Taco Bell to switch to trans fat-free oil

You don’t need to change the world, you just need to make it national news.

Taco Bell Corporation has announced that they will convert all of its more single brand U.S. restaurants to a new zero grams trans fat canola oil for frying by April 2007.

The transition has already started in more than 100 of the chain's single brand restaurants such as Taco Bell. At multi-brand restaurants, such as KFC/Taco Bell locations, the restaurants will switch in order to ensure the same flavor profile across menu items, Taco Bell said in a release.

The switch to zero grams trans fat development efforts began more than two years ago with consumer taste tests to preserve Taco Bell signature flavors. Taco Bell currently 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, the company said in a release.

Taco Bell said it called upon Dow AgroSciences to develop the zero grams trans fat frying oil, which will be supplied by Bunge Oils.

Irvine-based Taco Bell is a subsidary of Louisville, Ky.-based Yum! Brands Inc.(NYSE: YUM).