Wendy's restaurants drop trans fats from cooking oil

Wendy's International Inc., the third-largest US hamburger chain, switched its 6,000 US restaurants to a healthier cooking oil that doesn't contain any of the trans fats that increase the risk of heart disease.

The new oil, a blend of corn and soybeans, doesn't cost any more and needs no special handling, said Bob Bertini, a spokesman for Wendy's. Breaded chicken sandwiches, nuggets, and strips now have no trans fat, compared with 1.5 grams to 3 grams before the switch, Wendy's said. The amount in french fries drops to between none and 0.5 grams from as much as 7 grams.

The Dublin, Ohio-based company is the first major fast food chain to make the change and has removed trans fats from its buns, croutons, and salad dressings during the last two years, Bertini said. Trans fats are created when liquid oils are made into solid fats, like vegetable shortening or margarine.

``We tested the oil extensively," Bertini said. ``We've served millions of servings, and our customers cannot discern the difference" in taste.

The company's shares have risen 13 percent this year.

Coronary heart disease kills more than 500,000 people a year, according to the Food & Drug Administration.