FSSAI Limits Trans Fat Levels in Food

FSSAI capped the limit for trans fat levels in foods.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) slashes the limit for trans fat levels in food.
FASSI has capped the number of trans fatty acids (TFA) in oils and fats to 3% for 2021 and 2% by 2022.
The current permissible limit is 5% and is done through an amendment to the Food Safety and Standards Prohibition and Restriction on Sales Regulations.
The amendment was notified by FSSAI on December 29.
The revised regulations are for edible refined oils, Vanaspati which is partially hydrogenated oils, margarine, bakery shortenings and other cooking mediums like vegetable fat spreads and mixed fat spreads.
Trans Fats are linked with an increased risk of heart attacks and death from coronary heart diseases.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), globally, every year, 5.4 lakh deaths take place due to the intake of industrially-produced trans-fatty acids.
The WHO called for the global elimination of trans fat by 2023.
The FSSAI rule came at the time of pandemic where there was an increase in cardiovascular diseases along with diabetes in COVID-19 patients.
In 2011, India first passed a regulation that set a TFA limit of 10% in oils and fats, and 2015 further reduced it to 5%.

Industrially-produced trans fats are notoriously harmful to health.
Found in almost all processed food, these fats are the major reason for cardiovascular diseases.
Over the years, due to strict regulations from the governments, trans fats usage has been reduced considerably.
Trans fats, in essence, are unsaturated fats.
Though found naturally in meat and milk, natural trans fats do not harm health.
It is the industrially-produced trans fats in the form of Vanaspathi, vegetable oils and others, are harmful to health.
Consuming trans fats significantly increases the concentration of bad cholesterol (LDL) thereby leading to the blockage of coronary arteries and heart stroke.
Though human studies are inconclusive, trans fats can cause insulin resistance and thereby diabetes.
The change of trans fat limits by FSSAI thus augurs well for the health of the residents of the country.