Trans fat ban in processed foods planned by FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday proposed banning artificial trans fats in processed food ranging from cookies to frozen pizza, citing the risk of heart disease.

Partially hydrogenated oils, the primary dietary source of the fats, have been shown to raise "bad" cholesterol. Reducing the use of trans fats could prevent 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths from heart disease a year, the FDA said.

The ruling would not affect naturally occurring trans fat that occurs in small amounts in certain meat and dairy products, the agency said.

In 2006, New York City banned the use of trans fats in restaurants, including their use for deep-frying foods, and many restaurants and fast food chains, including McDonald's, have eliminated their use.

"Seven years ago we became the first city in the nation to prohibit restaurants from using trans fats," New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Thursday in a statement.