Context:
According to a recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO), five billion people globally are exposed to harmful trans fat, which is increasing their heart disease and death risk.
Relevance:
GS II: Health
Dimensions of the Article:
- About Trans fat
- Initiatives to Reduce Trans Fat Intake:
About Trans fat
- Trans fat, or trans-fatty acids, are unsaturated fatty acids that come from either natural or industrial sources.
- Naturally-occurring trans-fat comes from ruminants (cows and sheep).
- Industrially-produced trans-fat is formed in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to vegetable oil converting the liquid into a solid, resulting in “partially hydrogenated” oil (PHO).
- Partially hydrogenated oils (PHO) are solid at room temperature and prolong the shelf life of products. They are primarily used for deep frying and as an ingredient in baked goods.
- Although trans fats are edible, consuming trans fats has been shown to increase the risk of coronary artery disease in part by raising levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, often termed “bad cholesterol”).
Initiatives to Reduce Trans Fat Intake:
National Level:
- Foods Standards and Safety Authority of India (FSSAI) launched a “Trans Fat-Free” logo for voluntary labeling to promote TFA-free products.
Global Level:
- World Health Organisation launched a REPLACE campaign in 2018 for global-level elimination of trans-fats in industrially produced edible oils by 2023.
-Source: Down to earth
