Known as partially hydrogenated oil, or PHO, one type of trans fat commonly found in commercial baked goods linked to heart disease and other health issues for years is about to be eliminated from the U.S. food supply.

How Did We Get Here?

The long road of removing trans fats from the food supply is about to end.

It started in 2015 when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled that artificial trans fats were unsafe to eat. The agency gave the food industry three years to reformulate products and ensure an orderly transition in the marketplace.

The final compliance date for specifically removing PHOs, which contain trans fats but also occur naturally in some meats, was Jan. 1, 2021.

In August 2023, the agency issued a direct final rule, making the decision permanent and enforceable. (A direct final rule process, intended for noncontroversial rules, allows an agency to issue a rule without the need for a double review process.)

Starting Dec. 22, 2023, no products containing PHOs will be allowed on grocery store shelves.

Following in the Footsteps of Other Countries 

Denmark gained global attention as the first country to ban trans fats back in 2003. Between 2003 and 2018, restrictions followed in Switzerland, Iceland, Canada, Hungary, Norway, Sweden, and other countries.

In the United States, New York City, California, and parts of Maryland also set limits.