BAN TRANS FATS-THE NEW UNIVERSAL MANTRA!.

Realization that trans fats in foods eaten every day can be a major source of health hazard among consumers all over the world is driving many countries to come up with policies that will address this problem. Such policies vary from outright ban on the production of hydrogenated fats to prescribe maximum limits in processed foods. Declaration of trans fat content in package foods on the label which is becoming mandatory in most countries is considered to be one of most significant steps taken consciously in many countries giving an opportunity to the consumer to shun those products containing unacceptable levels of trans fats. Here is a critique on this issue which is pitchforked into international attention with WHO actively trying to evolve effective policies and programs to help its member countries.

Shauna Downs, lead author and researcher at the university's Menzies Centre for Health Policy said trans fats policies in Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea and the USA over the last two decades had proved effective in removing trans fats from the food supply. She said the study's findings were particularly relevant for low- and middle-income countries where such measures have been identified as a 'best-buy' policy for health - one that is expected to provide a high return on investment in terms of health gains."We found, for example, that a national ban in Denmark virtually eliminated trans fats from the food supply, while local bans in Canada and the USA were successful in removing trans fats from fried foods," Downs said. While some of the government policies we studied imposed voluntary self-regulation and others took mandatory measures, such as labelling, local and national bans on trans fats proved to be the most effective policies for removing trans fats. "Our findings show that these policies are not only feasible and achievable - they are also likely to improve public health." Trans fats - also known as trans fatty acids - are naturally found in dairy and meat products but are also generated by industrial processes to produce hard fats from vegetable oils. The industrially produced trans fats are also known as partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Consumption of trans fats is associated with an increased risk of non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease, as well as stroke and diabetes. These partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are, however, widely used in the food industry and fast food outlets because they are cheap, have a long shelf life, are semisolid at room temperature - which makes them easier to use in baked products, and can withstand repeated heating. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for the elimination of trans fats from the global food supply in response to the rise in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases and has identified it as a 'best-buy' public health intervention for low- and middle-income countries. This proposed policy measure was advocated in the Political Declaration of the High-level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases in September 2011".

Manufacture of hydrogenated fats which are plastic in nature is slowly being faced out because of the tendency to form trans fats from unsaturated fatty acids during catalytic hydrogenation process. Alternate technologies are now available that can make plastic fats so necessary, especially in many baked products, and therefore there must be put in place a universal ban against manufacture of such fats. Against such a backdrop it is not clear why some nations including India are still dilly dallying on banning their production. If trans fats are bad for consumers in rich countries like the US and in Europe who can afford healthy foods why it is acceptable in countries like India where poverty and ill health are rampant? It is the bounden duty of any responsible government to protect its citizens from hazards posed by food industry through coercive measures if that is what it takes to discipline the industry. 

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

OVERCOMING TRANS FAT DILEMMA-BAKERY INDUSTRY HAS NEW OPTION

Use of hydrogenated fats has been an industry standard for a number of years because of the technological necessity to impart the desired texture and other quality features typical of many bakery products. Discovery of trans fats present in such man made food ingredients and their role in causing health disorders, similar to that caused by high levels of saturated fats in the diet, led more stringent regulation of their use in foods. Though their use is not banned, the compulsory label declaration provision in the food laws, made the processors voluntarily cut down their use. Of course like any other issue, the subject matter of trans fats in foods also is a controversial area though there is unanimity regarding the health risks posed by high levels of these optical isomers of desirable unsaturated fatty acids. Some of the products are reported to contain trans fats as high as 30% which definitely poses serious health risks when consumed regularly. It is this factor which is propelling scientists to evolve trans fat free alternatives to hydrogenated fats

"Shortening is generally a semisolid fat for use in food preparations, especially of baked goods; so called because it promotes a 'short' or crumbly texture. Walker his and colleagues explained that shortening is a major ingredient in high-ratio layer cakes; cakes in which there is as much or more sugar than flour in the formula. Shortening performs three basic functions in such cake products: it traps air during the creaming process, coats protein and starch particles, and emulsifies large amounts of liquid. Solid 'plastic' shortenings are the most commonly used type of shortening in the baking industry. However they often contain a high proportion of hydrogenated fats, including trans-fats. Research has highlighted that trans-fats in the diet may increase the risk of coronary heart disease, by raising the levels of LDL cholesterol and lowering the levels of HDL cholesterol. Walker and his co-workers explained that 'liquid' cake shortenings function much like solid shortenings in baking systems, but they offer the user certain advantages, including having a healthier fat profile".

"The authors explained that as industry moves away from the use of trans-fats in its formulations, it is important to look at the properties of replacement ingredients, in order to achieve the most effective yet healthy profile. "Many companies began to use the relatively inexpensive palm oil instead of hydrogenated soybean oil to make zero-trans fat shortenings. Ironically, the high levels of saturated fatty acids in palm oil result in the same cardiovascular problems as do trans-fats," said the authors, led by Dr Chuck Walker from the department of grain science & industry at Kansas State University, USA. "For baking companies, a liquid oil plus an emulsifier combination blend would be easy to handle and they could combine different emulsifiers as their requirements change," they added. However, the authors conceded that investment in equipment, and a skilled staff to prepare such shortenings would be required".

