As of January 2006, the United States government has made it mandatory for all manufacturers to show trans fat content on the Nutrition Facts food label.

What are trans fats, and what role do they play in child nutrition?

Trans fats are made by manufacturing during a process called hydrogenation. Food manufacturers will add hydrogen to oils in order to increase shelf life and improve flavor stability.

You can find trans fats in foods such as vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oil. You can also sometimes find trans fats occurring naturally in some meats.

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