Fast Food Using Less Trans Fats

Trans fats have been showing up less often in fast-food restaurant meals.

Research from the University of Minnesota's Nutrition Coordinating Center has shows major chains have significantly reduced their use of oils that contain trans fat in French fries and other food during the past 10 years. Saturate fat use in these restaurants has either been reduced or stayed steady during the same time.

In a press release from the University of Minnesota, lead researcher Lisa Harnack said the center maintains a food and nutrient database that goes back to the 1970s.  "We're able to go back in time and compare the present with the past,” she said. “And we did that in looking at fast-food restaurants,"Harnack said. "We found fast-food restaurants are making big improvements in the frying oils, with trans fat going down in most of the restaurants – as well as saturated fat, either going down or staying the same."