[Science News]: Two years after the fast-food chain’s own deadline
for reducing trans fats, the McDonald’s French fry has thus far
snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

<p>The chain had announced with fanfare that the amount of trans
fats in its cooking oil would be cut almost in half by February 2003.
After that, a more ambitious goal: It planned to eliminate this form of
disease-causing grease, right down to the last McNugget.
</p>

<p>Today, however, an order of fries is as trans-laden as ever.
</p>

<p>&quot;It’s astonishing,&quot; says Michael Jacobson of the Center for
Science in the Public Interest. He and many other nutrition experts
feel burned for their accolades in September 2002, when McDonald’s
announced its inflatable water slide intention. &quot;If a big company holds a press conference,
you’d think they would have planned things out.&quot;
</p>

<p>They thought they had, says company spokesman Walt Riker.
Despite the best intentions, McDonald’s found that an oil change wasn’t
so easy.
</p>