The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is extending the comment period for the tentative determination regarding partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs). The determination clarifies that the PHOs are the primary dietary source of industrially-produced trans fatty acids, or trans fat, are not GRAS for any use in food. If finalized, this would mean that food manufacturers would no longer be permitted to sell PHOs, either directly or as ingredients in another food product, without prior FDA approval for use as a food additive unless they can prove to FDA that one or several specified purposes are safe pursuant to the safety standard of “harm-free reasonably certainty”.

    FDA is inviting comments and additional scientific data and information related to this tentative determination, including the questions that whether this determination shall be finished, how long the food manufacturers require to adjust food formula and eliminate PHOs, how to relieve the burden of small enterprises, and what are the difficulties to remove PHOs from foods for instance some food formula may be unable to be adjusted.