| RD Poll |
Thank you for responding to the January RD Poll !
RD Poll winners:
Joan A;"I feel more connected with HMC since the newsletter started. Articles have helped me in my work as I have been able to share info provided with my facilities that has helped me feel more up to date."
Jennifer J; "I love the weekly newsletter, it helps us feel/stay connected in the RD world/HMC since most of us work on our own on a day to day basis" |
|
Food For Thought |
Does your Dietary Department know that HMC carries Holiday and Theme Menus that provide menus & colorful posters to assist them in meal planning for special occasions? Click and print a product brochure for them, or direct them to the HMC site for more information.
 Feel free to send me your menu related questions.
Janet Montano, RD Director of Menu Services |
| Special Event |
 CDA's Public Policy Education Day is Monday March 8 in Sacramento. Go to the CDA website for details. Registration by 2/8/10 is $75.00, includes continental breakfast and lunch; registration after 2/8/10 is $90.00. Among the topics will be RD licensure, and review of the California Business and Professions Code.
|
| Contact the Editor |
 Please send your RDNews comments, suggestions & questions to Judy Morgan, MBA, RD | |
|
| Issue: 5 |
February 3rd, 2010 |
Greetings!
Thank you for opening your issue of RDNews.
 Please join other HMC employees and Wear Red on Friday February 5th. Check out the AHA website or the Wear Red Day flyer for more information.
|
|
Trans Fat Legislation |
February is Heart Health month, so we want to bring you the most up to date information having to do with nutrition and heart disease throughout the month. This week's topic highlights the recent California legislation on trans fats.
Elevated levels of trans fatty acids in the blood have been shown to increase LDL ("bad") cholesterol and lower HDL ("good") cholesterol and subsequently increases the risk of heart disease. Trans fats form when liquid vegetable oils are converted into solids through hydrogenation. Trans fats are  found in fried foods, shortenings, hard margarine, processed cookies, crackers and baked goods and chips, many of which are included in the diets and on the menus of the residents we serve.
Assembly Bill 97 was enacted to add legislation on Trans Fats to the California Health and Safety Code and became effective January 1, 2010. The restrictions on trans fat use affects all of our food facilities and will be enforced under the California Uniform Retail Food Facilities Law (CURFFL, or California Food Code) during routine county health department inspections.
- Every facility shall maintain the label for any food or food additive that includes any fat, oil, or shortening for as long as this food is stored, distributed, served by or used in the preparation of food within the food facility
- No oil, shortening or margarine containing artificial trans fat for use in spreads or frying may be stored, distributed, served by, or used in the preparation of any food within a food facility except for deep frying of yeast dough or cake batter
- Beginning January 1, 2011, fats for use in deep frying yeast dough or cake batter must not contain artificial trans fat
- A food contains artificial trans fat if the food contains vegetable shortening, margarine, or any kind of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil unless the label lists the trans fat content as less than 0.5 grams per serving
- Fines for violation of the law can be $25 to $1000
|
|
RD Tip |
|
The new California law on trans fats applies to all our facilities that prepare or serve food. One of our HMC employees in the field, Audrey Nickel, RD, alerted us to the possibility that margarines still stocked in the facilities may contain trans fat.
During your kitchen inspections, please make sure to:
·Look at the labels of the margarines, shortenings, oils, and other products that are in the pantry and refrigerator/freezers to make sure any old products containing trans fats are discarded 
Check that the facility has the labels available for the oil, margarine and shortening products.
Sysco has removed oil, margarine, and butter products from their inventory that contain trans fats, so our clients should have the appropriate products available from their vendors now.
Click on the AB 97 link to review the law and print to share with your facilities. |
| Dear Dietitian; |
Let me, or Janet Montano, our menu director, know if you find products at your facilities that don't comply with the new law. We can help you and the Dietary Supervisor find alternate products from your grocery vendor.
Have a "Heart Healthy" week;
Judy Morgan, MBA, RD
Corporate Dietitian
RDNews Editor
| |
|
|
|
Registered Dietitian Newsletter
