NYC government wasting it's time

[enzfan]

You would think any city government would have bigger issues on the table besides trying to legislate what you can eat.



Kim Walker / AP file
New York City health officials have proposed a ban on artificial trans fats that can be found in foods like doughnuts and french fries.

Updated: 12:10 a.m. ET Sept 27, 2006
NEW YORK - Three years after the city banned smoking in restaurants, health officials are talking about prohibiting something they say is almost as bad: artificial trans fatty acids.

The city health department unveiled a proposal Tuesday that would bar cooks at any of the city’s 24,600 food service establishments from using ingredients that contain the artery-clogging substance, commonly listed on food labels as partially hydrogenated oil.

Artificial trans fats are found in some shortenings, margarine and frying oils and turn up in foods from pie crusts to french fries to doughnuts.

Doctors agree that trans fats are unhealthy in nearly any amount, but a spokesman for the restaurant industry said he was stunned the city would seek to ban a legal ingredient found in millions of American kitchens.

“Labeling is one thing, but when they totally ban a product, it goes well beyond what we think is prudent and acceptable,” said Chuck Hunt, executive vice president of the city’s chapter of the New York State Restaurant Association.

He said the proposal could create havoc: Cooks would be forced to discard old recipes and scrutinize every ingredient in their pantry. A restaurant could face a fine if an inspector finds the wrong type of vegetable shortening on its shelves.



The proposal also would create a huge problem for national chains. Among the fast foods that would need to get an overhaul or face a ban: McDonald’s french fries, Kentucky Fried Chicken and several varieties of Dunkin’ Donuts.

Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden acknowledged that the ban would be a challenge for restaurants, but he said trans fats can easily be replaced with substitute oils that taste the same or better and are far less unhealthy.

“It is a dangerous and unnecessary ingredient,” Frieden said. “No one will miss it when it’s gone.”

Same ban in Chicago?
A similar ban on trans fats in restaurant food has been proposed in Chicago and is still under consideration, although it has been ridiculed by some as unnecessary government meddling.

The latest version of the Chicago plan would only apply to companies with annual revenues of more than $20 million, a provision aimed exclusively at fast-food giants.

A few companies have moved to eliminate trans fats on their own.

Wendy’s announced in August that it had switched to a new cooking oil that contains no trans fatty acids. Crisco now sells a shortening that contains zero trans fats. Frito-Lay removed trans fats from its Doritos and Cheetos. Kraft’s took trans fats out of Oreos.

McDonald’s began using a trans fat-free cooking oil in Denmark after that country banned artificial trans fats in processed food, but it has yet to do so in the United States.

Walt Riker, vice president of corporate communications at McDonald’s, said in a statement Tuesday that the company would review New York’s proposal.

“McDonald’s knows this is an important issue, which is why we continue to test in earnest to find ways to further reduce (trans fatty acid) levels,” he said.

July deadline proposed
Under the New York proposal, restaurants would need to get artificial trans fats out of cooking oils, margarine and shortening by July 1, 2007, and all other foodstuffs by July 1, 2008. It would not affect grocery stores. It also would not apply to naturally occurring trans fats, which are found in some meats and dairy.

The Board of Health has yet to approve the proposal and will not do so until at least December, Frieden said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration began requiring food labels to list trans fats in January.

Dr. Walter Willett, chairman of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard University School of Public Health, praised New York health officials for considering a ban, which he said could save lives.

“Artificial trans fats are very toxic, and they almost surely causes tens of thousands of premature deaths each year,” he said. “The federal government should have done this long ago

[MARV]

Sounds good to me. What else do you expect a "Health Department" to do but look out for our health? With so much abject ignorance and misinformation among so many people I think this is a totally reponsible thing to do. And what about the people who try to live a healthier and longer life and are unwittingly given this detrimental junk? I liken the pundits against this measure as those who ridiculed the legislation of seatbelts in cars or smoking in bars. If people want to die of heart disease, let them buy their own hydrogenated oils and cook their own food with it just as they smoke in the privacy of their own homes. Don't make me suffer for your ignorance [xx(]

This will surely cause every food supplier in the country to rethink what they put in foodstuffs and that's a good thing.

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[manekineko]

I agree that trans fats are bad, and I try to avoid them whenever possible. I generally try to eat pretty healthy. (Right now I'm eating my lunch of plain brown rice and a salad of plain red pepper and tomato.) I'm just not sure an outright citywide ban is the right approach, at least not initially, because the switch is likely to be too expensive for restaurants and businesses. A good interim step would be to require restaurants to provide nutritional information about menu items and to provide healthy alternatives to foods that contain trans fats. Many restaurants are already phasing out trans-fats on their own. The total ban on trans-fats could be phased in more gradually. Summer 2007 is too soon for a lot of businesses that have already ordered, bought, or produced their inventory that far in advance. A gradual phase out would put less of an economic strain on restaurants and businesses. Perhaps businesses could be offered incentives for making the switch on their own. That would create more of a motivation for compliance. Plus, the fats and oils market might not be able to accomodate such a sudden shift from trans fats to non-trans fats. There might not be enough supply to support a such a sudden large scale shift. But don't get me wrong, I would love to see restaurants eliminate trans-fats.

