KFC, a unit of Yum Brands Inc, on Monday said it will switch to a cooking oil with no trans fat in all its US fried-chicken restaurants by April 2007. The move comes as many local governments, including new York City, are looking at banning the artery-clogging trans fats.
Yum Brands joins hamburger chain Wendy's International Inc in a move to cut its use of the artery clogging oil at a time when fast-food restaurants have come under criticism that their food contributes to obesity.
McDonald's Corp promised in 2002 to reduce trans fats in some of its products. While the chain has introduced healthier foods - such as apple and walnut salads - it has yet to convert its oils entirely, saying that it has not found an alternative that works as well.
Yum said it would start using low linolenic soybean oil, a zero trans-fat cooking oil. The change will take effect in all 5,500 US restaurants following a two-year trial to identify cooking oils with the same characteristics as the trans fats.
Once the transition is complete, KFC's most popular products, including its fried chicken, will contain zero grams of trans fat, the company said. Other products that will contain zero grams of trans fats will include Crispy Strips, Wings, Boneless Wings, Honey BBQ, Buffalo and Crispy Snacker Sandwiches, Popcorn Chicken, Twisters and Potato Wedges.
The US food industry in general and many fast-food restaurants in particular has been under increasing pressure to offer healthier products in the wake of increasing incidence of obesity in the country, especially among children and adolescents.
Trans fat increases the low-density lipoprotein, or the so-called bad cholesterol, content of food. Starting January 1, 2006, the US Food and Drug Administration made it mandatory for all food products to list their trans-fat content.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.