After the U.S Food and Drug Administration announced the ban of the artificial trans fats normally found in some fried and processed foods, Australian experts decide to follow suit by planning to ban the “unhealthy” trans fats in the country.
Chief executive Michael Moore of the Public Health Association of Australia said that Australian should not, in any way, be subjected to the fats which are believed to increase the bad cholesterol level of the blood. High cholesterol is known to cause obesity.
“Trans fats have not been as big a problem in Australia as the US, as the industry moved reasonably quickly to withdraw them,” he told Sydney Morning Herald. “But from our perspective that's even more reason to move to ban them, to stop those [companies] that haven't done the right thing”.
He also mentioned that health-conscious Australians should take note that their total consumption of saturated fat damages their heart’s health and that their overall consumption of fat and sugar causes them to increase their normal weight.
Artificial trans fats are created when fats and oils are processed thereby altering their chemical composition. While they naturally occur in some dairy and meat products, they are usually found in processed foods as vegetable oils that have been treated with hydrogen. This process is designed to enhance texture, prolong shelf life, and strengthen flavors.
The U.S FDA declared that in general, trans fats are not recognized as a safe ingredient for food. Likewise, food producers would need permission first before they can use them.
If the move becomes formally adopted at the peak of the consultation period, it would mean that food manufacturers will no longer be able to sell foods that have “partially hydrogenated oils” with trans fats without getting approval beforehand from the federal agency.
Dr. Rob Grenfell of the Heart Foundation believes that the government should start with mandatory labeling first while working on the new regulation as it will not be easy to implement it.
“Mandatory labelling would be the first step and would be the easiest action to take at this stage,” he told Sydney Morning Herald.
“We believe consumers should be aware of what they are eating and this transparency will help push manufacturers to change to healthier oils and manufacturing processes.
