Manufacturers use the process of hydrogenation to create trans fats in order to increase the shelf life of baked and fried foods. Ingestion of trans fats is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. A groundswell of public sentiment is causing regulatory bodies to ban the use of trans fats in foods. Alternatives to trans fats are needed now in order to preserve the freshness and provide an appealing texture of many packaged foods. As trans fats become phased out, there are eight types of approaches currently being developed to substitute for these fats as ingredients for baked and fried foods: (1) modified hydrogenation, (2) genetically modified seeds, (3) interesterification, (4) fractionation and blending, (5) butter and animal fat, (6) natural saturated oils, (7) natural unsaturated oils, and (8) fat substitutes. These alternatives to trans fats will require close scrutiny to ascertain whether they will also turn out to be linked with cardiovascular disease.
DenkeMA.Dietary fats, fatty acids, and their effects on lipoproteins. Curr Atheroscler Rep.2006 Nov; 8 (6): 466–71.
2.
AlmendingenKJordalOKierulfPSandstadBPedersenJI.Effects of partially hydrogenated fish oil, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, and butter on serum lipoproteins and Lp[a] in men. J Lipid Res.1995 Jun; 36 (6): 1370–84.
3.
Lopez-GarciaESchulzeMBMeigsJBMansonJERifaiNStampferMJWillettWCHuFB.Consumption of trans fatty acids is related to plasma biomarkers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. J Nutr.2005 Mar; 135 (3): 562–6.
HuFBStampferMJMansonJERimmEColditzGARosnerBAHennekensCHWillettWC.Dietary fat intake and the risk of coronary heart disease in women. N Engl J Med.1997 Nov 20; 337 (21): 1491–9.
6.
ChavarroJERich-EdwardsJWRosnerBAWillettWC.Dietary fatty acid intakes and the risk of ovulatory infertility. Am J Clin Nutr.2007 Jan; 85 (1): 231–7.
7.
De CaterinaRLiaoJKLibbyP.Fatty acid modulation of endothelial activation. Am J Clin Nutr.2000 Jan; 71 (1 Suppl): 213S–23S.
8.
ChenZYRatnayakeWMFortierLRossRCunnaneSC.Similar distribution of trans fatty acid isomers in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and adipose tissue of Canadians. Can J Physiol Pharmacol.1995 Jun; 73 (6): 718–23.
9.
IsmailR.Palm oil and palm olein frying applications. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr.2005;14 (4): 414–9.
10.
Food labeling: Trans fatty acids in nutrition labeling, nutrient content claims, and health claims. Federal Register 68;133. July 11, 2003. Docket No. 94P-0036. 21 CFR Part 101: 41433–41506.
11.
AstrupA.The trans fatty acid story in Denmark. AtherosclerSuppl.2006 May; 7 (2): 43–6.
12.
NielsenK.Is the quality and cost of food affected if industrially produced trans fatty acids are removed?AtherosclerSuppl.2006 May; 7 (2): 61–2.
13.
Tarrago-TraniMTPhillipsKMLemarLEHoldenJM.New and existing oils and fats used in products with reduced trans-fatty acid content. J Am Diet Assoc.2006 Jun; 106 (6): 867–80.
14.
KingJWHollidayRLListGRSnyderJM.Hydrogenation of vegetable oils using mixtures of supercritical carbon dioxide and hydrogen. J Am Oil Chemist Soc.2001 Feb; 78 (2): 107–13.
15.
WrightAJWongADiosadyLL.Ni catalyst promotion of a Cis-selective Pd catalyst for canola oil hydrogenation. Food Res Int.2003;36: 1069–72.
16.
EllerFJListGRTeelJASteidleyKRAdlofRO.Preparation of spread oils meeting U.S. Food and Drug Administration Labeling requirements for trans fatty acids via pressure-controlled hydrogenation. J Agric Food Chem.2005 Jul 27; 53 (15): 5982–4.
17.
Serrano-VegaMJMartinez-ForceEGarcesR.Lipid characterization of seed oils from high-palmitic, low-palmitoleic, and very high-stearic acid sunflower lines. Lipids.2005 Apr; 40 (4): 369–74.
18.
LichtensteinAHMatthanNRJalbertSMResteghiniNASchaeferEJAusmanLM.Novel soybean oils with different fatty acid profiles alter cardiovascular disease risk factors in moderately hyperlipidemic subjects. Am J Clin Nutr.2006 Sep; 84 (3): 497–504.
19.
CahoonEBShanklinJ.Substrate-dependent mutant complementation to select fatty acid desaturase variants for metabolic engineering of plant seed oils. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.2000 Oct 24; 97 (22): 12350–5.
20.
LiuQSinghSPGreenAG.High-stearic and High-oleic cottonseed oils produced by hairpin RNA-mediated post-transcriptional gene silencing. Plant Physiol.2002 Aug; 129 (4): 1732–43.
21.
IdrisNADianNL.Inter-esterified palm products as alternatives to hydrogenation. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr.2005;14 (4): 396–401.
22.
NoakesMCliftonPM.Oil blends containing partially hydrogenated or interesterified fats: differential effects on plasma lipids. Am J Clin Nutr.1998 Aug; 68 (2): 242–7.
