Some Food and Drug Administration perspectives of fat and fatty acids

Because of public health concerns about the amount of fat in the American diet, the Food and Drug Administration and the US Department of Agriculture have emphasized use of the recently reformed food label to inform consumers about the fat and fatty acid contents of foods. The health effects of specific fatty acids continue to be the subject of much research, discussion, and debate. Issues that must be addressed to further improve the communication effectiveness of the food label include health effects of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids; appropriate labeling of trans fatty acids, stearic acid, and other non-cholesterol-raising fatty acids; partially absorbed fats; and label claims, especially health claims, for specific fatty acids and fatty acids of biotechnologically altered foods.