Yes, artificial trans fat is effectively banned in the United States. In 2015, the FDA determined that partially hydrogenated oils, the primary source of artificial trans fat in food, are no longer “Generally Recognized as Safe.” Manufacturers were required to stop adding them to foods by June 18, 2018, with a final deadline of January 1, 2021 for remaining products to clear store shelves.
What the FDA Actually Banned
The ban targets partially hydrogenated oils, which are made through a manufacturing process that converts liquid vegetable oil into a solid fat at room temperature. These oils were once a staple in packaged baked goods, margarine, microwave popcorn, frozen pizza, and deep-fried restaurant food because they were cheap, extended shelf life, and gave products a desirable texture.
The FDA also denied a petition from the Grocery Manufacturers Association that sought approval for certain limited uses of partially hydrogenated oils. That means there are no exemptions or special allowances for industrial trans fat in any food category.
Trans Fat Hasn’t Disappeared Entirely
The ban covers only artificial trans fat. Trans fat occurs naturally in small amounts in meat, milk, butter, and cheese from ruminant animals like cows and sheep. The FDA’s actions do not affect these natural sources. Refined vegetable oils also contain trace amounts of trans fat as a byproduct of processing, even without partial hydrogenation.
This matters because of a labeling rule that can mislead consumers. FDA regulations allow a food to be labeled “0 grams” of trans fat if a single serving contains less than 0.5 grams. Before the ban, this meant a product could contain partially hydrogenated oils and still display “0 g trans fat” on the label, as long as the serving size was small enough. Now that partially hydrogenated oils are no longer added to foods, the trace amounts showing up on labels come from those natural and processing-related sources.
Why Trans Fat Was Singled Out
Trans fat is uniquely harmful compared to other dietary fats. It raises LDL cholesterol (the type linked to artery-clogging plaque), which saturated fat also does. But trans fat goes a step further: it simultaneously lowers HDL cholesterol, the protective type that helps clear cholesterol from your bloodstream. Saturated fat does not have this double effect. Research published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology found that when people replaced saturated fat with trans fat in their diet, their HDL dropped and their blood vessel function worsened.
Globally, trans fat intake is responsible for up to 500,000 premature deaths from coronary heart disease each year, according to the World Health Organization. The scale of that number is a large part of why the FDA took the unusual step of revoking a food ingredient’s safety status rather than simply recommending people eat less of it.
What Replaced It in Processed Foods
When manufacturers reformulated their products, most turned to oils higher in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. High oleic oils, developed partly through agricultural research programs in the U.S. and Canada, became popular replacements for deep frying and processed food production. Palm oil and interesterified fats (oils chemically modified without creating trans fat) also filled the gap in products that need a solid or semi-solid fat.
The health profile of these replacements varies. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated oils are generally considered heart-healthy. Palm oil is high in saturated fat, so while it avoids the specific dangers of trans fat, it’s not a neutral swap. The FDA does not require manufacturers to use any particular replacement oil.
How the U.S. Compares Globally
The U.S. was relatively early in taking regulatory action, but it wasn’t the first. Denmark banned industrial trans fat in 2003. Since then, more than 40 countries have implemented mandatory limits or bans. The World Health Organization has called for the global elimination of industrial trans fat, but as of 2023, roughly five billion people worldwide still live in countries without adequate protections against it.
Within the U.S., some local jurisdictions moved even faster than the federal government. New York City banned trans fat in restaurant food in 2006, nearly a decade before the FDA’s final determination. California followed with a statewide restaurant ban in 2008. These local actions helped demonstrate that large-scale reformulation was feasible, which supported the case for a national ban.