As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announces its preliminary determination that partially hydrogenated oils are not “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS), global oils leader IOI Loders Croklaan is inviting food manufacturers to its Creative Studio to reformulate applications with its existing suite of readily available trans-fat-free solutions.

“At IOI Loders Croklaan, we have long provided oil and shortening solutions that are free of partially hydrogenated oils, and we look forward to sharing our reformulation expertise with food brands to eliminate PHOs from their applications,” says Bill Troy, IOI Loders Croklaan chief operating officer. “Trans fat reduction and providing healthier alternatives has been our greatest area of focus.”

Although a 2006 labeling law that added trans fats to the nutrition facts panel motivated many manufacturers to reduce or eliminate partially hydrogenated oils from their formulations, the FDA estimates 25% of products that contained trans fats in 2006 still contain trans fats today. Having years of experience assisting its partners in the formulation of trans-fat-free applications, IOI Loders Croklaan has already completed much of the development work necessary for food manufacturers’ reformulation needs.

“We understand that everything from an application’s label to the sensory experience it provides is crucial to the consumer and the brand, and we take care to maintain that integrity while eliminating PHOs with our non-GMO solutions,” says Gerald McNeill, Ph.D., IOI Loders’ vice president of Research and Development.

 With recently expanded production capacity and a newly constructed Creative Studio designed for R&D and marketing collaboration, IOI Loders Croklaan says it has the capacity and capability to drive rapid reformulation of applications to eliminate partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

“Over the years, we’ve assisted numerous food manufacturers in reducing and eliminating the trans fat in their food applications while delivering the sensory experiences that consumers expect from these brands,” says McNeill. “We invite those seeking to reformulate in alignment with the FDA’s recent announcement to visit our Creative Studio, where our team can support and guide the reformulation of trans-fat-free applications.”

With its expansive suite of oil and shortening solutions, including its latest innovation, FuseRite colored and flavored shortenings, IOI Loders Croklaan says it is primed to bring its trans-fat-free expertise to the food industry as brands seek to eliminate partially hydrogenated oils from their applications.—IOI Loders Croklaan Americas, www.croklaan.com