Trans Fats Examples: Foods That Can Contain Trans Fat

Industrial vs naturally occurring trans fat

Trans fats are a type of unsaturated fat with a particular chemical shape. According to the WHO, industrially produced trans fat is made by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oil, turning it more solid. This creates partially hydrogenated oil (PHO), which manufacturers once valued for texture and shelf life.

Naturally occurring trans fat forms in the digestive systems of ruminant animals, so it appears in their meat and milk. The NHS describes these amounts as low. WHO states that both kinds are equally harmful; the practical difference is that industrial trans fat can be removed from the food supply, whereas natural amounts come with whole foods.

Not to be confused with fully hydrogenated fat or with saturated fat. The Dietary Fats lesson explains how the main fat types differ.

How to spot trans fat on a label

UK and EU

Trans fat is not part of the standard nutrition declaration required under EU food-information rules, which the UK’s system grew from, so you usually will not see a trans-fat line. Instead, check the ingredients list: the NHS says hydrogenated vegetable oil must be declared there if it is used. Words to look for include “partially hydrogenated” or “hydrogenated” oil or fat.

United States

The FDA requires trans fat to be declared on the Nutrition Facts label. Because PHOs are no longer allowed to be added to foods, a partially hydrogenated oil in a current US ingredients list would be unexpected; naturally occurring trans fat from meat and dairy can still appear in the trans-fat line.

For general label skills, see our guide on reading nutrition labels.

Regulations differ by country—and keep changing

• European Union: the European Commission set a maximum of 2 g of trans fat (other than naturally occurring animal trans fat) per 100 g of fat in food for consumers, with non-compliant food allowed on the market until 1 April 2021.
• United States: the FDA determined in 2015 that PHOs are no longer “generally recognized as safe”. For most uses, manufacturers could not add them after 18 June 2018, with a final compliance date of 1 January 2021. The FDA is also removing PHOs as optional ingredients from food standards of identity.
• United Kingdom: the NHS notes most UK supermarkets have removed partially hydrogenated vegetable oil from their own-brand products. UK rules can differ from EU rules, so check current UK government guidance rather than assuming EU limits apply.
• Worldwide: WHO recommends countries adopt either a mandatory limit of 2 g industrial trans fat per 100 g total fat, or a ban on PHO as an ingredient. Not all countries have done so, so foods—particularly fried and baked foods—may still contain industrial trans fat in some places.

This is a summary of public guidance at the time of writing, not legal advice.

Why trans fat matters for health

Trans fat raises LDL cholesterol in the blood, according to the FDA, and higher LDL cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease. WHO links trans fat intake to increased risk of death from heart disease and recommends trans fat makes up less than 1% of total energy intake—less than 2.2 g a day on a 2,000-calorie diet. The NHS says UK adults should have no more than about 5 g a day. These are population-level guidance figures from different bodies, not personal targets.

Context: the NHS notes people in the UK eat much more saturated fat than trans fat, so for many UK diets, reducing saturated fat is the bigger practical change. This page does not assess individual risk; speak to a healthcare professional about cholesterol or heart health concerns.

Practical alternatives

• Choose spreads and cooking fats that do not list partially hydrogenated oils, and use liquid vegetable oils such as olive, rapeseed or sunflower in cooking where suitable.
• When travelling or buying imported baked goods, check ingredients—rules differ by country.
• Swap some biscuits, pastries and fried snacks for fruit, unsalted nuts or wholegrain options sometimes—useful for saturated fat and sugar too, whatever the trans fat content.
• You do not need to avoid meat or dairy because of natural trans fat; WHO suggests reducing ruminant meat and dairy amounts as part of reducing intake overall.

Frequently asked questions

What are 3 examples of trans fats?

Partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (in foods made with it), vegetable shortening made by partial hydrogenation, and the natural trans fat in butter or beef.

Do French fries have trans fat?

Only if they are fried in, or made with, a partially hydrogenated fat. Where PHO is banned or limited, most fried foods contain little or none; where it is not, WHO says fried restaurant and street foods often do.

Does peanut butter contain trans fat?

Some peanut butters use hydrogenated oils to stop separation; fully hydrogenated oil is not the same as partially hydrogenated oil. Check the ingredients list for the specific jar.

Is natural trans fat in dairy healthier?

WHO states naturally occurring and industrially produced trans fat are equally harmful. Natural amounts in meat and dairy are low, and these foods also provide other nutrients.