B.C. cuts trans fat from restaurant food
Last Updated: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 | 1:59 PM ET
CBC News
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Trans fats are largely found in fast food, snack food, fried food and baked goods. (CBC)British Columbia became the first Canadian province to restrict trans fat in restaurant food starting Wednesday, but as critics point out, the restrictions on the unhealthy fat won't apply to packaged food sold at grocery stores.
"We want healthier food choices to be the easier choice," said Ida Chong, Minister of Healthy Living and Sport, in a statement released on Tuesday.
"Consumers won't see or taste the difference in the meal they've ordered, but with restrictions on industrially produced trans fat, they will be eating foods that have been prepared using healthier ingredients," said Chong.
In the kitchen at Roxy Burger in downtown Vancouver, staff have been hard at work for months preparing for the new trans fat regulations, according to manager Jay Bombord.
"Our suppliers have been helpful in suggesting different ideas and helping us source different products to help us," said Bombord.
"I think that's an excellent thing to do," said Roxy Burger customer Ed Liepins.
Health officials supported restrictions.
"Trans fat is responsible for an estimated 3,000 heart disease-related deaths in Canada each year," said Bobbe Wood, president and CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C & Yukon, which worked with the government to bring in the new regulations.
The new law affects all establishments requiring a permit to operate a food service in B.C., including restaurants, delis, cafeterias, educational institutions, health-care institutions, schools, special events and most bakeries.
Trans fats are found in things like cake and muffin mixes, croutons, cookies, taco shells, frying oils and margarine. The new restrictions specify that all soft spreadable margarine and oil must be two per cent trans fat or less of total fat content. All other food must meet a restriction of five per cent.
But restaurants will still be able to sell pre-packaged foods containing trans fat if they have a Canadian Nutrition Facts table on the package and are sold directly to the consumer without alteration.
Grocery stores not included
The Canadian Restaurant and Food Services Association says the regulation isn't being applied fairly because it doesn't apply to food sold in grocery stores, according to regional vice-president Mark Von Schellwitz.
"This is an example of our industry being side-swiped by a public policy initiative where the real public policy impact would be covering grocery stores and covering all food," said Von Schellwitz.
The new trans fat regulations will be enforced through inspections and those who don't comply will be fined, according to the government.
B.C. restaurants are doing their best to get in line with new rules, said Von Schellwitz.
"A lot of members have made great strides already in reducing their trans fat levels and I think there are a lot of chains for example that are already there in meeting these requirements," he said.
"It's going to be a lot more difficult for a lot of our smaller members who have to reformulate their menu to try to find out what menu ingredients work and don't work. And as a result of that, what the consumer could see is a reduced amount of menu items until they get that figured out," he said.
Calgary was the first city in the country to ban trans fats in 2007, but a massive overhaul of Alberta's health system earlier this year meant restaurants could once again put them on the menu. New York City banned trans fat in restaurant food last July.
Industrial vs. natural trans fats
Trans fat comes in two forms. One form is naturally occurring, in ruminant meat, such as beef or lamb, and dairy products.
The other is industrially produced, in partially hydrogenated oils, margarines and shortenings, and hidden in prepared foods like donuts, croissants and other baked goods, according to provincial health officials.
The industrially produced trans fat increases a person's risk of coronary heart disease by raising levels of low-density lipoprotein known as bad cholesterol and lowering levels of good cholesterol, leading to clogged arteries and heart disease.
Foods in which trans fat comes entirely from naturally occurring sources are exempt from the restrictions and do not pose the same harmful effects as industrially produced trans fat, say health officials.
