Oils and fats
Interesterified fat
Definition
What it is
Interesterified fat: trans fat replacement with emerging cardiovascular concerns; disrupts metabolic signaling similarly to trans fats.
On the label
Label names covered by this flag
- interesterified fat
- interesterified
- interesterified oil
Regulation
Regulatory status
No bans or restrictions are recorded for this ingredient in the jurisdictions clearlabel tracks (US, EU, UK, Canada, Japan, Australia/NZ, Brazil).
Explainer
In plain language
Interesterified fat is a vegetable oil that has been chemically or enzymatically rearranged to change its texture and melting point. Manufacturers use it to make solid, spreadable, or shelf-stable fats without the partially hydrogenated oils that create artificial trans fats. It became far more common after trans fat restrictions pushed the industry to find replacements for baking, frying, and spreads.
Assessment
Why it is flagged
Interesterified fats were adopted as a trans-fat alternative, but their health profile is still being studied rather than settled. Some controlled feeding studies, including work published in the late 2000s, observed changes in blood glucose and blood lipids when interesterified fats replaced other fats, raising questions about metabolic effects. Other research has found smaller or inconsistent differences, and major regulators have not restricted interesterified fats the way they restricted artificial trans fats. So the picture is honest but incomplete: these fats avoid the well-documented harms of trans fats, but their own long-term cardiovascular effects remain an open research question. Clear Label flags them so their presence is visible while the evidence continues to develop.
In the aisle
Where it commonly shows up
- Margarines and vegetable spreads
- Shortenings for baking
- Packaged cookies, cakes, and pastries
- Non-dairy creamers
- Some frying fats
- Filled chocolates and confectionery coatings
Practical
Reading the label
Interesterified fat is not always spelled out. It can hide behind phrases like 'fully hydrogenated' oil combined with other oils, or generic terms such as vegetable oil, palm oil, or shortening, since the interesterification step is not always named. Products that once used partially hydrogenated oils are a common place to find it now.
Alternatives
If you want to avoid it
Some people choose spreads and baked goods that list a single named fat, such as butter, olive oil, or coconut oil, rather than blended or modified fats. Products with shorter fat ingredient lists make the type of fat easier to identify.
FAQ
Common questions
Is interesterified fat a trans fat?
No. Interesterified fats were developed specifically to replace partially hydrogenated oils and generally contain little to no artificial trans fat. They are a different kind of modified fat.
Are interesterified fats regulated like trans fats?
No. Regulators including the FDA acted to remove artificial trans fats from the food supply, but interesterified fats remain permitted. Their long-term effects are still being studied.
Why are they used so widely now?
They give fats a solid or spreadable texture and long shelf life without partially hydrogenated oils, which made them a convenient replacement after trans fat rules tightened.
Citations
Sources
Citation
Primary reference
About this page: the definition, label names, severity, and regulatory chips come from the clearlabel ingredient taxonomy, the same data the scanner uses to score products. Research summaries describe associations reported in published studies, not diagnoses; individual responses vary. Scan any product with clearlabel to see which of its ingredients carry flags.