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Fast food giant McDonald's says it has taken a further step in reducing fat levels in its food.
The company announced yesterday that its suppliers would be partially cooking products in non-hydrogenated canola oil, reducing saturated fat levels.
In June 2004, McDonald's New Zealand changed to a vegetable cooking oil blend, with a trans fat level of less than 1 per cent.
Trans fats can occur in vegetable oils as a result of industrial processing. Fast food outlets commonly use artificial trans fats which can contribute to heart disease by raising the body's "bad" cholesterol and reducing the "good" cholesterol.
Some health advocates have argued thousands of lives could be saved by introducing regulations that limit trans fats in New Zealand restaurants - a move recently made in New York.
McDonald's New Zealand country manager Mark Hawthorne said the change meant a total reduction of more than 725 tonnes of saturated fat or an 83 per cent reduction in saturated fats compared with early 2004.
Mr Hawthorne said the step would improve the nutritional profile of the menu.
The move followed the company's introduction of nutrition labelling and daily intake percentage on packaging to better inform customers about McDonald's products, Mr Hawthorne said.
New York has led the way in the battle against trans fats, with strict new health standards reducing the levels allowed in the city's restaurants to take effect from next year.
McDonald's Europe last month announced it would cut trans fat levels in its cooking oil to 2 per cent by mid-2008, following Wendy's International in August and the United States arm of KFC in October.
Denmark has almost eliminated the artery-clogging fats from its food supply.
The Heart Foundation recommends that trans fat levels for frying oils be no more than 1 per cent.
- NZPA