23.
SundramKKarupaiahTHayesK.Stearic acid-rich interesterified fat and trans-rich fat raise the LDL/HDL ratio and plasma glucose relative to palm olein in humans. Nutr Metab (Lond).2007 Jan 15; 4: 3.
24.
LovejoyJCSmithSRChampagneCMMostMMLefevreMDeLanyJPDenkinsYMRoodJCVeldhuisJBrayGA.Effects of diets enriched in saturated (palmitic), monounsaturated (oleic), or trans (elaidic) fatty acids on insulin sensitivity and substrate oxidation in healthy adults. Diabetes Care.2002 Aug; 25 (8): 1283s8.
25.
ChristiansenESchniderSPalmvigBTauber-LassenEPedersenO.Intake of a diet high in trans monounsaturated fatty acids or saturated fatty acids. Effects on postprandial insulinemia and glycemia in obese patients with NIDDM. Diabetes Care.1997 May; 20 (5): 881–7.
26.
ChristopheABDe GreytWFDelangheJRHuyghebaertAD.Substituting enzymatically interesterified butter for native butter has no effect on lipemia or lipoproteinemia in Man. Ann Nutr Metab.2000;44 (2): 61–7.
MascioliEAMcLennanCESchaeferEJLichtensteinAHHoyCEChristensenMSBistrianBR.Lipidemic effects of an interesterified mixture of butter, medium-chain triacylglycerol and safflower oils. Lipids.1999 Sep; 34 (9): 889–94.
29.
FinleyJWKlemannLPLeveilleGAOtterburnMSWalchakCG.Caloric availability of SALATRIM in rats and humans. J Agric Food Chem.1994;42: 495–9.
30.
FuhrmanBPlatDHerzogYAviramM.Consumption of a novel dietary formula of plant sterol esters of canola oil fatty acids, in a canola oil matrix containing 1,3-diacylglycerol, reduces oxidative stress in atherosclerotic apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. J Agric Food Chem.2007 Mar 7; 55 (5): 2028–33.
31.
AiMTanakaAShojiKOgitaKHaseTTokimitsuIShimokadoK.Suppressive effects of diacylglycerol oil on postprandial hyperlipidemia in insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. Atherosclerosis.2006 Nov 22.
32.
MeguroSOsakiNMatsuoNTokimitsuI.Effect of diacylglycerol on the development of impaired glucose tolerance in sucrose-fed rats. Lipids.2006 Apr; 41 (4): 347–55.
33.
NorlidaHMAliARMDMuhadhirI.Blending of palm oil, palm stearin and palm kernel oil in the preparation of table and pastry margarine. Int J Food Sci Nutr.1996 Jan; 47 (1): 71–4.
34.
BabjiASAlinaARChempakaMY SeriSharminiTBaskerRYapSL.Replacement of animal fat with fractionated and partially hydrogenated palm oil in beef burgers. Int J Food Sci Nutr.1998 Sep; 49 (5): 327–32.
35.
ConstantJ.The role of eggs, margarines and fish oils in the nutritional management of coronary artery disease and strokes. Keio J Med.2004 Sep; 53 (3): 131–6.
36.
NarangDSoodSThomasMDindaAKMaulikSK.Dietary palm olein oil augments cardiac antioxidant enzymes and protects against isoproterenol-induced myocardial necrosis in rats. J Pharm Pharmacol.2005 Nov; 57 (11): 1445–51.
37.
Martinez-OrtizJAFungTTBaylinAHuFBCamposH.Dietary patterns and risk of nonfatal acute myocardial infarction in Costa Rican adults. Eur J Clin Nutr.2006 Jun; 60 (6): 770–7.
38.
MensinkRPZockPLKesterADKatanMB.Effects of dietary fatty acids and carbohydrates on the ratio of serum total to HDL cholesterol and on serum lipids and apolipoproteins: a meta-analysis of 60 controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr.2003 May; 77 (5): 1146–55.
39.
PedersenJIMullerHSeljeflotIKirkhusB.Palm oil versus hydrogenated soybean oil: effects on serum lipids and plasma haemostatic variables. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr.2005;14 (4): 348–57.
40.
RomeroABastidaSSanchez-MunizFJ.Cyclic fatty acid monomer formation in domestic frying of frozen foods in sunflower oil and high oleic acid sunflower oil without oil replenishment. Food Chem Toxicol.2006 Oct; 44 (10): 1674–81.
41.
Position of the American Dietetic association: fat replacers. J Am Diet Assoc.2005 Feb; 105 (2): 266–75.
42.
PrindivilleEAMarshallRTHeymannH.Effect of milk fat, cocoa butter, and whey protein fat replacers on the sensory properties of lowfat and nonfat chocolate ice cream. J Dairy Sci.2000 Oct; 83 (10): 2216–23.
43.
MarangoniAGIdziakSHJVegaCBatteHOllivonMJantziPSRushJWE.Encapsulation-structuring of edible oils attenuates acute elevation of blood lipids and insulin in humans. Soft Matter.2007;3: 183–7.
