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After nearly two weeks of trans fat becoming a banned ingredient within city limits, many local restaurants aren’t feeling the pinch, but bakeries are finding the change half-baked.
Many, like chains McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts, have either begun or already removed trans fat from their menus, leaving them virtually unaffected by a ban that eliminates the additive commonly made from partially hydrogenating plant oils — making it a cheaper alternative to corn and vegetable oils, while able to withstand heat better and produce a longer shelf-life — found in fried foods and baked goods.
City Council passed the bill Feb. 8 and it was signed by the mayor a week later, taking effect Sept. 1. Bakeries will have a year to comply because many will have to completely revamp traditional or family recipes.
For the most part, many restaurants have had no issues arise. Mike Johns, kitchen manager for Chickie’s & Pete’s, 1526 Packer Ave., said the crab house and sports bar made the modifications months ago.
"When we caught wind of all this, we actually switched over," he said, noting the changes began in April. "We saw what the trend was going to be, and of course we want to be ahead of everything, so we got right with the times and immediately we switched to zero trans fat."
The restaurant always used low-fat oil for frying, he said, so moving to a trans fat-free soy-based product was simple. Johns feels the ban was a good move for the city and has not effected the taste of anything on their menu.
"I can’t see why it would hurt. It’s just making us a healthier city," he said.
Despite the year-long window for bakeries, owners are hard-pressed to accept the ban.
Gus Sarno, whose family owns Isgro Pasticceria, 1009 Christian St., is not ready to rework century-old recipes.
"We’ve been in business since 1904," the third-generation owner said. "I’ve been perfecting recipes since ’04 and they come up with this thing that you have to change and make adjustments. I don’t want to tweak my recipes. My recipes are at the stage of being perfect. I won Best of Philly enough times to prove that. What they’re asking me to do now is change things that have made us famous."
Sarno said he understands the reasoning behind the ban, but sees it as unfair considering the average person buys pastries for special occasions and celebrations.
"If somebody comes here and buys cannolis, they buy half a dozen," he said. "It’s not like McDonald’s where kids are coming in and eating french fries every day and it becomes part of their stable diet. Cannolis are not part of a normal person’s diet. [They’re] something you treat yourself with."
Patron George Najm of 21st and Bainbridge streets was hopeful bakeries can find a way to work with the ban.
"I’d like to think they could figure out how to tweak the recipes at bakeries," he said after purchasing an Isgro’s cake for a co-worker’s birthday.
Easier said than done, according to Sarno, who is concerned about the lack of any available product that would keep what patrons have come to expect.
"If I have to sacrifice quality, then I’m going to fight it," he said of the ban.
Meanwhile, Najm said he felt the ban would be beneficial overall.
"From what I understand, statistically we’re one of the most overweight cities in the country and we’re the most overweight nation in the world," he said. "So I think that’s probably a positive step in the right direction."
According to Josh Cohen, spokesman for Councilman-at-Large Juan Ramos who proposed the bill in December, the government is only doing what’s right for its citizens, being just the second city behind New York to pass such a ban.
"We’re most concerned about the health of our residents," he said. "I understand that people have some opposition that the government is overstepping their boundaries, but it’s the government’s role to look after the health of residents and [that’s] the intention of this bill."
Prior to passage, a Jan. 25 hearing gave the public a forum to voice its concerns. Though some restaurant and bakery owners were strongly opposed, Council unanimously passed the bill.
Now, two amendments are pending, Tony Radwanski, spokesman for Council President Anna Verna, said. The first, submitted by Krajewski, proposes some bakeries be exempt because altering certain recipes will not yield the same product.
"She’s not opposed to the whole bill, she just wanted to amend part of it for mom-and-pop bakeries," Kozlowski said. "After the bill passed, individual bakeries reached out to say there was a [caveat]: ‘You didn’t see we’re actually being hurt by it.’
"The ban does not hurt Tastykake or Entenmann’s because they are pre-packaged, but a little corner bake shop, they have to change their recipe and it’s all about consistency. If they have to take out trans fat, the consistency changes, the taste changes and the recipe handed down is thrown out the window."
The second, proposed by Councilwoman-at-Large Blondell Reynolds Brown and Ramos, adds a requirement for all chains to obtain and display nutritional information.
Upon hearing Krajewski’s proposal to let the bakeries continue as is, Sarno said, "God bless her" and made a note to contact the councilwoman.
Radwanski said the ban will be enforced through regular health department inspections and, if found in violation, the fine will be between $150 and $300. During the grace period that runs until Dec. 31 verbal warnings will be given.
"It’s not our goal to fine restaurants, but just to educate people," Radwanski said.
According to Dr. Mathew Mathew, chief of medicine at Mercy Hospital in Southwest Philly, trans fat does more than add pounds.
"It attributes to bad cholesterol. An increase in bad cholesterol causes heart disease, cardiovascular disease and clogged arteries," he said. "Also, cholesterol forms plaque in arteries that when it becomes hardened causes blockage. What happens sometimes is plaque breaks lose where it’s formed — like in the brain for example — and causes a stroke."
The move toward educating and improving quality of life seems to be the main concern, and a push for exemptions — like any diet — is just to provide a little wiggle room.
"With a thing like a bakery you don’t go in every day and get a poundcake," Kozlowski said. "It’s for special occasions."