Since animal fats like that present in milk do contain 1-4% trans fats about which nothing much can be done, there is a perception that the diet normally consumed should have less than 1%. As the bakery industry needs technically suitable fat ingredients that will ensure high eating quality in their products, innovative attempts to mimic the action of plastic fats are being made and use of emulsifiers with liquid oils seems to be giving satisfactory results as indicated by the above finding. Probably more research efforts may be required to develop this theme further so that use of high trans fat containing ingredients are eventually phased out.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

WHY THE PALM OIL IS DISCRIMINATED AGAINST? NO RHYME OR REASON!

For the last 5 decades systematic attempts were being made to target Palm oil and label it as unhealthy. Probably the fact that it is the most affordable edible oil in the world is working against this common man's oil and some of the Western countries with their large production base of Canola and Soybean Oil, have a vested interest in this diabolical plot as they find it difficult to face competition from oils coming from Asia like Palm oil and Coconut oil. Though both Palm oil and Coconut oil have been proved conclusively to be safe, the orchestrated charade against them continues unabated. It is unfortunate that a country like Australia with no stake in this controversy has got into the band wagon of Palm oil "haters".

"As per the prediction of a manager with one of the most popular food companies in Australia the food industry will gradually play a key role in phasing out palm oil just like the building industry phased out asbestos. Palm oil is frequently used in the production of snacks, frozen foods and bread spreads since it is a cheap alternative which is very high in saturated fat. It is also disguised as 'vegetable oil' by food companies on labels. Some prominent brands use this oil for their products like Nutella, Kraft peanut butter and chips by Smith's. This oil has recently become a controversial product which is being used in foods because of its high saturated fat content. The palm oil plantations also have several other harmful effects on the environment. The business manager of Dick Smith Foods, Paul Grundy said that his company is among those who have asked this ingredient to be removed from all the spreads after customers have expressed their concern about this ingredient. He said, "Asbestos was used in building materials 50 years ago and today it is not, because they [the manufacturers] recognized the hazards with it. The same happens in food products: ingredients change over time, based upon more a more enlightened view of the world."

It is the height of stupidity and sense of arrogance for a spokesperson of the Australian food industry to compare Palm oil with Asbestos which is banned because of its proven involvement in lung related ailments. What harm Palm oil has done to human beings for it to be compared with Asbestos? One has to only point out the enormous damage done by the Western originated "Hydrogenated Fats" which contained high levels Trans fats considered a major culprit in the rampaging incidences of heart disease being seen all over the world. What right do these antagonists of Palm oil have in condemning it with no scientific evidence? Another excuse to condemn Palm oil is that the producing countries in Asia are denuding the jungles for expanding its cultivation thus causing harm to the environment. Same applies to Brazil also which is cultivating sugar cane in thousands of acres of land after clearing Amazon forest and do the Western countries shun Sugar or Bio-ethanol exported by Brazil? Palm oil producers must counter such discriminatory practices by banning import of soy oil and Canola and products made there from originating in these countries as a "tit for tat" response to the irresponsible campaign against this "innocent" oil.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

BAN ON HYDROGENATED FATS-ALLEGED DESCRIMINATION

It is by now well established that trans fats are not desirable in foods that are consumed regularly as they are implicated in many health disorders afflicting mankind. Though this information was known for many years, no firm action was forthcoming to prevent manufacture of foods containing this dangerous artifact, though some restrictions have been imposed on maximum permissible limits. It goes to the credit of one of the states in the US which has put in place a ban on serving foods containing trans fats effective January 1, 2010. "That's a mighty resolution because California is the first state to stop restaurants from using trans fats as shortening to fry food in because trans fats raise your bad cholesterol, LDL, and lower your good cholesterol, HDL. Trans fats are notorious for the role they play in opening the pathway for hardening of the arteries by inflammation, increasing the number of strokes, angina, and coronary heart disease. Trans fats are those hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils you find in baked goods and other foods". One of the arguments against the ban was that restaurant foods constitute only 25% of the meals consumed by the families, leaving then free to use trans fat containing coking fats at home. There does not seem to be any restriction in place against manufacture or sale of hydrogenated fats in the country. Catalytic hydrogenation of liquid oils at high temperatures generate trans fats and the favorable functional characteristics of these fats make them attractive to many users. Also under question is the leeway shown to bakery industry which is permitted to use hydrogenated fats/shortenings till 2011. Probably non-availability of suitable substitutes to the existing shortenings could have persuaded the law makers to give a longer time to the bakery industry. Solid fractions of Palm oil and Coconut oil and inter esterification of liquid oils do give products similar to bakery shortenings and bakery industry must switch over to these fats in the best interest of their consumers. V.H.POTTY http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/ http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com