Why doesn’t the County Health Department simply encourage restaurants to voluntarily stop using trans fat?
In New York City (NYC), where a trans fat ban has already been implemented, the NYC Department of Health conducted a year-long education campaign to help restaurants voluntarily reduce trans fat. Information was provided to every restaurant in NYC and resources were provided to restaurants and food suppliers to help them make this change. While some restaurants reduced or stopped using trans fat, the overall use of trans fat did not decline. In restaurants where it could be determined if trans fat was used, half used it in oils or spreads both before and after the voluntary initiative. Despite this one-year voluntary campaign, New Yorkers were still exposed to high levels of dangerous, invisible, and avoidable trans fat in restaurant foods without their knowledge or consent.
