Trans fats

                      
hydrogenation of vegetable oil converts liquid oil into semisolid fats.In this process, PUFA 6 and PUFA 3 are converted to trans fatty acids.The common name for this trans fat is Margarine.

During the second World War there was a shortage of butter and hence the need for a butter substitute which will have the same taste and texture like butter. Since margarine is made from vegetable oils it does not have cholesterol.

Butter is made from animal fat and hence it will have cholesterol (300 mg/100g) Butter has amazing taste which margarine does not have. Food prepared in margarine has a long shelf life, but without the aroma and taste of butter.

Margarine, Vanaspati are called as Trans fats.

Foods high in Trans fats
Cakes
Biscuits
pasties
Cheese spreads
Burgers
Balushahi
Nan katai

These foods are very popular and available all over the world.
It is estimated that an average American eats 3 kg. of trans fat in one year.

The risk:

There is evidence from scientific studies that trans fats promote the development of heart attacks, stroke and diabetes.
There is a growing awareness worldwide about the dangers of trans fats

Legal status;

Denmark was the first country to ban trans fats which was followed by countries like Chile,Norway,South Africa, Austria,and Hungary

Thailand will be free of trans fats within one year.

U.S. FDA has ordered that trans fat to be eliminated from food processing after a 3 year grace period from June 2015 and be implemented by June 2018

WHO introduced a six step guideline to eliminate industrially produced trans fat from global food supply

KFC has stopped the use of trans fats in their outlets in U.S. and Canada.

Burger king has decided to stop the use of trans fats 

McDonald also will comply with FDA guidelines 

India plans to be free of trans fats by 2022

Trans fats all over will be substituted with Palm oil and there will be a big boost to palm oil industry

Packaging labels:


If the label indicates 
trans Fat 0g then it is safe to use











Many products have trans fats, but they do not use that word. They use the following words:

Hydrogenated vegetable fats
Partially hydrogenated

Margarine
Vanaspati

 All these labels mean trans fat. The common man does not know that trans fats are actually hydrogenated fats