VANCOUVER - A&W Food Services of Canada (TSX:AW.UN) laid claim Wednesday to being the first national hamburger chain to offer "zero or significantly lower'' trans fat menu items, including french fries.
The Vancouver-based restaurant operator said it has eliminated trans fat from its french fries, Chubby Chicken Burger, Chicken Grill Deluxe, Swiss Veggie Deluxe, poutine and hash browns.
Trans fats, listed on food labels as partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, are thought to boost "bad'' cholesterol and decrease "good'' cholesterol.
A&W said it began working to reduce trans fats in all menu items a year ago. It said trans fats have been reduced by more than 95 per cent in onion rings, Chubby Chicken pieces and Chubby Chicken strips and by 85 per cent in breakfast sandwiches by "as much as 85 per cent.''
Trans fats have been on a hit list across North America in recent months.
In December, New York became the first American city to ban artificial trans fats in restaurants and eateries. With some exceptions, restaurants will be barred from using spreads and frying oils containing artificial trans fats by July 1.
All other foods in the city, including doughnuts, cookies and pies that use partially hydrogenated vegetable oil for texture, will have to be trans-fat-free by July 2008.
Other food chains, including Starbucks Corp., McDonald's Corp. and Taco Bell, have either pledged to rid their offerings of the fats or have already done so.
