AMERICAN doughnut giant Krispy Kreme eradicated the most dangerous form of fat from its products about a year ago - yet the company's Australian operations still use the ingredient because of a lack of regulation by local food authorities.

As more countries move towards a total ban on artificial trans fatty acids, Australian consumers are still unaware of the levels of the harmful substance in their processed food because labelling laws do not require trans fats to be identified.

The oils, which add taste and texture and extend the shelf life of many processed foods, clog arteries, cause heart disease and are linked to breast cancer, Alzheimer's disease and liver dysfunction.