Seafood producer goes trans fat free
had removed trans fats from all its product lines.
The company said in a statement that it had found a way to produce it whole range of 56 foods without using any trans fats, while maintaining quality and taste. This transition began last year.
The seafood products were developed, according to Gorton's, in response to consumer pressure for non-trans fat foods.
"We saw an increasing number of consumers concerned about trans fat in their foods and wanted to address it right away. Testing reveals there is no taste, texture or visual differences between the newly formulated Gorton's products," said the company in a statement.
"If we were going to make a change for the better and eliminate trans fat, we wanted to address it right away and eliminate it from all our products. We didn't just want to give consumers one or two options that met their demands," said Judson Reis, vice president of consumer marketing Reis. "This was a huge undertaking and involved months of research, changes in our plant and equipment, and a significant investment."
The new Dietary Guidelines that were published last week recommended that Americans keep trans fatty acids to a minimum in their diet and consume one to two servings of fish, meat or poultry daily. The guidelines also mentioned fish and shellfish as an important part of a daily diet.
"Evidence suggests that consuming approximately two servings of fish per week (approximately 8 ounces in total) may reduce the risk of mortality from coronary heart disease," said the guidelines. "Limited evidence suggests an association between consumption of fatty acids in fish and reduced risks of mortality from cardiovascular disease for the general population."
The Grocery Manufacturers Association issued a statement pledging work with the HHS and USDA to promote the dietary guidelines.
"As the companies that make the foods that consumers know, trust and buy everyday, GMA members are developing and introducing new products that will make it easier to meet the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines," it said.
"We share the government's concern about the quantity of saturated and trans fats in the average American diet. Over the past two years, GMA member companies have reduced or eliminated trans fat in countless products."
In fact, the guidelines do not specify maximum recommended daily trans fat consumption, simply advising "keep trans fat consumption as low as possible".
Thompson explained that the advice has been left general because the FDA is currently reviewing the recommendation on trans fats.
"These guidelines are not static," he said. "They are evolving and are a benchmark of right now and we are looking update them."
