Study: Fast-Food Chains Using Corn Oil

NEW YORKA new study from the University of Hawaii reveals that 70 percent of national fast-food chains cook French fries in corn oil mixed with other oils compared to 20 percent of independent restaurants on the island of Oahu.

As reported by Bloomberg, while fast-food giants McDonalds, Burger King and Wendys/Arbys Group said they switched to vegetable fry oils to remove trans fats that raise cholesterol levels and may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, the researchers found the fry oil currently used by the chains includes corn oil that is higher in saturated fats.

Researchers analyzed oil content in French fries from 68 of the 101 national chain fast-food restaurants on Oahu and from 66 small businesses. According to the researchers, restaurants arent providing consumers with enough nutritional information about the oils they use to cook so they can make an educated decision about nutrition.

There are several reasons why knowledge of the inclusion of corn oil might be important to the consumer," the authors wrote. "Corn oil [] contains considerably more heart-harmful saturated fat than canola, sunflower or safflower oils, and less heart-protective alphalinolenic acid than soybean oil, making it the least healthy choice of the five. U.S. corn agriculture has been criticized for its negative impacts on the environment and its conspicuous federal subsidization."