While Joe’s Crab Shack has pledged to cut out all trans fats in its restaurants within 90 days, the Center for Science in the Public Interest is keeping a close eye on the restaurant chain’s progress.
“We will be applying more scrutiny to Joe’s Crab Shack over the next several months,” Jeff Cronin, a spokesperson for CSPI, told SeafoodSource. The organization will “see where they are in 90 days and go from there” in terms of considering litigation against Joe’s, Cronin added.
Last week, CSPI revealed the restaurant chain’s Steampots (seafood and vegetable pots) contain 25 grams of trans fats and its Pasta-laya, a shrimp and andouille sausage pasta dish, contains 14 grams of trans fat. However, a statement on Joe’s menu professes: “We use zero trans fat oil.”
“Until the company fixes the problem and switches to a healthier substitute, eat at your own risk — an increased risk of heart disease and premature death,” CSPI Executive Director Michael Jacobson said.
“Most chains of its size have already solved the problem; there is no excuse to be using it. Even Joe’s sister company, Romano’s Macaroni Grill, is free of trans fats,” Cronin said.
In fact, Long John Silver’s transitioned to a trans fat-free menu in about six months, from August 2013, through January 2014, the seafood chain wrote in comments to the Food and Drug Administration.
While Joe’s Crab Shack did not respond to requests for comment from SeafoodSource, Jim Mazany, president of Joe’s Crab Shack said in a statement: “To date, there are zero trans fats in our frying oil system-wide. Some of our restaurants are already fully trans fat-free and, within 90 days, we intend to be completely trans fat-free in all restaurants.”
Cronin does not know whether litigation will be necessary in the case of Joe’s Crab Shack, but said that it has been effective against other chains that were using trans fats. For example, after CSPI sued Kentucky Fried Chicken in 2006, the chain quickly switched to using non trans fat oils in its fryers.
“It’s been a combination of litigation and bad publicity and the important state and local prohibitions on trans fat in restaurant foods [that have been effective],” Cronin said.
