Dunkin' Donuts Cutting Trans Fat From Menu Items

Aug 28, 02:08 AM

Current Headlines: By Karen Robinson-Jacobs / The Dallas Morning News Krobinson@dallasnews.Com, The Dallas Morning News

Aug. 28--Dunkin' Donuts will still live off the fat of the land -- it just won't be trans fat.

After four years of trying, the company said Monday that it has found a way to all but eliminate the much-criticized fat from its signature snack.

The Canton, Mass., company said each of its menu offerings nationwide will contain less than one-half gram of trans fat by Oct. 15. Statistically, per government rules, that counts as "zero."

Dunkin' Donuts has three Dallas-area locations, with plans to open 150 new restaurants in the region, most within 10 years.

Cutting out the trans fats will mean switching to a blend of cottonseed, soy and palm oils. A host of other snack sellers -- from KFC chicken to McDonald's -- have scrambled to remove artificial trans fats from menu items.

New York City has legislated a ban on trans fats in its restaurants, set to take effect next July.

On a per-calorie basis, trans fats appear to increase the risk of coronary heart disease, according to Ban Trans Fats, the Web site that launched the trans fats campaign in 2003 by targeting Oreo cookies.

That same year, Plano-based Frito-Lay Inc. became the first major food company in the country to remove trans fats from its entire lineup of chips.

Last year, the American Heart Association recommended that people limit their intake of trans fats to less than 1 percent of total daily calories, which translates to about 2 to 2.5 grams of trans fat per day, according to Ban Trans Fats.

Some treats at Dunkin' Donuts, such as the Chocolate Coconut Cake Donut, now have up to 5 grams of trans fats.

Dunkin' Brands Inc., parent company of the doughnut shops as well as Baskin-Robbins ice cream shops, sliced artificial trans fats from bagels in 2004 and from croissants within the past year, said spokeswoman Margie Myers.

Doughnuts were a bigger challenge because they are often not consumed for hours after they are fried -- unlike, say, french fries -- "so the oil itself has to be more stable," she explained.

Ms. Myers said the company decided to cut out trans fats in response to consumer demand. Baskin-Robbins will banish most of the artificial trans fats from its menu by Jan. 1, she added.

Unlike New York, Dallas has no trans fat ban.

Mayor Tom Leppert and Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwayne Caraway have said they support the idea in principle, but they have no plans to put a proposal before the City Council.

Jamee Green, executive director of the Greater Dallas Restaurant Association, said her members would rather not have a legislated ban.

"It's a complicated issue. We really hope the industry will assess the need and take action on its own, as opposed to a government ban or mandate," she said.

"We're not aware of any cities or counties in Texas that are working toward a ... ban," she added.

While the reformulated Dunkin' Donuts may put you in better standing with your cardiologist, they're not going to help your waistline.

Their total count of fat grams will remain about the same, said Ms. Myers.

"You have to remember, doughnuts are a treat," she said.

Consumers who indulge should savor the moment. It takes about 30 minutes of biking to burn off a 300-calorie doughnut.

Staff writers Dave Levinthal and Terry Maxon contributed to this report.

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