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Dunkin’ Donuts to Dump the Trans Fat

Fast-food chains at last are getting the trans fats out of their recipes

By Mark Huffman
ConsumerAffairs.com

August 27, 2007

Trans Fats • Court Rebuffs Burger King in Trans Fat Case • Dunkin’ Donuts to Dump the Trans Fat • Burger King Hit With Trans Fat Lawsuit • KFC Removes Trans Fat From Chicken Fryers • Harvard Study Links Trans Fat To Heart Disease • Burger King Testing Trans Fat-Free Cooking Oils • Starbucks Cuts Trans Fats • Scientists Claim Development Of "Healthy" Trans Fat • Loews Hotels Ban Trans Fat from Menus • New York City Bans Trans Fats in Restaurants • KFC Plans To Cut The Trans Fat • New York City Considers Trans Fat Ban • Researchers: Food Labels Should List All Fats • KFC Sued Over Artery-Clogging Oils • Wendy's Cuts Trans Fats in Fries and Chicken --- • More ...

The words “healthy” and “donuts” don’t exactly belong in the same sentence, but executives at the Dunkin' Donuts say they plan to make their food healthier by no longer using trans fatty acids.

The company said it hopes to offer a completely trans-fat-free menu by October 15. Even the donuts will be free of the artery-clogging cooking oil.

It's not as though Dunkin' had a lot of choice. Since New York City banned trans fat last December, fast-food chains have been scramling to reformulate their recipes.

KFC, Wendy's, Burger King and Starbucks have already eliminated some or all of the trans fat from their dishes. Hotels and upscale eateries are doing the same.

It's not much ado about nothing. A recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health confirms the risk, providing the strongest association to date between trans fat and heart disease. It found that women in the U.S. with the highest levels of trans fat in their blood had three times the risk of CHD as those with the lowest levels.

Dunkin' said doughnuts with zero grams trans fat are currently being served in Philadelphia and New York City. To date, the zero-grams-trans-fat doughnuts have been served in approximately 400 restaurants throughout the country, the company says, as part of a nationwide blind test over a period of four months.

“We applaud the Dunkin' Brands Research & Development and Supply Chain teams, who have worked behind the scenes for nearly four years to move toward an entirely zero grams trans fat menu," said Joe Scafido, Chief Creative and Innovation Officer at Dunkin' Brands.

“We are proud to be the first major quick service restaurant chain to introduce a doughnut that has zero grams trans fat.”

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