McDonald's settles trans fat lawsuit for $8.5 million
/Fast-food giant McDonald's has agreed to pay $8.5 million to settle a
lawsuit over unhealthy trans fats [American Hear Association
recommendations] in its cooking oils used to make french fries and
other foods. The settlement is the result of litigation brought by the
non-profit advocacy group BanTransFats.com which alleged that
McDonald's did not adequately inform the public of delays in switching
to a healthier cooking oil. McDonald's has agreed to pay $7 million to
the American Heart Association for education about trans fat
foods with $7,500 each going to the BanTransFats website and another
plaintiff in the case. Trans fats are used in thousands of
processed food products, often giving the crunch to French fries,
cookies, and cereals. They are created in processing vegetable
oils and have been found to be as unhealthy as pure cholesterol. The
latest official U.S. nutrition recommendations suggest limiting their
intake. [more]
