# Ban the Oreos! Full Speed Ahead! **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 13, 2003, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958 "2003-05-13T14:29:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/1 "2003-05-13T14:29:25Z")
A… very unusual case. I have some suspicians it was started more for the shock and awe value than any actual merits. Well, that and the publicity applications. [http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030512/ap\_on\_fe\_st/oreo\_suit\_1](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030512/ap_on_fe_st/oreo_suit_1) I’m trying to form an opinion on this, but I can’t help but smile when I think about it. Its hard to form a serious and solid legal idea while giggling. Nevertheless… 1. I don’t see exactly what is illegal about not labelling trans-fats. Thus far it seems the FDA has not absolutely decided to do so. 2. Even if other people have reduced T-Fat, it doesn’t mean that Nabisco must. 3. Hi Opal! 4. I _really_ don’t get the idea that people “don’t know” that cookies aren’t healthy. I mean, the filer said that people do know fast food ain’t good, but then says that they somehow ignored all the cream filling! Consistancy may be the vice of small minds, but I’ll take at least a little of it… ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/2 "2003-05-13T14:37:53Z")
The FDA is trying to. there is just wrangling over the exact wording of the label. Pepsico has already begun work in their test ktichens to come up with new recipes for Doritos etc. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/3 "2003-05-13T14:39:02Z")
i think that t-fats _are_ on their way out. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/4 "2003-05-13T15:53:57Z")
I agree **SimonX**. I, however, think this litigation stinks even worse than those who tried (are still trying?) to sue McDonalds for making them fat. CNN’s American Morning was poking fun at the lawsuit, as should everyone. However, just in case this weasel is successful, I’m stocking up on Oreo’s now; I’m going to corner the black market. You know where to look when you need your fix. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/5 "2003-05-13T15:58:36Z")
The odd thing here is that the suing atty’s have already lost the biggest bargaining chip they had. It would seem to me that Nabisco would be willing to pay a lot of money to avoid having this story be on everyone’s minds for 15 minutes. Now that the story is out, they have no reason to play nice. ---
**Author:** ![Summertime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Summertime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Summertime)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/6 "2003-05-13T16:57:27Z")
Big Brother is creeping up on us. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/7 "2003-05-13T17:01:23Z")
Get over it **summertime**. This isn’t about big Brotyher. there’s real evidence that tfats are nasty for you. there’s no good reason to keep 'em except that they have a better shelf life than non-hydrogenated fats. If anything it can be seen as a victory of the little guy. i know that i haven’t commented much on the lawsuit. sorry ---
**Author:** ![Summertime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Summertime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Summertime)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/8 "2003-05-13T17:05:21Z")
sigh 😛 ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/9 "2003-05-13T17:10:21Z")
"…suit focuses on the fact that trans fats are hidden dangers being marketed to children. " Tough to market something if it’s hidden. And what of polysorbate 80, huh? What of locust beans? ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/10 "2003-05-13T17:15:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*"…suit focuses on the fact that trans fats are hidden dangers being marketed to children. " > > Tough to market something if it’s hidden. > > And what of polysorbate 80, huh? What of locust beans? \*\* Hey, get your own lawsuit. ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/11 "2003-05-13T19:47:10Z")
What are these things called Oreos? Seriously…how much do you need to eat to get hurt? I probably eat a hand full once a year, if even that. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/12 "2003-05-13T19:57:25Z")
There’s not safe dosage for tfats. the potential damage is related to heart disease and cancer type of chronic, terminal conditions. Hydrogenated oils aren’t limited to Oreos though. They are pretty common in many foods. Most snack foods do contain hydrogenated oils though. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/13 "2003-05-13T21:16:06Z")
Pheh, Transfats are just another dietary boogeyman. Same thing was said about cholestrol. Spare me from the scare tactics. Having seen the pictures of this lawyer, it looks like he’d be the first in an Oreo house shooting up the shortening. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/14 "2003-05-13T22:52:24Z")
I shall protest by buying oreos, ripping them in half, devouring the creamy middle, and then eating the two chocolate halves. The way Oreos were meant to be eaten! ---
**Author:** ![InquisitiveIdiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3ec8ea/32.png) [@InquisitiveIdiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InquisitiveIdiot)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/15 "2003-05-13T23:02:02Z")
[off topic] odd thing: I used to be one of those people who twisted off one cookie first. Then I realized oreos tasted so much creamier when dipped in milk. Now, all I want to do is twist one cookie off, scrape the cream off the other with a fork, then dip the cream in milk and eat it. I guess that means trans-fats are addictive as well as deadly. [/off topic] ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/16 "2003-05-14T04:58:22Z")
Apparently the lawsuit must be based on the plaintiff’s inability to twist an Oreo properly, eat the creamy middle first and save the cookie outsides for last. If he can’t do it, no one else should be allowed to do it. I hope the case is thrown out by a judge who thinks one’s just desserts belongs to all of us, including our own decision on what we eat. BTW, when I was in Australia, Oreos sold in Oz where made in India (Indonesia?). I bought one package and never finished it. ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/17 "2003-05-14T06:15:06Z")
If they outlaw Oreos, only criminals will have Oreos. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/18 "2003-05-14T07:33:04Z")
Since trans-fats are in like 90% of snack foods, legally speaking, how can oreos be singled out? ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/19 "2003-05-14T07:47:12Z")
I think, **SenorBeef** it’s because that cream filling is basically nothing but a trnas-fat with sugar and color added. ---
**Author:** ![musicguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@musicguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/musicguy)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958/20 "2003-05-14T08:27:28Z")
I read once that the only difference between the cream in oreos and the cream in twinkies was that oreos filling used sugar and twinkies filling used corn syrup. If that is the case, will twinkies be next? Damn this lawyer all to hell. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-the-oreos-full-speed-ahead/174958.md?page=2)