Here comes the most touted super omega-3 cooking oil-Algal potential is finally tapped!

Cooking oil is one of the most essential food components without which humans probably may find it difficult to balance their diets. As fats and oils are dense calories foods yielding almost double the energy compared to carbohydrates and proteins, the other two bulk components of foods, they provide about 30% of total calories in a diet both as visible as well as invisible components. Aside from its health value fats like plant oils, butter and butter oil and animal derived fats provide a rich taste to the foods we eat whether due to frying, baking or cooking. World wide there is supposed to be a shortage of edible oils and country like India depends heavily on imported oils, most of them being palm oil and soy oil. Added to the scarcity, rich and affluent countries divert a significant portion of edible supplies for biodiesel in automobiles. Whether it is due to faulty agricultural policies or lack of incentives to farmers, production of oil seed crops is either stagnating or declining in India. Against this background comes the welcome news that tapping a non-conventional source is proving to be successful. This source is the humble algae which yields excellent yield of an oil rich in Omega-3 acids, considered a vital fatty substance required by human body. Commercialization of the process for growing algae in huge quantities and extraction of oil for processing into a bland oil with no accompanying flavor can be expected to be a reality soon. Read further below:.  

"AlgaWise ultra omega-9 fatty acid oils are more than 90% monounsaturated fats and less than 4% saturated fat. An alternative to oils with high levels of saturated fat, they provide shelf-life stability and culinary performance while having a high smoke point ,according to the two companies. AlgaWise high stability algae oils are more than 87% monounsaturated fatty acids and 2% polyunsaturated fat. They offer oxidative stability and a neutral flavor while having 0 grams of trans fat per serving, according to the two companies. They have been shown to work in industrial frying, spraying/coating, pan spraying and blending. The oils have been shown to allow food manufacturers to remove added preservatives in such foods as dressings and mayonnaise and to remove partially hydrogenated vegetable oils completely. The AlgaWise algae butter should become available to the U.S. market in 2016. Its composition and functionality mirror structuring fats such as shea stearin, according to the two companies. The algae butter has a high proportion of stearic-oleic-stearic triglycerides (about 70%). It offers a reliable, scalable and sustainable supply for confectionery products, according to the two companies, while it also may be used in baked foods, spreads and other applications. "Bunge is a leading global agribusiness and food company and has been a strong long-term partner who shares our vision," said Jonathan Wolfson, c.e.o. of South San Francisco-based Solazyme. "Not only do they have fantastic capabilities, but they also understand the value of both our ingredients and our underlying technology platform. We are very happy to be deepening and expanding the partnership to include Bunge's global food sales, marketing, and applications strength and presence. This will further enable our algae-based food ingredients to bring great benefits to people and our planet."

The manufacturers of algal oil expect the product to be in the market next year but not yet sure whether consumers will readily accept it. Probably the first customers would be health freaks who might fall for the health tag on this product. Eventually if the cost falls significantly and algal oil can be offered at prices comparable to plant oils like corn oil, soy oil, rapeseed oil, coconut oil, groundnut oil etc ordinary consumers may be tempted to use this incenttive to switch over to algal oil.In a country like India it is very doubtful if this oil will be accepted unless there is a significant price advantage like Palm oil. A possible way of making an inroad into Indian market could be through blended oils containing different proportion of algal oil using base oils like groundnut oil or palm oil.

V.H.POTTY
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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
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WHAT IS A JUNK FOOD? NO ONE KNOWS!

Can there be a more ridiculous situation than what had happened in the Supreme Court some time back when GOI was quizzed regarding the prevalence of selling junk foods near the school premises? In stead of explaining to the court that the term junk food is an anachronism because all foods provide some calories or nutrients if they are edible. In stead the FSSAI, representing GOI informed the court that it is going to lay standards of safety for the so called "junk foods". Also FSSAI tried to prevaricate on the issue by diverting the attention of the court by fulminating against trans fatty acids which are supposed to be in all junk foods! It is a pity that in stead of agreeing to ban all unhealthy foods in or near educational institutions, this responsibility was shifted to the states most of which have lowest priority for matters connected with consumer safety. HRD Ministry which controls policies related to education must have pitched in by agreeing to bring out guidelines for foods that could be sold to children near the school. Here is a report on this case which was carried by major news agencies recently. 

"Most of the junk foods have high quantity of trans-fatty acids and is low in minerals, vitamins and other essential food nutrients. And, said to be a major reason for obesity among children in schools in cities such as Delhi and Mumbai. The ministry told the court that the authority has constituted a scientific panel to prescribe standards for fatty acid residues, poisonous metals and microbiological parameters in food items including those considered junk food. Once the new standards are prescribed, the ministry has said that its enforcement will be responsibility of the respective state governments. Such (state government) authorities are required to collect samples of food and take action on the findings of the tests reports based on safety parameters and standards prescribed by the authority, the ministry reply to the court said. The food safety law provides the power to the state governments to impose a fine on those selling sub-standard food not adhering to the standards. Despite that action against adulterated or sub-standard has not been of desirable levels. On the bigger question raised in the Public Interest Litigation of Rahul Verma regarding imposing a ban on junk food in schools and educational institutions, the ministry said it was an administrative decision to be taken by respective educational institutions. The ban cannot be imposed under the food safety and standard act of 2006, the ministry said".

