Illinois soon could become the second state to ban the sale of food containing trans fats, if legislation passed Wednesday in the Illinois House of Representatives passes the state Senate and becomes law.

The “Artificial Trans Fat Restriction Act,” an amendment to House Bill 1600, would bar the sale at restaurants or school vending machines of items containing more than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving or that contain vegetable shortening, margarine or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.

This story is part of NRN's "2011 Forecast & Trends" special report.

While many in the foodservice industry applauded the changing of the guard in Congress and state houses across the nation in the midterm elections, Washington insiders are cautioning restaurateurs not to assume that 2011 will necessarily shape up to be a much more business-friendly year.


Citing improved detection and reporting methods, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released this week revised, and significantly lower, estimates of the number of people sickened and killed annually from foodborne illnesses.

CDC officials released the new figures in a week when the U.S. Senate is weighing passage of a sweeping federal food-safety bill supported by the National Restaurant Association and National Council of Chain Restaurants, among other foodservice trade groups.