Starbucks Coffee Company (Nasdaq:SBUX) today announces that by the end of 2007, Starbucks will eliminate the use of artificial trans fats in food and beverages in all stores in the continental U.S., Alaska and Canada.

“No longer using artificial trans fats in products sold in our stores allows us to take out ingredients like partially hydrogenated oils that have no health benefit, while retaining high quality and great tasting natural ingredients,” said Denny Marie Post, svp of Global Food and Beverage for Starbucks. “Customers will always have a wide variety of choices at Starbucks to fit their needs and what they desire. While some products will have small amounts of naturally occurring trans fats from quality ingredients like butter, every choice will be free of artificial trans fat ingredients.”

“This is a great idea because the scientific evidence indicates that industrial trans fats are more harmful than any other type of fat and can be removed from foods – it’s a win-win situation,” said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DrPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health.

By the end of this year, Starbucks plans to stop using artificial trans fats in food and beverages in all company-operated and licensed stores in the continental U.S., Alaska and Canada. Once we’ve completed this work, every item in these stores – whether it’s a new product introduction or an old favorite – will be made without any artificial trans fat. Work is also underway to begin the removal of artificial trans fats from products in markets outside North America.