From: StoneMeThenBurnMe on
LIKE America's millions of fatties, Burger King knows TRANS FATS clog
arteries and other bad things. But changing over from TFs to less
deleterious cooking oils doesn't seem to hold much urgency with the
world's number two burger bastion. And glutttons sure don't like to
give up their fats and sugars!

So, until late 2008, you blubberos can rest -- and stuff your moon-
faces -- EASY!

Bon lebulgie!

-----------------
"Burger King to Use Trans-Fat-Free Oil"

By ADRIAN SAINZ
The Associated Press
Friday, July 6, 2007; 7:42 PM



MIAMI -- Burger King said Friday it will use trans-fat-free cooking
oil at all its U.S. restaurants by the end of next year, following in
the footsteps of other leading fast-food restaurants.

The world's second largest hamburger chain said it was already using
zero trans-fat oil in hundreds of its more than 7,100 U.S. restaurants
nationwide.

Burger King is known for its flame-broiled burgers, but uses cooking
oil for its french fries and most of its chicken products.

In tests, consumers determined that more than a dozen items cooked in
the new oil, such as french fries and hash browns, tasted the same or
better than products cooked in the trans-fat oil, the company said.

Miami-based Burger King Corp. said two trans-fat-free oil blends
passed tests. If adequate supply becomes available, the U.S. rollout
of the oils could be completed sooner than 2008, the company said.

Trans fats are listed on food labels as partially hydrogenated
vegetable oil. They can raise bad cholesterol and lower healthy
cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease, doctors say.

Critics have said Burger King was taking too long to move toward the
healthier oils. The Washington-based Center for Science in the Public
Interest sued Burger King in May, saying the company was moving too
slowly and had failed to set a definite timetable for removal of trans
fats.

In response to the lawsuit, Burger King said in May it expected to
begin the national rollout its new zero trans-fat oil by the end of
this year.

Among Burger King's main competitors, McDonald's Corp. said earlier
this year it had selected a new trans-fat-free oil. Wendy's
International Inc. started using cooking oil with zero grams of trans
fat in August 2006.

Starbucks Corp. announced in May that it will cut artificial trans
fats out of food and drinks in its stores in the continental United
States, Alaska and Canada by the end of the year.

Yum Brands Inc. said in April that all of its KFC restaurants are now
serving fried chicken with zero grams of trans fats. Yum Brands also
said its Taco Bell restaurants switched to a trans fat-free frying
oil.

Burger King is owned by Burger King Holdings Inc. and operates more
than 11,200 restaurants worldwide. About 90 percent its restaurants
are owned and operated by franchisees.

Its shares fell 33 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $26.22 Friday.

© 2007 The Associated Press

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/06/AR2007070600565.html