A package can legally display 0 g of trans fat on a U.S. Nutrition Facts label even when laboratory testing detects a small amount of trans fat. This does not necessarily mean a manufacturer has found a loophole around the U.S. restrictions on partially hydrogenated oils. The apparent contradiction usually comes from differences in serving-size labeling, rounding rules, and the fact that the U.S. restrictions target partially hydrogenated oils rather than every detectable molecule of trans fat.
Why Two Labels Can Show Different Trans Fat Amounts
Seeing 0 g of trans fat on an American label and 100 mg on an import-market label can look suspicious at first. The numbers may nevertheless describe exactly the same food because the two labels can use different reference quantities and different rounding conventions. A value expressed per serving cannot be compared directly with a value expressed per 100 g without converting them to the same basis.
There is also an important unit distinction. A Mexican nutrition declaration may provide information per 100 g of food, not per 100 mg of food. Therefore, a declaration of 100 mg of trans fat per 100 g means the product contains about 0.1 g of trans fat in every 100 g of food.
| Label Information | Reference Amount | Trans Fat Shown | Equivalent Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Example Mexican declaration | 100 g of food | 100 mg | 0.1 g |
| Equivalent 14 g serving | 14 g of food |
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