On August 17th 2011 the South African government imposed tough new restrictions on the use of trans fats in our foods. This new legislation requires that all foods and food products contain less than 2g of trans fats per 100g of food or food product. The Good Life Dietitians welcome this new legislation which, as most dietitians will agree, is well overdue.
What are trans fats?
Hydrogenation is a process used in the food industry where hydrogen is bubbled through vegetable oil to produce a more stable and solid fat. The result is a trans fat (or trans fatty acid). This chemical alteration causes the oil to harden to a solid and more stable fat, giving the product a longer shelf life. Trans fats are relatively inexpensive to produce, making it ideal for use in the good industry.
Which foods and food products are sources of trans fats?
Trans fats occur naturally in human milk, dairy products, and beef. Naturally occurring trans fats are considered to be less of a health risk then artificially-made trans fats. Sources of trans fats include hard (brick) margarine, shortening (fat used in baking), baked goods such as biscuits, cakes, pastries, and doughnuts, microwave popcorn, and potatoes chips. Trans fats are also found in deep-fried foods like fried chips, fried fish, and fried chicken.
Trans fats and health
Because these fats are artificially made, the long term side effects were never questioned when first introduced into the food industry. It has since been discovered that the addition of hydrogen makes trans fats behave more like a saturated fat, and it is now well accepted that trans fats increase the risk for heart disease. Trans fats remarkably reduce the levels of good HDL cholesterol levels and increase bad LDL cholesterol levels. Trans fats are also linked to cancer (particularly prostate and breast cancers) and diabetes.
What does this new legislation mean for the consumer?
As of August 17th 2011, consumers can be assured that foods purchased at supermarkets, restaurants, and catering companies will not contain more than 2g of trans fat per 100f of product. The new legislation prohibits the sale, manufacture and import of fats and oils containing partially hydrogenated fats and oils (trans fats) in processed food.
It is expected that the food industry will responded to the trans fats restrictions in varying degrees. Some manufacturers may chose to reduce or even remove trans fats completely, while others strove to work on ways to find a substitute for trans fats.
References
Bowman C. High noon for bad trans fats. 3 August 2011. Accessed from http://www.iol.co.za/lifestyle/high-noon-for-bad-trans-fats-1.1111162
Health24, SA declares war on trans fats. 22 August 2011. Accessed from http://www.health24.com/mobile/article.aspx?contentid=64472
Majavu A. Trans-fat restrictions loom. 27 June, 2011. Accessed from http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2011/06/27/trans-fat-restrictions-loom
Woolworths Press Release. October 30th 2007. Woolworths to become first south African retailer to remove hydrogenated vegetable oils from its foods. Accessed from http://www.woolworthsholdings.co.za/media/news/news_display.asp?Id2=243
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