Next I want to see restaurants serve more low sodium food. Goodness, you don't know how much sodium is in food until you start reading food labels. Unfortunately, most restaurants don't give nutritional information, and most have no clue how much sodium is in their menu items. Even if you never touch a salt shaker, chances are you're getting way too much sodium, unless you cook all your own food from scratch. It's in practically every processed food, even ones that you wouldn't expect.

On a good note, I've heard that the FDA soon will be requiring food manufacturers to reduce sodium content. I can't wait. I hardly eat any processed foods anymore because they're just too darn salty. And salt is an appetite stimulant, which is why the more salty foods you eat, the more you want. Lays isn't joking when they say "Can't eat just one!"

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[edisonoside]

Instead of using Trans Fat, They should use Olive oil instead.

[Opera Prima]

[quote][i]Originally posted by edisonoside[/i]
<br>Instead of using Trans Fat, They should use Olive oil instead.
[/quote]

Yes, yes, olive oil from Spain, we will sell you tons of it ($$ he, he $$) [}:)][;)]

And now seriously, it's incredible how many unhealthy substances are added to many of the things we eat, precooked dishes and fast food have such a huge quantity of flavourings, colourings, sodium,... and the companies that manufacture this food know perfectly well those substances are bad for our health, but they make the food tasty, appetizing and a bit addictive, so people will buy it [xx(]

[MARV]

Update:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/12/05/ny ... index.html

WOO-HOO!

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[enzfan]

We have a city councilman starting the same crap here. Don't get me wrong I know it's bad for you but it's a little hypocritical to ban this stuff when booze and tobacco is legal and easily accessible.

[MARV]

Thing is, you have a choice whether or not to use tobacco or alcohol. Not really the same case with trans fats when you sit down at a restaurant and order a meal.

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[waldnorm]

When practically all of the foods on the shelf have trans fats or high fructose corn syrup or other ingredients that research has shown we should either avoid or cut down--something has to give (especially since a lot of these ingredients ARE government subsidized as well). This is NOT the same as the drive through suggesting to supersize--at least in that case you have a choice.

Right now, the healthy choice is to simply NOT eat out and I guess not buy any shelf life foods(though granted living in the Oakland/Berkeley area, I fortunately have lots of options due to the slow food and organic movements here, granted if I'm willing to pay more).

[edisonoside]

While they're at it, they should remove/ban Fluoride from the drinking water...That stuff is DANGEROUS.[xx(]

[glokstadt]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Opera Prima[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by edisonoside[/i]
<br>Instead of using Trans Fat, They should use Olive oil instead.
[/quote]

Yes, yes, olive oil from Spain, we will sell you tons of it ($$ he, he $$) [}:)][;)]

And now seriously, it's incredible how many unhealthy substances are added to many of the things we eat, precooked dishes and fast food have such a huge quantity of flavourings, colourings, sodium,... and the companies that manufacture this food know perfectly well those substances are bad for our health, but they make the food tasty, appetizing and a bit addictive, so people will buy it [xx(]

[/quote]

You must have seen "Fast Food Nation" this last weekend at the Theatre! [:D]


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[Opera Prima]

[quote][i]Originally posted by glokstadt[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by Opera Prima[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by edisonoside[/i]
<br>Instead of using Trans Fat, They should use Olive oil instead.
[/quote]

Yes, yes, olive oil from Spain, we will sell you tons of it ($$ he, he $$) [}:)][;)]

And now seriously, it's incredible how many unhealthy substances are added to many of the things we eat, precooked dishes and fast food have such a huge quantity of flavourings, colourings, sodium,... and the companies that manufacture this food know perfectly well those substances are bad for our health, but they make the food tasty, appetizing and a bit addictive, so people will buy it [xx(]

[/quote]

You must have seen "Fast Food Nation" this last weekend at the Theatre! [:D]


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[/quote]

No, I haven't, but I watched some images and comments about it on TV. Fortunately, I've never been keen on fast food, I think it's been 8 years since I last stepped in one of those chains... my stomach revolts at the mere though of that kind of food [xx(]

In Spain we're having some clashes between the Goverment and Burger King since this chain has released here a XXL hamburger that it alone contains all the calories you need on a day, so I think it's likely to be banned. We'll see what happens.

[edisonoside]

It saddens me when I go to Europe and I come across Burger kings & McDonald's and I think to myself WHY??? Why are these here??? Europe with all its great restaurants EVERYWHERE, Why these ugly fast food joints?? These so-called trashy restaurants stand out like sore thumbs over there. It's bad enough that we have our soft-drinks (Coke & Pepsi) spreading bad health all over the world.

[Bitter Almonds]

[quote][i]Originally posted by edisonoside[/i]
<br>It saddens me when I go to Europe and I come across Burger kings & McDonald's and I think to myself WHY??? Why are these here???
[/quote]

<p align="justify">Burger King is from teh UK[}:)]

[edisonoside]

I shouldn't be too surprised by that one.."Food-wise" I don't consider the U.K. as part of Europe as far as culinary arts is concerned[;)]...Isn't the U.K's version of McDonald's named WIMPY'S?