New York restaurants completely trans fat-free

Artificial trans fats will be off the menu in New York restaurants from Tuesday, as city authorities seek to remove a major cause of heart disease from their residents' diets.

Restaurants were banned from using frying oil and spreads containing trans fats last year, but as of July 1 the prohibition will apply to all types of food, including the fat used by bakers and pastry chefs.

"All foods served, including baked goods, oils, shortenings and margarines used for baking, and pre-prepared items that contain artificial trans fat, must have less that 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving," the health department said.

"Foods served in the manufacturer's original, sealed packaging, such as candy and crackers, are still exempt."

After a three-month grace period, those who violate the new law and get caught face a $2,000 fine.

The department said there was widespread acceptance of last year's ban, with more than 98 percent of inspected restaurants in compliance last month, while many have gone even further than required and also cut saturated fat.

"I made the transition seven months ago," said Saul Haye, owner of Christie's Jamaican Patties in Brooklyn.

"Cooking my patties and baked goods with replacement shortenings hasn't hurt the products or my business, and it's healthier for my customers."

However, it appears that few, if any, foods are being eliminated as a result of the new ban. For examples, fast food bellwethers from McDonald's to Taco Bell say they have successfully eliminated trans fats without having to drop a single item from their menu.

Baking supply companies have developed a variety of replacements for the partially hydrogenated vegetable oils that are the largest source of trans fats.  In fact, even Crisco is not made of Crisco anymore, instead the reformulated product now boasts "zero grams of trans fat per serving."

Even the cannoli has been retooled.  After four months of sometimes exasperating experimentation, New York's biggest maker of fried dough shells for the scrumptious Italian dessert finally produced a trans-fat-free version that is just as crisp and tasty as the original.

"There is a little difference in taste," acknowledged Mauricio Vasquez, general manager of Ariola Foods.  The Queens-based company has been making pastries for 85 years.

"We're banging our heads against the wall right now," Manny Alaimo, an owner of Brooklyn’s esteemed Villabate Pasticceria, told the Associated Press.

“Italian breads and cookies made with the zero-trans-fat shortening just haven't come out right,” he said, adding that a few fastidious customers had complained about subtle changes in taste and texture.

"It's going to be a really bumpy. People are just going to have to get used to it," he said.