More than a baker’s dozen of bakery owners showed up to this month’s Albany County Legislature meeting Monday, May 11, to express concerns about a ban on trans fats from restaurants and bakeries that is scheduled to take effect on July 1.
Trans fats have been criticized for containing high levels of LDL, also known as bad cholesterol and also lowering HDL, known as the `good cholesterol.` It has also been blamed as a factor in the rise of obesity in America.
In August, the County Legislature passed the law, introduced by Majority Leader Frank Commisso, D-Albany, to ban trans fats in the county in two phases. The first phase involved taking trans fats out of oils, shortening and margarine used in cooking beginning Jan. 1. The second phase, scheduled to take effect July 1, involves eliminating trans fats from all baked goods.
Now, Minority Leader Christine Benedict, R-Colonie, has introduced a resolution that would amend Commisso’s law, excluding bakeries from the trans fat ban. This resolution was the topic of a public hearing session at Monday’s meeting. Benedict said she hopes to have her amendment passed before the ban takes effect July 1.
In preparation for the ban, Rachel Dott, owner of Coccadotts bake shop, located at 1179 Central Ave., said she has been experimenting for more than five months with alternatives to trans fats, and her products do not come out the same. She said that ultimately, if not amended, the ban will cause her to lose business.
`It’s just frustrating to know that a few people control my destiny,` Dott said before the legislature meeting.
She said she would have to compete with grocery stores that sell products with trans fats, as well as compete with bakeries in other counties that do not have trans fats bans.
Dott said she tried several alternatives, but nothing holds her pastries together as well as trans fats.
`Baking is so much different than cooking,` she said. `I’m not baking a chicken. [Baking] is a science.`
Dott urged lawmakers to reconsider the ban for bakeries and how it will affect small businesses throughout the county.
Speaking in favor of the ban was Gail Sokol, author of `About Professional Baking` and an adjunct professor and culinary instructor at Schenectady County Community College.
Sokol said that trans fats products are commonly used in baking and cooking because they are cheaper to use and have a longer shelf life than alternatives.
Sokol has supported the ban since it was first discussed in the legislature.
`New York City has started it, and as far as the state, I think Albany is trying to follow suit,` she said. `A lot of chefs have already made the switchover.`
Dott argued that chefs and bakers are very different, and Sokol might not understand the specific need for trans fats in bakeries.
`She’s a chef, she is not a baker, and a baker is not a chef,` Dott said. `It amazes me that she even gets up there and she talks when she’s a chef ` she cooks chicken, she cooks beef.`
After the meeting, Dott said she thought it went well, although she was hoping that the legislators would have voted to stop the ban for bakeries that night.
`I know that they were ready to vote on it last night, which I think it would really have went in our favor,` she said.
But the legislators decided to move the resolution to the law committee before taking a final vote.
`Now I’m a little disappointed because who knows what could happen behind closed doors,` Dott said.
Dott said she would continue her fight until the amendment is voted on. She said she plans to set up meetings with every legislator to tell them of the `trans trouble` they will cause her business if the ban is put into effect for bakeries.
For more on this story, check back at www.spotlightnews.com, or read the Wednesday, May 13 print edition of the Colonie Spotlight.
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