Taco Bell® To Switch To Zero Grams Trans Fat Canola Oil

Irvine, CA - Taco Bell Corp. (Taco Bell) announced recently that it will convert all of its more than 4,200 single brand US restaurants to a new zero grams trans fat canola oil for frying from a partially hydrogenated soybean oil. Development efforts began more than two years ago with extensive consumer taste tests to preserve Taco Bell's signature flavors, and the transition to zero grams trans fat canola oil is already complete in more than 100 restaurants. All Taco Bell® restaurants are expected to be transitioned to zero grams trans fat frying oil by April 2007, nationwide.

Taco Bell already offers several menu items that contain zero grams of trans fat, including Gordita Baja® - Chicken, Gordita Baja® - Steak and Gordita Supreme® - Chicken. After converting to canola oil, Taco Bell expects more than 15 menu items will contain zero grams of trans fat, including the signature Beef Crunchy Taco and Taco Supreme®, as well as Chalupa Baja (Beef, Chicken, and Steak), Chalupa Supreme (Chicken and Steak), Chicken Ranchero Soft Taco, Cinnamon Twists, Gordita Supreme® - Steak, Grilled Steak Soft Taco and Spicy Chicken Taco.

Taco Bell called upon Dow AgroSciences to develop the zero grams trans frying oil, and arrived at, naturally stable canola oil. The oil will be supplied by Bunge Oils.

"Our switch to canola oil is the latest example of our efforts to offer our customers more foods with less trans fat, while maintaining the same great tastes only found at Taco Bell," said Warren Widicus, Chief Food Innovation Officer, Taco Bell Corp. "In 2003, we introduced ‘Fresco Style,' which replaces cheese and cream-based sauce with a freshly prepared Fiesta Salsa. Fresco Style lowers both fat and calories, offering 15 items with less than 10 grams of total fat."

To ensure the same flavor profile across menu items at multibrand restaurants, such as KFC/Taco Bell locations, these restaurants will switch their frying oil to the same zero grams trans fat frying oil that KFC is in the process of changing to.

SOURCE: Taco Bell Corp.