To Trans or Not to Trans?

Editor’s note: As promised, our first guest commentary is from Bill Baugher, president of Blue Mountain Flavors, Blue Mountain Enterprises, Inc, Kinston, NC. He offered this perspective, originally published as a letter to the editor in the Kinston Free Press newspaper, Kinston, NC, regarding New York’s–and more recently other municipalities’–decision to ban restaurants from serving any trans-fat containing foods. Although the fats and oils industry has focused on increased oil stability, most of the marketing focus has been on the economic advantages vs. any safety issues.

Bill included a preface to the original editorial commentary:

Perhaps these results are all “old hat” and I am just a poorly informed test tube rattler. However, if I tried to get a flavor compound approved that killed rats, the FDA would most likely have serious objections. While the scientists in this article argue back and forth about the mode of action and possible nutritional consequences of heated oils, my contention is dead is dead!

In my opinion, we need to be darn sure that in protecting our children and grandchildren from heart trouble in the distant future, that we don’t condemn them to an unhealthy and unthrifty life with the potential for tumors and cancer in the near future.

Trans-fat ban could bring unintended consequences

New York City has mandated that all of its restaurants will be frying foods only in trans-fat-free oils. The idea seems very enticing since consumption of trans fats, or partially hydrogenated oils has been linked to long-term heart problems. Therefore it seems the logical alternative is to use unsaturated oils. This seems to be true for unheated margarines and salad dressings. However, when the oils are used in frying operations, another picture emerges. It seems these unsaturated oils are prone to random oxidation, producing a plethora of oxidation products. Many of these are reported to be quite toxic.

In the book “Symposium on Foods: Lipids and Their Oxidation,” published way back in 1962, there is an entire chapter devoted to the toxicity of heated fats and oils. There are many examples of this toxicity. Here are two: Control rats fed a diet containing 20% corn oil thrived and were normal in very respect. Test rats fed the same diet, but with corn oil heated 24 hours at a temperature normal for frying French fries were all dead in 24 days. This is not good news for French fry lovers.

Another study reported that low levels of heated corn oil, and presumably other heated oils, somehow react with non-lethal levels of carcinogens to form some sort of very toxic carcinogen complex. I would call them “super carcinogens.” In one 30-month study, these “super carcinogens” caused 100% tumor formation and death in all but one rat of 95 in the test group. The control group with unheated corn oil appeared quite healthy. Unless these and other similar studies can be discounted, I question whether it is wise to force businesses to use unsaturated oils in their frying operations. Perhaps it would be better to inform the public about the hazards associated with trans fats and emphasize that over-consumption of fried foods in general is not advisable.

Will the New York City government give restaurant owners special instructions as to which oils are “safe.” Will they tell them how long and at what temperature such oils can be heated and whether these oils can be reheated as is the current practice? Which foods can safely be fried in these new oils, and can metal fryers be used without accelerating oxidation? Also the oils have lower smoke points and flash points than conventional oils. This may result in more smoky foods and restaurant fires than ever before.

There are a lot of questions that should be answered before starting this program. Whether these questions have been addressed, I do not know. However, having observed the scientific focus of most politicians, I suggest that for fried foods, restaurant patrons should cross the river to eat in New Jersey, or just pack a lunch from home.

-Dr. William L. Baugher