W. J. Costello

Trans Fatty Acids vs Saturated Fats and Cholesterol in Three Fast-Food Products Deep-Fried in Three Oils

Abstract Three popular fast-foods, french-fried potatoes, chicken nuggets, and beef fingers, were deep-fat fried in three oils: partially hydrogenated soybean oil (SBO), tallow (TAL), and a blend of 50% partially hydrogenated SBO/50% TAL (BLEND), to determine the changes in trans fatty acids, saturated fatty acids, and cholesterol content resulting from deep-fat frying. Trans fatty acids were increased by frying french fries, chicken nuggets, and beef fingers in SBO, while saturated fatty acids and cholesterol were increased in these products after frying in TAL. The magnitude of the ratios of trans fatty acid content after frying the french fries in SBO vs TAL was more than double similar ratios comparing saturated fatty acids and cholesterol. Trans fatty acid intake through french-fried potatoes would be decreased by 70% compared with published estimates, if french fries were fried in TAL rather than SBO.