Trans fats in food

Trans fats are a type of fat that raises bad cholesterol and lowers good cholesterol. There are very small amounts of naturally occurring trans fat in meats and dairy from grazing animals, such as cows, sheep and goats.

But most trans fats are in plant oils that have been chemically changed to be a solid fat. These are called partially hydrogenated oils. At one time, trans fat oils were thought to be a healthy choice to replace saturated fats. They also were inexpensive and a had a long shelf life.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration determined that artificially created trans fats are "no longer recognized as safe" in foods. They are no longer used in U.S. food production. They may still be used in other countries.