Correspondence

Health-Related Claims at Fast-Food Chains

N Engl J Med 1994; 330:1908-1909June 30, 1994

Article

To the Editor:

Several fast-food chains now advertise food cooked in “100 percent vegetable oil” or “100 percent cholesterol-free vegetable oil.” The advertisements are often prominently displayed on the menu or directly on the food packaging. A consumer purchasing French fries billed as “cooked in 100 percent cholesterol-free vegetable oil” might be surprised to discover that they were, in fact, deep-fried in hydrogenated vegetable shortening.

In terms of its effect on serum cholesterol, hydrogenated shortening is not equivalent to unsaturated vegetable oil. There is evidence that the trans fatty acids found in hydrogenated fats raise low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels1. It has been suggested that hydrogenated fats may be the main cause of our epidemic of cardiovascular disease, which began in the 1920s, shortly after hydrogenated fat was introduced2. Hydrogenated fats are frequently used in commercially produced foods because they are cheap and have a long shelf life.

The Code of Federal Regulations, part 101.4, requires that completely or partially hydrogenated fats or oils be labeled as such. Because the cooked foods do not cross state lines, however, it is unclear whether the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has any jurisdiction over the claims on fast-food containers.

I recently surveyed four local fast-food restaurants (McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, and Church's) that display claims that they serve food “cooked in 100 percent vegetable oil” or “cholesterol-free vegetable oil.” In all four cases, I was shown the container of the fat actually used for frying, and each indicated that the fat was hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated (Table 1Table 1Health-Related Claims and Fats Used at Fast-Food Restaurants.).

People attempting to lower their cholesterol levels are often advised to reduce the overall percentage of fat in their diets and to avoid saturated fats. Specifically, patients are often advised that monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oils are preferable to saturated fats such as hydrogenated shortening. Are not these claims that food is “cooked in 100 percent vegetable oil” misleading? Should not these advertisements be changed? Better yet, fast-food chains could prepare food in monounsaturated oils, such as canola oil.

Dirk M. Elston, M.D., Maj., M.C., U.S.A.
Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234

2 References

1
Mensink RP, Katan MB. Effect of dietary trans fatty acids on high-density and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in healthy subjects. N Engl J Med 1990;323:439-445
Full Text | Web of Science | Medline

2
Mann GV. Walnuts and serum lipids. N Engl J Med 1993;329:358-358
Full Text | Web of Science | Medline

The above letter was referred to the fast-food restaurants it mentions. McDonald's forwarded the letter to the Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils, which offers the following reply on behalf of McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's. A spokesman for Wendy's also replied:

To the Editor: The fast-food industry has acted responsibly by switching from animal fat, animal fat-vegetable oil blends to partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Minimally hydrogenated vegetable oils provide the functional attributes of stability and desired texture demanded by consumers in finished foods while substantially reducing saturated fat and removing dietary cholesterol.

Although recent studies indicate that trans fatty acids raise plasma cholesterol levels, there are many unresolved issues that need to be addressed before changes should be advocated in the U.S. diet with respect to hydrogenated fats. There are questions about whether there is an independent cholesterol-lowering effect of oleic acid, the potential cholesterol-neutral effect of trans fatty acid, mechanisms of action of trans isomers, and conflicting research results.

The idea that hydrogenated fats have contributed to an epidemic of cardiovascular disease is unsupported by scientific evidence. In fact, from 1940 to 1990, when hydrogenation in food was most common, the age-adjusted mortality rate for heart disease in the United States dropped over 53 percent.

The FDA clearly has jurisdiction over all direct and indirect nutrition claims made on fast-food labeling or packaging, as established in the Code of Federal Regulations (21CFR 101.10). According to these regulations, the fast-food industry's claims that they use 100 percent vegetable oils are truthful statements.

Robert M. Reeves
Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils, Washington, DC 20006

To the Editor:

Major Elston cites the Code of Federal Regulations, which actually does cover Wendy's. He may be referring to the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990. The act specifically exempts all restaurants, in most circumstances.

That aside, hydrogenated or not, what we use is still an oil. Major Elston's letter is too simplistic. He refers to hydrogenated shortening as equivalent to saturated fat. This shortening contains saturated fat (as do all oils), but it is not equivalent to saturated fat.

When the major chains switched from beef fat to vegetable oil for frying, the health community touted it as an important step toward a healthier America because of the elimination of cholesterol. Nothing much was known about trans fatty acids, so they were not an issue.

The chains' labeling simply used the same language as their suppliers regarding content -- that is, “100 percent vegetable oil.” Recently, studies began to show there may be a difference in the effects on the human body of hydrogenated vegetable oil as compared with nonhydrogenated vegetable oil.

For the time being, Wendy's has opted voluntarily to remove the line “Cooked in 100% vegetable oil” from its packaging and nutritional information. We do not want to confuse our customers. We would never try to mislead them.

As to the “evidence that the trans fatty acids found in hydrogenated fats raise low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels,” many health-related organizations -- including the FDA, the American Dietetic Association, and the American Heart Association -- believe more testing is needed before any changes in dietary habits are recommended with respect to trans fatty acids.

As Major Elston says, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil is less expensive. The cost of the pure liquid oils currently available would be prohibitive, since they break down so rapidly that they would have to be changed continually. Even then, rancidity would be a problem. Changing oil often is not a safe option because of the increased risks in handling hot oil and the time required for cool-down and heating. We want to serve our customers a product that meets our high quality standards while making Wendy's a safe place to work.

Last, and perhaps most important, trans fatty acids are estimated to account for only 2 to 3 percent of the typical American diet. We believe, as do the groups named above, that more testing is needed and that the best nutrition advice has not changed: Keep total fat in your diet to 30 percent or less, and saturated fats to 10 percent or less, of calories consumed.

Mike Jenkins, A.P.R.
Wendy's International, Dublin, OH 43017

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