While reporting on the Supreme Court proceedings, no one seems to have been bothered by thousands of push carts operating near every school in this country selling cut fruits, ice candy, local sweets etc under most insanitary condition. Why FSSAI chose to highlight dangers of trans fats could have been to exhibit its technical prowess vis-a-vis food safety to the court! Probably it is time stern action is taken against school management if such unhygienic foods are allowed to be sold to students in their schools. Cut fruits are by far the most dangerous source of infectious food borne pathogens and the tender body system of the children is more vulnerable to infections by consuming these fruits and other similar risky food products. Parents also have an obligation towards their wards and the practice of giving hefty pocket money to school going kids spawns many undesirable activities in and near the school.

V.H.POTTY
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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
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TRANS FAT REDUCTION IN FOODS-MANDATORY ACTION IN THE OFFING

Late realization that trans fats that may be present in foods can pose serious health problems led to mandatory declaration of its concentration in the nutritional labels of packed foods in many countries including India. How ever no upper limits were evolved though voluntary reduction targets were proposed. One of the major culprits that is responsible for elevated levels of trans fats in processed foods is hydrogenated fats used by the frying and bakery industries to obtain longer shelf life for the end products. Why there is no ban on the manufacture of hydrogenated fats, known in India as Vanaspati is not known. Probably production of solid fats through technologies other than hydrogenation may be responsible for not banning Vanaspati. Fractionation and inter-esterification processes can yield solid fats acceptable to the food industry, not containing any trans fats. Canadian health authorities seem to be impatient with the food industry there because a significant segment of the industry has not complied with the voluntary reduction targets agreed earlier and are contemplating imposing mandatory limits for trans fats in foods.

"Trans fats occur naturally in some foods but are also manufactured and added to many baked and fried foods to maintain the smell and taste characteristics of the product, and prolong its shelf life. High amounts of trans fats are known to cause certain health risks including an increased chance of cardiovascular disease and in 2006, L'Abbe's group issued a report setting trans fat reduction targets. The federal government accepted the recommendations and in 2007 asked the food industry to limit the trans fat content of vegetable oils and soft margarines to two per cent of the total fat content and in other foods, limit the trans fat content to five per cent of the total fat content. The federal government said the food industry would have two years to phase in the targets and after that, Health Canada would make the reduction targets mandatory. Those two years were up in June 2009, yet there are still no mandatory regulations. Health Canada has monitored the food industry's progress in reducing trans fats and in its final report, in December 2009, it said many food manufacturers and restaurants have successfully met the targets, but there are still some sectors that have failed to achieve them, as L'Abbe noted. According to the report, some bakery products, desserts and cookies remain high in trans fat. Previously the food industry could have argued that trans fats were required to maintain the "functional properties" of their product, but the report said now there are plenty of alternative ingredients available".

It is not realized that government regulations are always unpalatable, fraught with logistical difficulties and inconveniences for the industry and if the voluntary reduction targets were met government would not have to step in to enforce the limits. Now that mandatory limits are going to be imposed, those not complying with them will have very little time to develop alternative fats suitable for maintaining their product characteristics and quality. Already bakery products are loaded with saturated fats, sugar and high calories and there is every justification for the safety agencies to intervene in the interests of the consumer, viz making the products less obesogenic and unhealthy.

V.H.POTTY
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"TRANS FATS" IN FOODS-INDUSTRY ON THE "DOCK"

Use of hydrogenated fats (PHO) by the food processing industry, especially the bakery industry, continues unabated in spite of massive evidence generated during the last few years on the effect of trans fats present in PHO, often exceeding 45%. Recent reports even suggest that those already suffering from coronary heart disease may have much higher chance of sudden cardiac death if PHO containing foods are consumed. A country like Canada where the industry offered voluntary cuts in PHO use in various products two years ago, stiff mandatory regulations are likely to be enforced after the failure of the industry to keep to its promise.

"High trans-fat intake has been linked to coronary heart disease, in which fatty plaques build up in the heart arteries, sometimes leading to a heart attack. But whether trans fats raise a person's risk of dying suddenly from cardiac arrest has not been clear. Sudden cardiac death is usually caused by rhythm disturbances in the heart's upper chambers that render the organ incapable of pumping blood to the rest of the body. Some research suggests that trans fats could promote heart-rhythm abnormalities, but there is only limited evidence that they raise the odds of sudden cardiac death. In the new study, researchers found that among nearly 87,000 U.S. women followed for 26 years, trans fat intake was not linked to the risk of sudden cardiac death across the whole study group. However, when they looked only at women who had underlying coronary heart disease, there was evidence of an increased risk. In this group, women who ate the most trans fats -- typically getting 2.5 percent of their daily calories from the fats -- were three times more likely to die of cardiac arrest than those who ate the least -- getting less than 1 percent of daily calories in the form of trans fat. Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq says the government's voluntary approach to get some food companies and restaurants to reduce the amount of trans fats in their products has failed — laying the ground work for possible regulations to limit the artery-clogging ingredient in everything from cookies to french fries. Final results from Health Canada's two-year voluntary program are in, and the numbers show many processed foods and restaurant dishes are still stacked with trans fats, Aglukkaq admitted. She singled out bakery products, doughnuts, cookies and desserts that "remain high in trans fat," as well as small- and medium-sized food service operators that "face challenges in controlling" trans fat levels in their menu items".

