News From the Field
How Natural Oils Can be Hydrogenated Without Making Unhealthy Trans Fats

January 23, 2009

To prolong the shelf life of foods, manufacturers often add hydrogen to natural oils, a process called hydrogenation. But hydrogenation also results in the production of trans fats, which have adverse health effects such as raising bad cholesterol and increasing the risk for coronary heart diseases. Now, chemists at the University of California, Riverside, have designed a catalyst that allows hydrogenated oils to be made while minimizing the production of trans fats. Full Story

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University of California, Riverside

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