A Comparison of Fat Content in Original Processed Foods and their Low-Fat Alternatives

Abstract

Consumers rely on the Nutrients Facts table (NFt) to gain information on the nutrient profile of the foods they purchase. Presenting precise information on NFts is essential when considering the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) due to high-fat diets. The objective of this study was to gauge the accuracy of “low fat” marketing statements in processed foods in comparison to their brand-matched high fat alternatives. This was done by measuring fat content by solvent extraction in four high and low-fat food pairs from the same brand (Breton crackers, Quaker granola, Lays chips, and Wheat Thins crackers) consisting of three replicates each. We hypothesized that if a food is labelled as “low fat,” then it should contain less fat content than the original band-matched product following solvent extraction. The original Lays chips (p = 0.007), Quaker granola (p = 0.027), and Wheat Thins (p = 0.013) had significantly higher fat content than their low-fat labelled counterparts. We found no significant difference in fat content in the Breton cracker pair (p = 0.136). While the results seen in the Lays, Quaker, and Wheat Thins may reflect the accuracy of the products’ NFts and marketing labels, the lack of significance in the Breton crackers may be due to a low fat extraction efficiency.