Puyallup Fair jumps on the trans-fat-ban bandwagon

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By Karen Gaudette
Seattle Times staff reporter

The next time you pull apart a sugary elephant ear, inhale a raspberry-filled scone or scarf down a Krusty Pup at the Puyallup Fair, it will be cooked with oil that's free of man-made trans fats.

The Western Washington Fair has joined King County, New York City, major restaurant chains, Safeco Field and the Indiana State Fair in limiting the artery-clogging stuff, which has been linked to heart disease and called a "poison" by King County's top health official.

Many fair vendors already converted to cooking oils free of man-made trans fats since New York City banned the substance from its restaurants last winter, said fair spokeswoman Karen LaFlamme.

With 80 percent of vendors already working with alternative ingredients to make dough smooth and fried foods extra-crispy, the time was right to complete the switch, she said. And it meshed with the fair's efforts to appeal to more appetites: Last year, vendors offered a variety of vegetarian, low-fat and low-sugar options.

"We really want to be proactive," LaFlamme said. The fair was launched in 1900 and is ranked among the world's largest. This year's fair opens Sept. 7 and runs through Sept. 23. Food prices were set before the change, LaFlamme said, and will not be affected.

Some trans fats occur naturally, in dairy products and many meats. Artificial trans fats come about when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil to make it solid, such as with shortening or hard margarine. The process makes the oil last longer and gives baked goods and commercially prepared foods a taste and texture popular with diners.

Health and nutrition groups, including the American Heart Association, have attacked partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated oils in recent years, linking them to heart disease, stroke and LDL, the so-called "bad" cholesterol.

While the fair's decree means cooking oils will be free of man-made trans fats, it falls short of King County's ban, which also requires that food and ingredients from elsewhere, such as partly cooked fries and hamburger buns, also be free of artificial trans fats.

You have to wonder, though. Are the fairgoers who devour deep-fried dough the size of a pizza pan really that concerned about their health?

Andy Klotz thinks so. He represents the Indiana State Fair, where vendors for the first time are deep frying breaded pork tenderloin, candy bars and corndogs in oil sans artificial trans fats.

"There are people who do seek out the healthier foods. Granted, if you're having a deep-fried Snickers bar, I can't imagine people are really worried about it affecting their overall health. But yeah, if there's no downside to it, why not do it?"

The Evergreen State Fair, scheduled to open Aug. 23 in Monroe, is encouraging its vendors to offer healthier choices but not calling for an all-out ban, said manager Mark Campbell.

So what does this mean for the Puyallup's hot scones, among the fair's most beloved traditions?

"It shouldn't affect it too much," said Mike Maher, head of Conifer Specialties, which has churned out scones at the fair since 1915. He predicts they'll taste just as good.

from: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003829532_webtransfat09m.html

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ED MURRIETA
The News Tribune
Published: December 15th, 2006 04:31 AM

The fight against trans fat hits a little closer to home this week as the state and King County health departments study whether restaurants should be required to eliminate the controversial cooking oil from its kitchens.
Last week, in a unanimous vote, New York City’s Health Department became the first in the nation to ban trans fatty acids or partially hydrogenated fat, an artificial substance.

Trans fats turn up in restaurant foods, baked goods and manufactured supermarket snacks. Trans fats can elevate “bad” cholesterol (LDL) while lowering “good” cholesterol (HDL). The substance has been linked to clogged arteries and heart disease.

King County health staff members are expected to present a formal briefing to the King County Board of Health today. The Washington state Board of Health is also considering the issue, but officials say it could take months of study and debate.

“In terms of policy, trans fat should play no role in human nutrition,” said Federico Cruz-Uribe, director of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. “They’re really an unhealthy substance and shouldn’t be around.”

Cruz-Uribe said his department has asked restaurants to voluntarily eliminate trans fat from their menus.

“They’ve seen the handwriting on the wall and they’re beginning to phase out trans fats,” he said. His department is not considering a formal ban at this time, Cruz-Uribe said.

