nutrient
Trans fat
Trans fatty acids have at least one double bond in the trans configuration.
Educational draft · Human scientific and editorial review pending. About review status
They can occur naturally in some animal foods and can form during industrial processing; the source and amount matter.
Food sources
Per 100 g| Food | Per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Beef ribeye, raw | 0.97 g |
| Ground beef, 90% lean and 10% fat | 0.48 g |
| Roasted beef tenderloin | 0.36 g |
| Cottage cheese, 2% fat | 0.07 g |
| Low-fat milk, 1% and fortified | 0.04 g |
Show 7 more foods
| Food | Per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Almonds, dry-roasted and salted | 0.03 g |
| Braised chicken drumstick | 0.03 g |
| Hummus, commercial | 0.02 g |
| Braised chicken breast | 0.01 g |
| Chicken breast, raw | <0.01 g |
| Greek yogurt, plain nonfat | <0.01 g |
| Light tuna, canned in water, drained | <0.01 g |
About these amounts
These values describe the named food and preparation. A 100 g comparison is not a suggested serving. Small amounts are rounded for display; an unreported amount is not zero.
Portions recorded by the source
- Roasted beef tenderloin: 1 roast (462 g) — 1.66 g.
- Cottage cheese, 2% fat: 1 cup (220 g) — 0.15 g.
- Low-fat milk, 1% and fortified: 1 cup (246 g) — 0.09 g.
- Almonds, dry-roasted and salted: 1 cup (135 g) — 0.04 g.
- Braised chicken drumstick: 1 drumstick (104 g) — 0.03 g.
- Hummus, commercial: 2 tablespoon (33.9 g) — <0.01 g.
- Braised chicken breast: 1 piece (174 g) — 0.02 g.
- Greek yogurt, plain nonfat: 1 container (156 g) — <0.01 g.
- Light tuna, canned in water, drained: 1 can (142 g) — <0.01 g.
The source records and EFSA guidance are linked in References below.
How it works
A bond geometry
The “trans” description refers to the geometry around a carbon–carbon double bond. It is distinct from the total amount of fat and from cis-unsaturated fatty acids.
Related topics
Total fat includes Trans fat
Total fat is a compositional category that can include trans fatty acids.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: European Food Safety Authority: Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for fats, including saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, and cholesterol
Worth knowing
EFSA wording. EFSA concludes that trans-fatty-acid intake should be as low as possible within the context of an adequate diet.
It has natural and industrial sources. Trans fatty acids can occur in ruminant products and can form during some industrial processing.
A closer look
Source and processing differ
Naturally occurring and industrially formed trans fatty acids arise from different food sources and processing pathways.
Processing changes the isomer mix
Industrial processing and ruminant digestion can produce different trans-fatty-acid isomers, so source and composition matter together.
References
Source-checked local draft.
Human editorial review pending.
- European Food Safety Authority (opens in new tab)Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for fats, including saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, and cholesterolChecked 2026-09-05
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (opens in new tab)FoodData Central Foundation Foods, April 2026 JSON releaseChecked 2026-09-05
Take it into the kitchen
Explore this nutrient in simple meals. Recipe pages show estimated amounts and missing data.
Beet cottage cheese potato · 20 min →
Raspberry cottage cheese toast · 8 min →
Broccoli cottage cheese potato · 20 min →
Compare meals by trans fat →