B.C. government restricts trans fat

CBC News:

B.C. will become the first province in Canada to restrict trans fat in foods prepared and served at restaurants, Mary Polak, the minister of Healthy Living and Sport announced Saturday. The province is hoping to squeeze out the majority of trans fat from restaurants, delis, bakeries, cafeterias, schools and health-care institutions by this fall. Polak said the bulk of the trans fats come from fried foods, so the key is to use non-hydrogenated oil in deep fryers. "So if you were to switch, instead, to a sunflower oil, a canola oil, or even a soybean oil, then you can be making that change and still complying with the guidelines," Polak said. The new regulation restricts the amount of trans fat content in oils and spreadable margarines to two per cent of the total fat content, and five per cent for all other foods.

Richard Floody, a restaurant consultant and former chair of the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association, said many of Vancouver's restaurants have already made the switch to healthier oils — at a cost. "Any kind of increase is a pain right now. It's tough out there, but…you wanna make sure your customers and your clientele are taken care of," he said.Scientific evidence shows that dietary saturated and trans fats can increase a person's risk of developing heart disease. All food service establishments that need a permit to operate in B.C. will be required to comply with the new regulation by Sept. 30, 2009.