If trans fats are confirmed to be harmful, why no one is taking the preventive action to ban the manufacture and selling of PHO is not clear. Could it be because PHO has other non-food uses that prevents such an approach? It is high time that there is a global agreement on this vexatious issue with out much loss of time and precious lives.

V.H.POTTY

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TRANS FATS-NEED FOR A BAN ON MANUFACTURE

With increasing realization that trans fats are more dangerous than saturated long chain fats in the every day diet, serious consideration is being given by many countries to put in place a statutory ban on its presence in foods. While consumers can find relief in such measures, how such blanket ban can be enforced, especially in many developing countries where there are weak safety monitoring regimes, is a relevant issue. In India itself there is a ban on use of animal fats in processed foods but no one really knows whether food products are really free from this fat ingredient. Trans fats are artifacts generated during catalytic hydrogenation process for modifying the plasticity of the fat and food industry, especially the bakery and confectionery sectors, is in deep love with hydrogenated fat as its use gives an end product of unparalleled eating quality. Of course there can be alternate technologies available to day for plasticizing fat that include interesterification, fractionation etc and such fats can play the same role as hydrogenated fat.

"The news is based on a series of recommendations from the UK Faculty of Public Health, which is concerned about the potentially harmful effects of the manufactured fats. The chemically modified fats, found in biscuits, margarine and ready meals, have been linked to coronary heart disease and increases in cholesterol. The proposal has been made as part of a series of recommendations designed to improved UK health over the next decade. The call to completely remove trans fats from the British diet echoes bans in Denmark and parts of the US and Canada".

It is time licenses for operation of hydrogenation plants are canceled and the production of hydrogenated fats is completely banned in all the countries, in stead of leaving it to individual countries to do it. Palm oil, mostly originating from Asia is an ideal source from which plastic fats can be made by selective fractionation and the resulting product must be acceptable to the bakery and confectionery industries. The unjustified boycott call of Palm oil and products derived from it by some multinational food processors under the guise of agricultural sustainability must be fought by the Asian countries collectively and palm oil based plastic fats offer the best solution to the problem of trans fats in the diet.

V.H.POTTY
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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

SOYBEAN OIL WITH FRY STABILITY-BUT IT IS FROM GM SEEDS!

Soybean oil is never considered a good frying oil, especially for repeated frying use, because of its tendency to oxidize and polymerize which often produces stickiness and fish odor in the end product. The claim by the GM seeds giant, Monsanto Chemicals that it has developed a special soybean seed that can yield oil with "superior" cooking quality, deserves some scrutiny. According to the developer of this line of soy, the oil extracted is more "stable", can "withstand" higher temperature, needs no "hydrogenation" contains "less saturated" fat and zero "trans fats". It is also contended that the oil from the new seed is more "healthy"

"Vistive III is a win for farmers, food producers and consumers," said Jerry Hjelle, vice president of regulatory for Monsanto. "This provides a glimpse into the next-generation of biotech products that can bring direct health benefits to consumers. We also expect farmers to benefit from the premium pricing opportunity the market is likely to offer for the oil once it's commercialized. And food producers should benefit from a more stable and more healthful soybean oil to use in its food products"

What is amusing in these claims is that soy oil is already known to be an healthy oil about which there are no disputes. Also trans fats are produced generally during hydrogenation and no native oil has been blamed on this account, making the claim of zero trans fats ring hollow. How the oil becomes more stable in spite of higher content of unsaturated fats is also a mystery. Probably the developer may have to reveal the scientific basis for these claims before industry and the consumer can "swallow" them

V.H.POTTY
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INTAKE OF TRANSFATS-VOLUNTARY EFFORTS

Trans fats which are generated as an artifact in food processing can be a serious health hazard if not controlled by the industry. Use of hydrogenated fat by the industry, especially in bakery products, has been found responsible for the presence of trans fats in many processed foods. Trans fat is implicated in some of the modern life style health disorders like coronary heart disease and realization of this has prompted the food safety authorities to make it mandatory to declare quantitatively the extent of its presence on the label of food products.

"In a report published on Friday, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has shown that intake of trans fatty acids (TFAs) from manufactured sources has declined in the Australian and New Zealand population by 25-40% since 2007. The report has been welcomed by the Australian Food and Grocery Council and has convinced health ministers that regulation is not required at this point in time. FSANZ Chief Scientist Dr Paul Brent said this means that total intake of TFAs is now estimated to be 0.5% to 0.6% of total dietary energy, which is well below the WHO goal of 1%".

What is striking is that reduced intake of trans fats amongst the populations in these two countries has been achieved purely because of voluntary efforts without any compulsion from the concerned regulatory authorities. Probably other countries can also follow the example set by the food industries there and improve their image as a socially responsible sector caring for the consumer!.

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