Jan 4, 2021
As per the World Health Organisation, approximately 5.4 lakh deaths take place each year globally because of intake of Trans fatty acids. In view of this the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has slashed the amount of trans fatty acids (TFA) in oils and fats to 3% for 2021 and 2% by 2022 from the current permissible limit of 5% through an amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations. It was in 2011 that India first passed a regulation that set a TFA limit of 10% in oils and fats, which was further reduced to 5% in 2015.
The regulator has notified the amendment on December 29, more then a year after it issued a draft on the subject for consultation with stakeholders. The revised regulation applies to edible refined oils, vanaspati (partially hydrogenated oils), margarine, bakery shortenings, and other mediums of cooking such as vegetable fat spreads and mixed fat spreads.
The FSSAI rule comes at the time of a pandemic where the burden of non-communicable diseases has risen. Cardiovascular diseases along with diabetes are proving fatal for COVID-19 patients. Many experts want that the regulation must not be restricted to oils and fats, but must apply to all foods.
Trans-fats are associated with an increased risk of heart attacks and death from coronary heart disease. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 5.4 lakh deaths take place each year globally because of the intake of industrially-produced trans-fatty acids. The WHO has also called for the global elimination of trans-fats by 2023.
“While the regulation comes into effect immediately, industry players were made to take a pledge back in 2018 that they would comply with WHO’s call for action to reduce TFA by 3% by 2021 allowing them three years to comply with the latest regulation.