Trans Fat - Types Of Fats, Their Sources, FSSAI Initiative & More

Trans fat, also known as trans-fatty acids (TFAs), is a type of unsaturated fatty acid. It is derived from either natural or industrial sources. Trans fats are generally manufactured through an industrial process. TFAs are one of the major dietary factors linked to Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) mortality.

This topic of ‘Trans Fat’ is important from the perspective of the UPSC IAS Examination, which falls under General Studies Paper 3 (Mains) and General Studies Paper 1 (Preliminary) and particularly in the Science and Technology section – Human Health and Disease.

In this article, we shall discuss trans fat, its sources, types of trans fat, and its source, preventive measures, and adverse effects of trans fat on human health & more in detail to boost your UPSC Exam preparation.

Trans Fat in India: Recent Update

In 2021, The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has already set a 5% limit for trans fats and oils. It will be reduced to

• 3% by 2021 and
• 2% by 2022.

What is Trans Fat?

Trans fat or Trans fatty acids (TFAs) is a type of unsaturated fat that is harmful to the human body. TFAs are mostly manufactured, but a small amount occurs naturally. Thus, these may be present in our diet as Artificial TFAs and/or Natural TFAs.

Trans fat or trans-fatty acids (TFAs) are widely regarded as the worst type of fat to consume. It raises “bad” cholesterol while decreasing “good” cholesterol levels in the human blood.

Types of Trans Fats

Trans fats are classified into two types: naturally occurring and artificial trans fats. Artificial trans fats are synthetic fats created through a chemical process known as hydrogenation.

• Natural Trans Fats – Trans fats are found naturally in a variety of animal products, including milk and meat.
• Artificial Trans Fats – Artificial trans fats are a byproduct of the hydrogenation chemical process, including Vanaspati Ghee, Fried fast foods, and commercial baked goods.

What are the sources of trans fat?

Trans fat, also known as trans-fatty acids, is an unsaturated type of fatty acid derived from both natural and industrial sources.

Natural source

• Produced by biohydrogenation in the stomach of ruminant animals (goats, sheep, cattle, and beef).
• Trans fats can also be found in some meat and dairy products, such as chicken, fish, and butterfat.
• Despite limited evidence, natural trans fats appear to be less harmful than artificial trans fats.

Industrial source

• By hydrogenation of unsaturated oils

Example:

• The primary source of industrially produced trans fat is Partially Hydrogenated Oils (PHO). Including
• Vanaspati Ghee – Vanaspati refers to any refined edible vegetable oil or oils that have been subjected to a hydrogenation process in any form.
• Vanaspati ghee contains a high amount of trans fats, which is neither healthy nor safe.
• Hydrogenated vegetable oils or TFA-containing oils can be preserved longer. They give the food the desired shape and texture.
• Hydrogenation is carried out in reactors at low medium pressure using a catalyst known as a “supported nickel catalyst.”

Structure of Tans Fat

During the hydrogenation process, hydrogen gas is passed through oils (mostly cis-unsaturated fats), and some double bonds are converted into single bonds. Thus, the entire process is known as partial hydrogenation or Hydrogenated Oils (PHO).

Unsaturated fatty acids (a subclass of lipids) generally have cis double bonds, while other unsaturated fatty acids have double bonds, but they are less common.

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Harmful Effects of Trans Fat

Trans fat or Trans fatty acids (TFAs) is considered the most unsafe type of fat for the heart, blood vessels, and the rest of the body. The disadvantages of trans fat are as follows:

• Increase bad LDL (low-density lipoprotein) while decreasing good HDL (High-density lipoprotein).
• High LDL levels combined with low HDL levels can lead to cholesterol blockage (plaque) in human arteries.
• The most dangerous aspect of Trans fat is its ability to distort cell membranes.
• Trans fat raises the risk of heart disease and coronary heart disease death.
• Contribute to insulin resistance.
• Trans fats or TFAs raise the risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Trans fats are harmful to the brain and nervous system.
• Trans fat Promotes abdominal and liver fat deposition.
• It is also linked to an increased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, infertility, pregnancy complications, and certain types of cancer.

Note: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), industrially produced trans fatty acids cause approximately 5.4 lakh deaths worldwide each year.

According to the latest statistics, Indians have a two to three times higher risk of developing heart disease than the rest of the world.

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Global Initiatives Against Trans Fat

Global Initiatives to eliminate trans fat are as follows:

• In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the REPLACE campaign, which aims to eliminate trans fats from industrially produced edible oils globally by 2023.
• In 2003, Denmark became the first country to eliminate 2% trans fat from its food supply by passing a law.
• Similarly, the US FDA banned artificial trans fat from its entire food supply in 2015.

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Indian Initiatives Against Trans Fat

Fssai Initiative - Trans Fat Free Logo

In 2018, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) launched a “Trans Fat-Free” logo for voluntary labeling to promote trans-fatty acids (TFAs) free products in India.

In 2018, The FSSAI launched a mass media campaign, the ‘Heart-Attack Rewind’ campaign, which aims to eliminate “bad cholesterol” from the food supply by 2022.

• India’s goal is to reduce trans fat consumption to less than 2% by 2022.
• “Heart-Attack Rewind” is a follow-up to the previous “Eat-Right” campaign.

RUCO (Repurpose Used Cooking Oil) Initiative

In 2018, To protect consumer health, the FSSAI set a limit for Total Polar Compounds at 25%, above which vegetable oil should not be used.

• During frying, several properties of the oil change, and Total Polar Compounds (TPC) are formed after repeated frying.
• TPC toxicity has been linked to a number of diseases, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and liver disease.
• The FSSAI is implementing an EEE Strategy in order to divert Used Cooking Oil from the food value chain and to stop current illegal practices.
• This will allow used cooking oil to be collected and converted into bio-diesel.

Draft Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2019 

It is a proposed set of regulations by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to address various food safety concerns in India. 

• One of the major focuses of the draft regulations is to reduce the consumption of trans fats in the Indian diet.
• The proposed regulations aim to limit the amount of trans fats in all food products. 
  • It aims to reduce it to 2% or less of the total fat content by January 2022 and 0% by January 2023. 
• The FSSAI has also proposed mandatory labeling of trans fats on food packaging. 
• The labeling will require food manufacturers to list the trans-fat content separately from other types of fats. This will make it easier for consumers to identify products with high levels of trans fats.
• The draft regulations also propose penalties for non-compliance.

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Trans Fat Foods List

The following list of trans fat foods high in trans fat:

Trans fat foods products	Examples
Animal meat products	Poultry & other ruminant animal meat products.
Bakery products	Chips, crackers, cakes, cookies & more.
Packaging food products	Anything fried and battered.
Fried food products	Samosa, Chips, French fries, Deep-fried chicken & fish.
Fast foods	Sandwiches, pitas, hamburgers, fried rice, onion rings, chicken nuggets, tacos, pizza, hot dogs, ice cream & more.

Conclusion

India’s large informal food sectors may pose difficulties because they are difficult to regulate. However, by requiring the oil and fats industry to limit (or prohibit) trans fat content, the oils and fats on the market can help drive change in product formulation in the informal food sector. Furthermore, a trans fat monitoring system with random tests in both the formal and informal sectors, as well as specific penalties, can be established.

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Previous Years UPSC Mains Questions

Q1. Appropriate local community-level healthcare intervention is a prerequisite to achieving ‘Health for All in India. Explain. (UPSC Mains 2018, Social Justice – GS Paper 

Q2. Appropriate local community-level healthcare intervention is a prerequisite to achieving ‘Health for All in India. Explain. (UPSC Mains 2015, Social Justice – GS Paper 

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