Free from PHO

CVS Pharmacy said it is the first national retail pharmacy chain to remove partially hydrogenated oils (PHO) from all of its store brands food products. The Woonsocket, R.I.-based retail pharmacy said it now offers over 600 own-brand snack and grocery options that are free from PHO, the primary source of artificial trans fats in processed foods.

CVS, the retail division of CVS Health with over 9,700 locations, said the move comes 18 months ahead of the Food and Drug Administration's deadline of June 2018 for processed foods to be reformulated without artificial trans fats, which the retailer said underscores its ongoing commitment to customers’ health. In a press release, CVS cited that the removal of artificial trans fats in processed foods is expected to aid in reducing coronary heart disease and help prevent thousands of fatal heart attacks every year. Effective since the start of January, all snack and grocery store brands products developed by CVS Pharmacy are free from artificial trans fats.

"We applaud CVS Pharmacy for working proactively to remove artificial trans fats from its store brands products well in advance of the federal deadline," said Dr. Eduardo Sanchez, chief medical officer for prevention at the American Heart Association in a press release issued by CVS. "The early removal of trans fats in all CVS Pharmacy store brands products will help to improve overall heart health and prevent heart disease for many Americans."

“Our commitment to producing high-quality products reinforces that CVS Pharmacy is a leading health destination,” said Judy Sansone, senior vice president of front store business and chief merchant for CVS Health.