Industrial trans-fatty acids (iTFAs) like elaidic acid and linoelaidic acid are well established as contributors to cardiovascular disease (CVD), leading to global initiatives to eliminate them from the prevailing food chain. As consumption of industrial trans fats declines, naturally occurring ruminant trans-fatty acids (rTFAs) derived from dairy products have become the predominant source of dietary trans fats in many countries.
Unlike industrial trans fats, the health effects of dairy-derived trans fats remain controversial. Modified dairy products enriched with naturally occurring trans fatty acids provide a unique opportunity to evaluate their cardiometabolic effects while minimizing the influence of the dairy food matrix.
A recent systematic review and meta-analysis published in Nutrition Research evaluated evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and prospective cohort studies. The analysis found no association of naturally occurring dairy trans fats adversely to adverse effects affecting the blood lipids or increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke, or type 2 diabetes, supporting the distinction between dairy-derived and industrial trans fats.
(Source: Gayet-Boyer C, Tenenhaus-Aziza F, Torres-Gonzalez M, Givens DI, Schweitzer C. Trans fatty acids from dairy foods do not affect risk of cardiometabolic diseases: Systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence from randomized controlled trials and systematic review of prospective cohort studies. Nutr Res. 2026;150:33-48. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2026.03.009.)