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Today's Poll: Should the FDA ban trans-fat from processed foods?

By Howard B. Owens
Jason Crater

I don't believe that it should be banned, but it should be required to be transparent to the consumer if a product contains them.

Let us make our own informed choices.

Nov 26, 2013, 9:40am Permalink
Bob Heininger

"It's already listed on product labels."

It's listed in ingredients as hydrogenated- _insert_type_of_oil_here_.

However, in nutrition information it can be labeled at 0% Trans Fat if it's below a specific amount per serving (per FDA requirements). Many companies have reduced serving sizes to skirt listing any trans fat (in nutrition info) despite it being in the product.

That, my friends, is highly deceitful.

Example; who over the age of 3 years old opens a package of Ritz crackers and eats less than a half dozen of them? There is trans fat in the product listed in the ingredients, but not in the nutrition info based on a minuscule serving size.

I'm not so sure outright banning trans fats is a good thing to do, but I am certain that manufacturers skirting around loopholes in labeling requirements need to be addressed asap.

Nov 26, 2013, 10:52am Permalink
Bob Heininger

I concur.

Then we could go back to the good old days when 7-UP was marketed as a wholesome nutritional product and Radium Water was marketed as a cure all for many ailments.

:rolleyes:

Nov 26, 2013, 11:45am Permalink
Dave Olsen

I don't know if I'd want to outright end the FDA, surely it serves a purpose, but it needs to be right sized and properly funded. The FDA, by its very existence, gives people a false sense of security. It cultivates a lazy and complacent population; people assume that a government stamp of approval means that food & drugs must be safe, and they don't need to study them at all before consuming them. Bob gives an excellent example of that above. Not only that, but any federal regulatory agency is by definition politically motivated. If they want more funding and a certain Senator is on the committee which can authorize it, he sure as hell won't like them going after a company's product made in his state. The mandate of the FDA is to protect American consumers, but this is based on the assumption that bureaucrats know what is best for you. It's based on the assumption that you are an idiot, and that you are unable to research what is good and bad for you. It is based on the assumption that you aren't capable of making responsible choices for yourself. A lot of times accurate information is not available because of the FDA. They should keep on doing studies and making recommendations, but in a far less intrusive manner, and drugs need to be available outside of their approval. Every drug manufacturer and every food company are not unethical or criminal, they become corrupt through the influence of politics and government intrusion, such as the FDA.

There is not a government solution for every problem. Jason is correct at the very top of this thread: The FDA can make sure the information is in plain language and is available. Their involvement should stop there.

Nov 26, 2013, 1:23pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Most people don't realize much of the pre-text for creating the FDA in the first place was misinformation.

A great impetuous for the FDA was Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, which was actually a novel and was based on the practices of small meat packing plants that were already failing in competition to the larger operations that were much better at food safety.

In fact, none of the justifications for creation of the FDA were factually accurate at the time.

A great book that covers the topic is Bully Boy, about Teddy Roosevelt. TR loved him some big government and created a lot of it.

Nov 26, 2013, 1:36pm Permalink
Mark Brudz

It was still a joke. That wasn't at all a back pedal Bob, believe what you will.

But on the subject, I believe there is a place for Government Agencies to exist for the purpose of research, data collection and information dissemination. I do not believe in heavy handed regulation which seems to persist and as Dave pointed out, are largely politically motivated.

I am all for FDA white papers, warnings and alerts concerning food and medicine, however, the choice to heed those warnings should rest with us.

Nov 26, 2013, 2:17pm Permalink
david spaulding

i voted NO....i do not want any more government involved in my life...i don't give a rats behind about trans fats....if you do, then deal with it on your own... do not tell me what i should or should not eat...
i could come up with all kinds of laws/bans that fit my lifestyle but would certainly effect yours......
i don't deer hunt, so deer hunting should be banned, i don't consume alcohol, so alcohol should be banned, i wash my clothes in tide,all other detergents should be banned.see what i'm saying?
if you don't think there is enough government control of your life, well there is hope..
now take care of yourself and i'll take care of mine.
Please allow me to enjoy the last few freedoms we still have in this so called Land of the Free..

Nov 26, 2013, 4:10pm Permalink
Raymond Richardson

The perfect solution to eliminating transfats in your diet is to not buy processed, canned, or frozen foods as they contain the highest levels of transfats.

We buy all of our proteins fresh, along with our vegetables, make our own bread with gluten free flour.

Nov 27, 2013, 9:09am Permalink

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