Lexicon
Trans fatty acids
Special fatty acids that form mainly during hardening and overheating, rated as unfavourable.
Definition
Where they form
Trans fatty acids form mainly during the industrial partial hardening of vegetable oils and during strong, repeated overheating. They also occur naturally in small amounts.
Expert bodies rate artificial trans fats as especially unfavourable for blood lipids.
In brief
- Source: heavily processed food, deep-fried items, partially hydrogenated vegetable fats.
- Spotting it: the ingredient „partially hydrogenated vegetable fat“.
- EU: artificial trans fats in food are now strictly limited.
Related terms: Saturated & unsaturated fats.
Source
- Trans fat , Wikipedia