Trans fat is the hidden health danger found in many food products. Everything from cookies and salad dressings to margarine and peanut butter contain trace amounts of trans fat.

Dr. Edward Rosick, a University Health Services (UHS) physician, said the short-term risks are unknown but the long-term risks of consumption of trans fat include coronary heart disease.

Similar to saturated fat, trans fat, which is also commonly known as trans fatty acids, lowers levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), also known as good cholesterol, while raising levels of bad cholesterol, known as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL). Many other problems are linked to consumption of trans fat, such as clogged arteries, type 2 diabetes and obesity.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) passed a regulation requiring all food manufacturers to list trans fat on nutrition labels by January 2006. Yet, if a product contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat, it will be listed as containing zero grams.

The FDA has not yet set a maximum recommended intake for trans fat. The FDA estimates that the average daily intake of trans fat is 5.8 grams.

"Trans fat tends to come as a result of the process of hydrogenation, taking an unsaturated fat and making it saturated," said Don Thompson, professor of food science.

The hydrogenation process adds hydrogen to vegetable oils -- basically, liquid oils are turned to solid fats.

If a product contains trans fat, the words "partially hydrogenated" or "hydrogenated" will be listed as part of the ingredients. Therefore, consumers can tell whether or not a product contains trans fat without looking at the nutrition label.

Students eating in the dining commons will not find trans fat listed on the food entrée labels.

"We list total fat grams; I believe its just saturated and non-saturated that are included," said Michele Newhard, project manager of food services.

Newhard said food services will comply with any mandated changes to its food labels, but until then, trans fat will not be listed.

The FDA regulation does not include the food service entrée labels.

Rosick said by carefully monitoring foods, those with trans fat can be eliminated, but it is unwise to eliminate all fats from a diet. Certain fats, such as monounsaturated and unsaturated, are needed for optimal health. The FDA estimates that three years after January 2006, 250-300 lives will be saved, and 600-1,200 heart attacks will be prevented due to the reduction of trans fat consumption.

Though trans fat has little, if any, nutritional benefit, it does have food-production benefits.

"A common ingredient in most foods is soybean oil and it is almost never used with out partial hydrogenation," Thompson said. "It's important to do this process so the product has the right physical properties which the consumer expects. A person does not want a soft consistency when they expect solid."

Trans fat allows for flavor and consistency, and it adds to the shelf life of a product.

"A future problem could occur once manufacturers try to avoid trans fat. An equally bad product may be used; there is no good way around it," Thompson said. "However, during the hydrogenation process, the manufacturer has some control over the amount of trans fat produced. I'm sure companies will be working hard to keep levels low, but that may in turn leading to higher manufacturing costs and higher prices."