Trans Fats

Fatty acids with so-called trans-bonds, which makes the fats more solid, even if the fats remains unsaturated. A traditional hard margarine can have up to 20 percent trans fats. The presence of trans fats has been demonstrated to increase the risk of hardening of the arteries and blood clots in the heart. As a consequence, many countries have prohibited the sale of foods containing more than 2 percent industrially produced trans-fatty acids or are in the process of implementing such regulations. Trans fats are found most commonly in deep-fried food and a variety of fast foods, but also occur naturally in smaller quantities (1–5 percent) in other foods—for example, butter, cheeses, and other dairy products, as well as the meat from sheep, where they are formed by bacterial action in the stomach of ruminants.