for Unilever rival Smart Balance Inc. Smart Balance had already cut artificial trans fats from its spreads, and it’s been aggressive in marketing that fact.

The Food and Drug Administration allows companies to claim zero trans fat on product packaging as long as the actual amount is less than .5 grams per serving, and Smart Balance recently set out to inform consumers of this and warn consumers that Unilever products did contain trans fat, despite the labeling. Smart Balance shares fell at Unilever’s announcement.

New York City, California and Philadelphia all have bans on artificial trans fats in restaurants, and a growing number of consumers now consider trans fat content when purchasing products.

Cargill last week completely stopped production of hydrogenated oil at its plant in Wichita, Kansas, saying demand has dropped 75 percent over the past five years.

To clarify: there are trace amounts of naturally occurring trans fat in dairy, meat and other products, but artificial sources like hyrdrogenated oils contain a much higher percentage.

Tags: Unilever PLC, Federal Government, Marketing Research, Government, Marketing, Katherine Glover

Katherine Glover is a Minneapolis-based print, radio and online journalist. She's written for Salon.com, Sierra Magazine and many others, and she does a weekly blog on immigration issues for MinnPost.

BNET User Analysis

Voice your 2cents

Web Buzz:

80 Percent of Americans Have No Idea Which Foods Contain Trans Fats

NaturalNews - 197 days 11 hours 37 minutes ago

(NaturalNews) While most people in the United States now know that they should avoid trans fats, only 20 percent actually know which foods are likely to contain the dangerous ingredients, according to a survey conducted by researchers from the University of Colorado-Denver and published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association ....
US: Unilever to remove hydrogenated oils from spreads

Just Food - 119 days 6 hours 58 minutes ago

Food giant Unilever is to remove hydrogenated oils across its entire soft spreads portfolio in the US
Better Trans-Free Baked Goods

Food Product Design - 341 days 1 hour 10 minutes ago

Since the 2003 FDA mandate regarding labeling of trans fats, the food industry has made substantial strides in replacing partially hydrogenated oils. Still, work continues—particularly in some applications where trans fats provided easy solutions. Brian Strouts, head of research and technical services, AIB International, Manhattan, KS,...
Meijer Introduces Meijer Naturals

Supermarket News - 221 days 8 hours 37 minutes ago

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. ? Meijer Naturals, a new store-brand line of products that are free of artificial ingredients and additives, GMOs, high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils and trans fat, will hit Meijer?s shelves Monday. Priced 10% to 15% below national-brand equivalents, the line comprising 75 items will complement the Meijer Organics...
US: Unilever extends I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! line

Just Food - 246 days 2 hours 25 minutes ago

Consumer goods giant Unilever is introducing I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! cooking and baking sticks to the US market