ARTERY clogging trans fats are likely to disappear from fast-food and baked goods after Kentucky Fried Chicken announced yesterday that it was joining other outlets in dropping unhealthy cooking oil from the menu.

The giant American chain promised that its Colonel Sanders’ fried chicken would remain “finger-lickin’ good” despite the change, made under pressure from a US lawsuit and planned new health regulations in New York.

KFC’s decision initially affects only its 5,500 restaurants in the United States, although it hopes outlets elsewhere will eventually take similar steps. Last night KFC UK said it could not remove trans fats from food at British outlets because it was unable to source sufficient quantities of low linolenic soybean oil.

Activists in the US hailed the decision as a death knell for trans fat-rich partially hydrogenated oil, which contributes to tens of thousands of deaths a year by increasing so-called “bad” cholesterol.

Michael Jacobson, director of the non-profit Centre for Science in the Public Interest, said: “I think partially hydrogenated oil’s days are numbered. I can see it hanging on for two or three more years, but with the major companies switching away, the minor companies will move away and that makes it easier for government to take action.”

The organisation will now withdraw its law suit against KFC.

Trans fats are the latest target of health activists after their successful campaign to limit smoking in restaurants and other public places.

Denmark outlawed most trans fats two years ago by imposing hefty fines or even prison terms for preparing food with more than two per cent trans fats.

The California town of Tiburon became the first in America to bar trans fat from all its 18 restaurants in 2004. Now New York is planning to follow suit within 18 months in a move that will have a ripple effect around much of the world.

Chicago considered a similar move, but dropped it in favour of a voluntary ban. Restaurants in Boston list the level of trans fats in dishes on their menus.

Trans fat, found in fried food, margarine, vegetable shortening and baked goods, is so common that the average American eats 4.7lb of it a year.

FATTY FACTS

In 2002 the Institute of Medicine in the US concluded that there was no harmless level of trans-fatty acids in the diet

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