Kiwis in dark over levels of risky fat

Some New Zealand foods still contain high levels of a type of fat that is bad for the heart, despite reductions in many products, including margarines.

Trans fat is considered worse for the heart than saturated fat - traditionally the main fat problem for New Zealanders because of their taste for butter, creamy milk and fatty meat.

Yet trans fat does not have to be declared on food labels, unless a claim such as "reduced fat" is made.

Green MP Sue Kedgley wants the Government to copy the United States by requiring mandatory disclosure - as a temporary measure until a Danish-style virtual ban is imposed.

"Food Standards Australia New Zealand have failed to warn New Zealanders about this risk or to reduce their presence in the food supply," she said.

The regulatory agency's spokeswoman said yesterday it had begun investigating trans fats. Labelling changes were possible if any problems were identified, but its public advice remained to reduce overall fat consumption and limit saturated fat.

Trans fat is a huge issue in the US, where it is the subject of high-profile fast-food court cases, but has attracted less attention here.

Dairy products and meat contain trans fat but the major source of concern is the synthetic version, made by bubbling hydrogen through heated vegetable oils.

This makes oils go solid at room temperature, for use in baking and to make them last longer before going rancid.

Research published in the US this year found a 2 per cent rise in energy intake from trans fatty acids was associated with a 23 per cent increase in coronary heart disease.

Auckland University director of food and nutrition Dr Laurence Eyres said: "Trans fats are even more detrimental than saturated fats ... but we still eat a lot of saturated fat and that far outweighs the concern of trans fats."

An Institute of Environmental Science & Research survey showed a decline of trans fat in the past decade in snack bars, table spreads and butter/plant oil blends. But it found higher levels in imported "chocolate sandwich cookies" and imported popcorn. Around 48 per cent of the popcorn's fat content was trans fat, more than double the saturated fat.

The highest level in the margarines and spreads checked was 6.8 per cent, compared with 18.2 per cent in a 1998 study.

A Consumer's Institute study last year found Goodman Fielder had virtually eliminated trans fats from some spreads, but had up to 8 per cent in others, including Meadowlea Original.

A company spokeswoman said yesterday Goodman Fielder had since removed trans fats from further spreads and planned to remove them from the rest in near future.

Over the past two years, the Heart Foundation has changed the rules of its tick programme, which identifies healthier foods within a food group. For oils and oil-based spreads to qualify, their trans fat level must now be no more than 1 per cent of total fat.

To retain the tick, manufacturers had reduced trans fat by an average of 92 per cent, "removing over 250 tonnes of trans fat from the food supply in just one year", said Dave Monro, the programme's technical services manager.


Trans fat

* Worst form of fat for the heart.

* Mainly from modifying vegetable oils to make them solid and last longer before going rancid.

* Present in many foods, including some deep-fried foods, biscuits and pastries.

* Levels in many margarines are now low to comply with Heart Foundation Tick, but some are still high.

* Often not declared on NZ food packaging.

* US has mandatory labelling.

* Denmark has virtually eliminated synthetic trans fat by setting a legal limit of 2 per cent of product weight.