McDonald's to use new oil to reduce trans fatty acids

OAK BROOK, Ill. -- McDonald's plans to use a new cooking oil for its french fries that it says will do less damage to the diet.

The nation's biggest hamburger restaurant chain said Tuesday the new oil will halve the trans fatty acid levels in its french fries while increasing the amount of the more beneficial polyunsaturated fat. Health experts say replacing saturated fats with unsaturated ones can help lower cholesterol levels.

Dr. Meir Stampfer, a professor of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health, called the move a big step and said he hopes McDonald's eventually eliminates all trans fatty acids from its food. He said he also hopes other fast food chains do likewise.

"If we can get rid of trans fat in the diet, we could prevent thousands of heart attacks every year," he said.

McDonald's worked with its longtime supplier Cargill to develop the oil, which a few of its restaurants will begin using in October. All 13,000 domestic McDonald's restaurants will use the oil by February, the company said.

Comes after lawsuit

The change comes about a month after a man sued McDonald's and three other fast food chains, claiming their food made him obese.

The 56-year-old man said he weighed 272 pounds, had heart attacks in 1996 and 1999 and has diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. He said he ate fast food for decades, believing it was good for him until his doctor cautioned him otherwise.

McDonald's also was sued last year by vegetarian groups for using beef flavoring while claiming its fries were vegetarian. The company in May agreed to pay $10 million to organizations that support vegetarianism and $2.4 million in legal fees.

Company executives said the oil switch had been in the works for years and was unrelated to legal actions.