A study was made of trans-fatty acids (trans acids) content in various foods cooked with oils and fats. The products analyzed were doughnuts, potato chips, cereal and other snacks and fast food products.
1) Trans acids, mainly t-18 : 1, were detected in all samples, but their proportion to total fatty acids was lower than 15 % in most samples. Analysis of fatty acids indicated a blend of unhydrogenated oil along with hydrogenated fat had been used for producing these products. Forty-three samples had been prepared using a blend of palm oil, as determined from tocotrienol content, mainly the γ-form. Hydrogenated fish oil was found in one doughnut.
2) A few samples of doughnuts and French fries contained trans acids more than 30 %, suggesting an all-hydrogenated blend had been used, as is commonly the case in the U.S.A..
3) The intake of trans acids from each sample analyzed was 0.17.7 g per one or two (the small size) doughnuts, 0.10.5 g per 100 g in potato chips, 0.12.9 g per one package of cereal and other snacks, 0.14.6 g per serving of French fries and 0.10.5 g per serving of fried chicken and fish.
The intake of total trans acids was estimated as approximately 1.8 g/capita/d in Japan, this amount being markdly lower than that in America, 13.3 g.
