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17/01/21 17:13 PM IST

New caps on trans fats

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Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) reduced the permissible limit of trans fatty acids (TFA) in oils and fats to 3% for 2021 and 2% by 2022, against the earlier cap of 5%.

Highlights
  • The decision was effected by an amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations.
  • The new rules apply to edible refined oils, vanaspati (partially hydrogenated oils), margarine, bakery shortenings, and other cooking media like vegetable fat spreads and mixed fat spreads.
  • All natural fats and oils are a combination of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids or trans fatty acids.
What is trans fat?
  • All natural fats and oils are a combination of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids or trans fatty acids.
  • Our body needs the first two categories of ‘healthy’ fats as apart from being a major source of energy, they help absorb some vitamins and minerals and build cell membranes and the sheaths surrounding nerves.
  • These fats are free-flowing, unlike saturated fatty acids or trans fats, which are considered harmful as they clog arteries and result in hypertension, heart attacks, and other cardiovascular issues.
There are two broad types of trans fats found in foods
  • Naturally-occurring and artificial trans fats. Artificial trans fats, which are considered harmful, are created in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid, increase their shelf life, and for use as an adulterant as they are cheap.
  • They are present in baked and fried foods as well as adulterated ghee, which becomes solid at room temperature.
  • Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally, causing over 1.8 crore deaths every year.
  • The WHO estimates that over 5 lakh people with cardiovascular issues die globally every year due to the consumption of industrially produced TFAs.
  • As per FSSAI, about 77,000 deaths take place annually in India due to TFAs.
Way forward
  • Civil society organisations in India are pushing for a cap of 3% for 2021 and 2% for 2022 to be imposed not just on trans fats in oils and fats, but in “all” foods.
  • According to those engaging with the government on the subject, a regulation for this is likely soon.
  • But a bigger challenge will be implementation, which is a State subject.
  • The FSSAI will need to pursue local governments to improve surveillance, inspection of food premises, sampling of food products, regular training of officers, upgradation of food labs, etc., which are also among concerns raised by a Parliamentary panel on the regulator’s ineffectiveness.
Source: The Hindu

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