Oct 10, 2007 5:04 pm US/Eastern
Local Bakers Take Trans Fat Fight To City Hall
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
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The owners of the Holmesburg Bakery say their pastries will be less-delicious without trans fats.
CBS
Several area bakers put their pastries to the test while challenging a proposed trans fat ban in Philadelphia Wednesday.
City Councilwoman Joan Krajewski invited a number of area bakeries to appear in front of the Council Committee On Health and Human Services at City Hall to put their signature pastries to the test, with and without trans fats.
The ban on trans fats went into effect last month for city eateries. As of September 1, 2008, all bakeries will have to adhere to the new standard.
Smaller bakeries are hoping to get an exemption from the ban, arguing a lack of trans fats will mean a loss of quality and possible loss of business.
"First of all, the recipes all have to be changed, my father's age old recipes," said Vince Termini of Termini's Bakery. "Number two is our prices will have to be increased."
Councilman Juan Ramos, who sponsored the trans fat ban, said there should be no exemptions when it comes to the public's health.
"There are viable alternatives to trans fats that taste the same and are not detrimental to your old-families' recipes or detrimental to the health of those who consume it," Ramos said.
George Gouger of the Holmesburg Bakery said without shortening, which contains trans fat, their famous butter crème-filled doughnuts would never be the same.
"The minute amount of trans fat that are in one or two of these is nothing compared to some of the products you buy in the store," he said.
Gouger said the lack of trans fats would not only affect the flavor, but the shelf life of their delicious treats which are made fresh every day.
Philadelphia became the second large city in the country to ban trans fats after legislators passed the proposal earlier in the year.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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