Monday, November 16, 2009

Monsanto asks for approval of trans-fat free soy

Monsanto has submitted evidence to the FDA and USDA backing the safety of its Vistive III soybean traits, intended to provide heat stable, trans-fat free cooking oils. Food manufacturers have been under increasing pressure to eliminate trans fats from foods, after evidence mounted to show they raise levels of LDL (so-called ‘bad’) cholesterol, while lowering levels of HDL (‘good’) cholesterol, thereby clogging arteries and causing heart disease.

The latest soybean traits from Monsanto have also been billed by the company as a way to “significantly lower” levels of saturated fats. Monsanto already has low-linolenic soybean oils on the market under its Vistive brand – KFC and Kellogg’s have both used Vistive to slash trans fats from their products – but the company claims that its new generation traits confer “significantly extended fry life” and are more stable at high temperatures than either existing Vistive oils or conventional soybean oils.

Bonnie - pardon me if I am a bit skeptical of this new concoction. We hope to see the patent to see how it is chemically altered.

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