The Food and Drug Administration banned trans fats from foods after doubting whether they are safe.
The decision announced Monday in a final order comes in response to multiple citizen petitions and based on evidence from numerous scientific panels. In 2005, the Institute of Medicine recommended that Americans limit their consumption of the trans fats due to the long-term health issues.
Food companies have three years to phase out trans fats, but most companies already have phased out the fats after bowing to consumer concerns.
A company can apply to the FDA to get a waiver and continue to serve trans fats.
“The FDA has the responsibility to conduct thorough reviews of scientific evidence,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday about the ruling. The FDA “determined that trans-fats are not generally recognized as safe for use in human food,” a conclusion it reached “based on scientific evidence,” he said.
