To　date,　the　published　information　on　trans　fatty　acids　(TFAs)　in　food　products　in　China　remains　scarce　and　of　questionable　accuracy.　Systematic　approaches　to　educate　the　consumers　and　to　ensure　proper　labeling　of　TFAs　are　among　the　many　urgent　challenges　the　regulatory　agencies　in　this　rapidly　growing　country　have　to　face.　In　the　present　study,　97　most　popular,　national　brand　food　products　on　the　Chinese　market,　including　6　cheeses,　10　chocolates,　10　crisps,　chips,　and　fries,　10　ice　creams,　15　margarines,　10　pies　and　cakes,　8　sauces　and　dressings,　19　wafers　and　biscuits,　and　9　Chinese-style　snacks,　were　assayed　to　profile　their　fat　content　and　fatty　acid　composition,　particularly　the　TFAs.　The　highest　level　of　TFAs,　up　to　30.9%　of　total　fatty　acids,　were　found　in　pies.　The　average　TFAs　contents　in　different　product　categories,　ranging　from　high　to　low,　were:　pie　and　cake　(12.07%),　cheese　(6.95%),　margarine　(5.09%),　wafer　and　biscuit　(4.35%),　ice　cream　(2.67%),　sauce　and　dressing　(2.65%),　crisps,　chips,　and　fries　(2.15%),　chocolate　(1.44%),　and　Chinese-style　snacks　(0.83%).　One　hundred　percent　of　cheese　contained　TFAs,　so　did　pie　and　cake,　followed　by　crisps,　chips,　and　fries　(90%),　sauce　and　dressing　(88%),　ice　cream　and　margarine　(80%),　chocolate　(60%),　wafer　and　biscuit　(53%),　then　Chinese-style　snacks　(33%).　Profiling　of　key　TFAs　constituents　could　yield　information　characteristic　to　the　types　of　partially　hydrogenated　oils　employed,　which　is　a　critical　step　towards　product　reformulation　in　order　to　reduce　or　eliminate　TFAs　in　the　products.　©　2008　Institute　of　Food　Technologists®.