Trans fats on the way out?

Trans fats on the way out? Kraft foods said last month it has launched a trans fat free version of its iconic Oreo biscuit. The move follows a court case against Kraft’s owner Nabisco – that attracted massive media attention in the US - whereby consumer pressure group BanTransFats called on the firm to remove the biscuits from sale because of the 'harmful trans fat's to children'.

The case was later withdrawn because the lawyer who filed the suit said the publicity surrounding the case accomplished what he set out to do: create awareness about the dangers of trans fat. Kraft is now leading the way in efforts to reduce trans fatty acids in food products.

"Kraft has an aggressive plan in place to reduce or eliminate trans fat levels in our cookie and cracker products by 2004-2005," said Kevin McGahren-Clemens, vice president, cookies, last month.

Frito-Lay, a division of Pepsi Co, removed the TFAs from its snack product Doritos last year and soup giant Campbells announced in February that its Goldfish crackers, sold through the company’s Pepperidge Farm, will become trans fat-free. "The transition - which will involve reformulation of almost 165 individual products - will be largely complete by May 2004 and fully complete by September 2004," the firm said in a statement.