Trans fat will have to disappear from the American diet, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA on Tuesday ruled that trans fat is not “generally recognized as safe” for human food. The department gave food manufacturers three years to remove the partially hydrogenated oils or PHOs from their products. The companies can also petition the FDA for a special permit to use it. No PHOs can be added to human food unless otherwise approved by the FDA.
“The FDA’s action on this major source of artificial trans fat demonstrates the agency’s commitment to the heart health of all Americans,” said Dr. Stephen Ostroff, the agency’s acting commissioner, in a news release. “This action is expected to reduce coronary heart disease and prevent thousands of fatal heart attacks every year.” In 2013, the FDA had made a tentative determination that trans fats were no longer safe, after years of public comment and scientific review this is the final step in the process. Manufacturers have had to list trans fat content on their labels since 2006, and there has been a significant decrease in the amount of trans fat in American foods.