San Rafael, Calif.
– McDonald’s Corp. will pay $7 million to the American Heart
Association settling a lawsuit that accused the fast-food giant of
failing to reduce fat, as promised, in the cooking oil used for its
popular french fries and other foods.
San Rafael, Calif. – McDonald’s Corp. will pay $7 million to the American Heart Association settling a lawsuit that accused the fast-food giant of failing to reduce fat, as promised, in the cooking oil used for its popular french fries and other foods.
The Wednesday deal will require the association to use the proceeds to educate the public about trans fats in foods. Heart-clogging trans fat is made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil – a process called hydrogenation.
BanTransFats.com sued McDonald’s in state court here in 2003, alleging McDonald’s did not effectively disclose to the public that it had not switched to a healthier cooking oil.
In September 2002, McDonald’s announced it would lower trans fat in its cooking oils and said the switch would be completed in five months. In February 2003, McDonald’s announced a delay. The lawsuit accused the Oak Brook, Ill.-based company of failing to adequately inform consumers of that delay.
Wednesday’s settlement also requires McDonald’s to spend $1.5 million publicizing that it has not followed through on its 2002 pledge.
McDonald’s has reduced the amount of trans fat in its Chicken McNuggets, Crispy Chicken and McChicken sandwiches, said spokesman Walt Riker.
He said the company is working to reduce trans fat in its other fried foods.
– The Associated Press
