Skip to main content
          Skip to FDA Search
          Skip to in this section menu
          Skip to footer links


U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government

					Here’s how you know
          			Dot gov**The .gov means it’s official.**Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.
							      SSL**The site is secure.** The **https://** ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. 
			U.S. Food and Drug Administration
				
        Search
            Menu
							
						Search FDA
									
									Submit search 
		Featured
							Contact FDA
	                FDA Guidance Documents
	                Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts
	                Press Announcements
	                Warning Letters
	                Advisory Committees
	                En Español

					Products
            Food
							Drugs
							Medical Devices
							Radiation-Emitting Products
							Vaccines, Blood, and Biologics
							Animal and Veterinary
							Cosmetics
							Tobacco ProductsTopics
            About FDA
							Combination Products
							Regulatory Information
							Safety
							Emergency Preparedness
							International Programs
							News and Events
							Training and Continuing Education
							Inspections and Compliance
							Science and ResearchInformation For
            Consumers
	            Patients
	            Industry
	            Health Professionals
	            Federal, State and Local Officials 
 In this section:

                Food Additives & Petitions

Food Additives & Petitions

                        Food & Color Additive Petitions
          Food Additive Status List
          Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) Home
          Food
          Food Ingredients & Packaging
          Food Additives & Petitions
          Trans FatFood Additives & Petitions Trans Fat
  
  	
    Share
    Post
    Linkedin

    Email
    PrintThe FDA has taken major steps to reduce artificial *trans* fat in the food supply.  In the past, most of the *trans* fat in foods came from partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), formed through a manufacturing process that converts vegetable oil into a solid fat at room temperature. *Trans* fat also occurs naturally in food products from ruminant animals (e.g., milk, butter, cheese, meat products). The FDA’s actions have not affected these natural sources of *trans* fat.

Eating *trans* fat raises the level of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in the blood. An elevated LDL cholesterol level in the blood increases the risk of developing heart disease, the leading cause of death in men and women in the U.S. Removing PHOs from processed foods is estimated to be preventing thousands of heart attacks and deaths each year. Because *trans* fat increases LDL-cholesterol, the FDA requires *trans* fats to be declared on the Nutrition Facts label.

In 2015, the FDA took the significant step of determining that PHOs, then the major source of artificial *trans* fat in the food supply, are no longer “Generally Recognized as Safe,” or GRAS. For the majority of uses of PHOs, June 18, 2018, was the date after which manufacturers could not add PHOs to foods. However, to allow for an orderly transition in the marketplace, FDA allowed more time for products to work their way through distribution by extending the final compliance date to January 1, 2021.

In 2023, the FDA issued a direct final rule to remove outdated references to PHOs in various regulations.

Guidance and Regulations

Federal Register Notice: Direct Final Rule on Revocation of Uses of Partially Hydrogenated Oils in Foods
	Federal Register Notice: Companion Proposed Rule on Revocation of Uses of Partially Hydrogenated Oils in Foods
	Final Determination Regarding Partially Hydrogenated Oils (Removing *Trans* Fat)
	Federal Register notice: Grocery Manufacturers Association; Denial of Food Additive Petition
	Federal Register notice: Declaratory order; extension of compliance date
	Federal Register Notice: Final Determination Regarding Partially Hydrogenated Oils
	Federal Register Notice: Food Labeling - Trans (68 FR 41434)
	Guidance for Industry: *Trans* Fatty Acids in Nutrition Labeling, Nutrient Content Claims, Health Claims; Small Entity Compliance Guide
	More Guidance and Regulations

Additional Information for Industry

Health Claim Notification for Saturated Fat, Cholesterol, and *Trans* Fat, and Reduced Risk of Heart Disease

                                                                                  Content current as of:
      08/30/2023
              
              
Regulated Product(s)
		 Food & BeveragesTopic(s)
			  NutritionFood Additives & Petitions

          
                        Food & Color Additive Petitions
          Food Additive Status List
          Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS)
 
 Footer Links
    FDA Archive
          About FDA
          Accessibility
      Visitor Information
          Website Policies / Privacy
          No FEAR Act
          Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
      FOIA
          HHS.gov
          USA.gov
    Contact FDA
      Follow FDA on Facebook
      Follow FDA on X
      Follow FDA on Instagram
      Follow FDA on LinkedIn
      View FDA videos on YouTube
      Subscribe to FDA RSS feeds
    FDA Homepage
    Contact Number
      1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332) Back toTop