MEMORANDUM
TO:
County Superintendents
County Nutrition Directors
FROM:
Richard J. Goff, Executive Director
Office of Child Nutrition
SUBJECT: West Virginia Board of Education
Policy 4321.1, Standards for School Nutrition
Limiting Trans Fat
RE:
OCN Guidance Memo 86 - 4.3.1.(b) & 5.1.1.(d)
DATE:
November 13, 2009
This memo provides clarification on limiting the total amount of trans fat in school meals as
well as other food and beverages made available on school premises during the school day
under Policy 4321.1, Standards for School Nutrition effective July 1, 2008.
Trans fat is a specific type of fat that is formed when liquid oils are changed into solid fats
using a process called hydrogenation. This process is added to increase the shelf life of a
product or to provide a more stable product. All Fats supply energy and are important for
proper growth, development, and maintenance of good health. Fats play an important role in
the body’s absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K and carotenoids. In food, fat helps
to provide flavor, consistency, stability and satiety.
However, not all fats are created equal. Medical research suggests that trans fat is a major
contributor to heart disease. Trans fat has been shown to increase low-density lipoprotein
(LDL) cholesterol levels, decrease high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, and cause
other harmful effects which can increase the risk of coronary heart disease. Health experts
recommend consuming as little trans fat as possible. The American Heart Association
recommends limiting trans fat to no more than 1% of total calorie intake. Small amounts of
trans fats occur naturally in some meat and dairy products. According to the American Heart
Association, it isn’t clear whether naturally occurring trans fat found in sources such as beef,
lamb and dairy products have the same bad effects on cholesterol levels as trans fats that are
from processed liquid vegetable oil.
Trans fat can be found in shortenings, some margarine, canned biscuits, candies, cookies,
crackers, chips, snack foods, fast foods, doughnuts, pastries, cake, pie crust, icing, french
fries, some microwave pop-corn, commercially fried and baked goods and other processed
foods made with or cooked in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. In order to reduce trans
fat intake, limited consumption of foods processed with sources of trans fats is recommended.
To find out if a food product contains trans fat, check the Nutrition Facts panel. Beginning in
2006, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires all food and beverage makers to
OCN Guidance Memo 86 – 5.6
Page 2 of 2
August 24, 2012
list the trans fat content on the Nutrition Facts panel. Companies have to list trans fat in the
amount of 0.5 grams or more per serving in a separate line in the “total fat” section of the
panel, directly beneath the line for “saturated fat.”
Many food manufacturers have reformulated products to reduce the amounts of trans fat in
their foods. As a result, many food packages now show zero trans fat on their labels. Food
packages that state “0 gram of trans fats,” may contain up to 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving.
If shortening or partially hydrogenated oil is listed as an ingredient, the product contains trans
fat. When more than one serving of that product is consumed, the amount of trans fat could
exceed the recommended limits. Foods labeled trans fat-free aren’t necessarily healthy.
Check the Nutrition Facts panels on each product to make sure trans fat-free foods aren’t high
in saturated fats, calories or low in nutritional value.
Recommendation:
The following are recommendations on methods of decreasing the amount of trans fat in your
menu:
● Purchase products that contain 0g trans fat. Trans fat is listed on the Nutrition Facts
panel directly under the line for saturated fat;
● Check all product ingredient lists for shortening or partially hydrogenated oil. If these
ingredients are listed, the product includes trans fat;
● Choose liquid vegetable oils such as olive and canola oils, soybean oil, corn oil,
sunflower oil and soft margarines (liquid, tub, or spray) more often because they
contain lower amounts of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol than the amounts in
solid shortenings, hard margarines, and animal fats, including butter;
● Foods containing meat and dairy could have naturally occurring trans fat even if they do
not contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Although all trans fat consumption
should be kept to a minimum, the trans fat requirements referenced in policy 4321.1,
Smart Foods=Smart Kids, was not intended to apply to naturally occurring trans fat
found in meat and dairy products. Currently, there is no recommended intake for
naturally occurring trans fat; and
● Choose naturally low fat minimally processed foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans,
lean meat, poultry and fish, low-fat and fat-free dairy, and a variety of whole grain, high
fiber foods.
If you have additional questions pertaining to trans fat, please contact Natasha Jones at 304558-3396 or njones@access.k12.wv.us.
RJG/tdr
pc: OCN Staff