Boston has become the next US city to ban the use of trans fats in restaurants.
The Boston ban would cover all restaurants, including school and hospital cafeterias, as well as fresh food prepared in groceries and delis. Any restaurant or grocery store that does not comply will receive fines up to $1000 per violation.
The first phase of the ban goes into effect in September and will apply to the use of cooking oils, shortening, and margarine containing artificial trans fat. The makers of baked goods will have a year to eliminate trans fat from their products.
Packaged goods clearly labeled as containing the substance can still be sold, although most major manufacturers have already removed it.
Other cities that have banned trans fats include New York City as well as Philadelphia. They have banned the artery-clogging trans fats from restaurants as well as grocery stores.
Let’s hope more cities follow suit.
Argh, gross! It’s like the surgery shows that Suzy watches on TV; she tells me when I can open my eyes. I like your vacation pictures much better. (He sez as he looks out the library window at the Seattle drizzle and clouds.) It looked like you two had fun.
I’m surprised restaurants actually use trans fats in their foods! Unless by restaurant, they mean McDonalds… woops?
It’s only fair this rule is instated. Restaurants are one of the only places left where you have no way of finding out what you’re being served. The menu doesn’t mention any nutritional values, unlike food products in the supermarkets do.
Hey Elaine…
Thanks for posting this information. I think it should be illegal everywhere. Its sad to think that they KNOW that this is causing so many problems, yet places still serve it. I also have to thank you, because honestly I hadn’t ever heard of all of these things until you started blogging about it. I am much more aware now of these things. I honestly still eat bad things at times, even though I know about it. It would be SOOO much better if it wasn’t served anywhere. Thanks for spreading the word. I’m rooting for the day when it is banned everywhere.
It is great to have you to visit and also be able to keep up with the latest health news…lol. Being informed is a good thing.
Hope that you are rested and ready for springtime. Is it any closer to being in your area? We have a while to wait.
Grandalfe – LOL a winter storm watch here tonight so it’s not much better. Glad you liked the vac pics, I miss the cabana on the beach.will it ever end?
HealthyBlogger – it’s not just fast food though that uses trans fats. It’s the corner bakery and the doughnut shops. It’s schools and hospitals (which makes NO sense). I’m with Julie….let’s just ban them everywhere and get it over and done with!
Julie – I agree, let’s get rid of them everywhere! Next time you’re at your daughter’s school find out if they use trans fats in the cafeteria. With the obesity epidemic in children today I think schools need to get on board with serving healthier lunches.
Beth – most of the snow has melted but it’s still quite cold and a winter storm watch in effect for tonight.
That’s a good news. I do hope that more restaurants and other food manufacturing companies will stop. Thanks for sharing this information to us!
How are they going to know that restaurants are complying? How will people know if the meal they’re eating at a restaurant contains trans fats? Even if they’re required to print nutritional information will someone be checking all the foods prepared by all the restaurants to verify that it doesn’t contain trans fats? Couldn’t they lie about what their food does and does not contain?