Los Angeles city and county officials on Tuesday reached an agreement with the local chapter of the California Restaurant Association to stop using trans fats voluntarily within 18 months, the Los Angeles Times reports (Barboza, Los Angeles Times, 1/31).
A report released on Friday by the county Department of Public Health found that current state law prohibits the county from banning artificial trans fats in restaurants or requiring restaurants to disclose nutritional information in menus (California Healthline, 1/29).
County supervisors voted Tuesday to produce details of the voluntary measure and to encourage state legislation restricting trans fat and requiring calorie and nutritional labeling at restaurants.
Under the agreement, the county likely will provide restaurants that are certified as trans-fat free with window decals, according to county officials.
The county also joined the city council in recommending a ban on food services using trans fats in county and city office buildings (Los Angeles Times, 1/31).