SACRAMENTO, July 25 (UPI) -- California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says a bill banning trans fats in restaurant food by 2010 will lead to a "healthier future for California."
"Consuming trans fat is linked to coronary heart disease, and today we are taking a strong step toward creating a healthier future for California," the former body-builder said Friday as he signed the bill in Sacramento.
The measure is the first of its kind in the nation and bans restaurants from cooking with artificial trans fats starting in 2010 and from baked goods the following year.
Trans fats have been popular in the restaurant business due to their long shelf life; however customer sentiment in recent years has had them on the decline, the Los Angeles Times said.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest said in a written statement that it hoped the measure would encourage the federal government to ban trans fats nationwide.
