Target's Archer Farms brand goes trans-fat free

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Target Corp is cutting out trans fats in its Archer Farms private label foods, the company said on Friday, joining a trend by food companies to remove the artery-clogging fat that has been part of foods such as chips and cakes.

The discount retailer said the Archer farms portfolio, which includes more than 2,000 items and is sold exclusively at Target's stores, will be the first national store brand to eliminate added trans fats from its entire product line.

In the past several years, U.S. food companies and restaurants have scrambled to remove trans fats -- which are formed when liquid oils are made into solid fats such as shortening -- amid pressure from governments and consumers.

Last year, the city of New York enacted a ban on the use of artificial trans fats at restaurants.

Target shares closed down $1.60, or 3.1 percent, at $49.95 on Friday on the New York Stock Exchange.

(Reporting by Brad Dorfman; Editing by Andre Grenon)