The Ram restaurant chain, headquartered in Lakewood, has used trans-fat-free canola oil to cook its French fries, fish-and-chips and other foods for eight years. Seattle icon Ivar’s has shifted to trans-fat-free cooking oils.

Seattle-based burrito chain Taco Del Mar aims to offer a trans-fat-free menu by March. Major national chains, from KFC to Taco Bell, are working on removing trans fats from all or part of their menus.

Some restaurants have balked at switching to trans-fat-free cooking oils. The National Restaurant Association, whose members include national chains, worries that demand for trans-fat-free oils will outstrip supply.

Others have cited cost. But even small restaurants say they can’t afford not to eliminate trans fat, even if 35 pounds of trans-fat-free cooking oil costs $35, twice as much as the less-healthful variety.

“We’re using non-trans-fat oil,” said Ken Wolfe, an owner of 12th Street Diner, a burger shop that opened in Tacoma last week. “It’s basically twice the price of other oil. All the restaurants I’ve ever worked at, like Denny’s, use the cheapest oil on the market. Just because they’re eating fried food, there’s no reason we should kill people.”

New York City restaurants must eliminate trans fat from frying oils, margarines and shortenings by July 1, 2007, and in all other foods by July 1, 2008.

Cruz-Uribe said trans fats should be tackled by the federal government, not by state and local agencies.

“It should be done at a super level somewhere,” he said. “But it never happens. Health care reform should be done at a federal level, but it isn’t. The federal government should ban this stuff, but they don’t.”

But, Cruz-Uribe said, “I’m not adverse to poking the state with a stick and saying, ‘Hey you need to do something about it.’”

Cruz-Uribe praised one of New York City’s less-publicized actions: Requiring restaurants to offer food nutrition labeling information.

“We see that as the priority for us,” he said. “You need to know what’s on your plate. Yes, you’re having ravioli, but you need to know how much fat, how much sodium is in there. People need to know to make wise decisions.”

Cruz-Uribe said “there’s a third issue lurking that neither New York nor King County wants to deal with: the menus that kids get in school. The idea of your kids eating French fries and nachos at lunchtime needs to be a thing of the past.”

DETAILS ON TRANS FATS


What is trans fat?

Trans fat, or trans fatty acid, is produced by injecting hydrogen atoms into polyunsaturated oil such as vegetable oil so it stays solid at room temperature and does not turn rancid. Crisco popularized the partially hydrogenated process in the early 20th century. It gave the budding processed-food manufacturing industry an inexpensive way to produce shelf-stable products and make foods smoother, crispier or softer. It’s the only artificially created fat in the food supply.

Is trans fat bad for you?

Trans fat can elevate “bad” cholesterol (LDL) while lowering “good” cholesterol (HDL), and can clog arteries and lead to strokes or heart attacks. It also raises other bad blood lipids that can contribute to heart disease. “There should be a warning label on food made with this stuff like there is on nicotine products. It’s that bad for you,” says Dr. Jeffrey Aron, a leading expert on fatty acids.

What foods include trans fat?

Baked goods made with shortening or margarine. Cakes mixes. Crackers. Some commercial bread. Tortillas. Salad dressing. Commercially produced puddings. Also, the fat that diners and restaurants use on griddles – Griddle Fry is one brand name, griddle grease is a generic nickname – contains trans fat.

How much trans fat can I safely eat?

The United States Department of Agriculture’s dietary guidelines recommend that less than 1 percent of your daily caloric intake come from trans fats. That’s about three Wheat Thin crackers.

How can I spot trans fat on a restaurant menu?

Aside from knowing which foods contain trans fat, you can’t. While some restaurants voluntarily provide nutrition information, they do not provide trans fat information. Currently, the USDA does not require food manufacturers to disclose trans fat information on product labels. This will change in 2006, but won’t apply to restaurants.

source: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/31627.html