Los Angeles has become the next front in the trans fat war.

Restaurants will be urged to voluntarily phase out trans fats from kitchens over the next 18 months under a plan unveiled by city and county leaders Tuesday, according to an Associated Press report.

Local officals had urged a ban, but it was disallowed by legal advisers and California state law.

The announcement comes one day after McDonald's said it had selected a new trans-fat-free oil.

Spokesman Walt Riker said the oil is currently in more than 1,200 U.S. restaurants after extensive testing, but declined to provide details on timing or locations.

"We can confirm that we've got the right oil," he said in an Associated Press report. "We're phasing it in."

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com