Drive against re-heating of oil in fast food outlets planned

Increase in trans fat content in food causes diseases

The Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department (Food Safety Wing) will shortly undertake a drive against re-heating of used oil in fast food outlets, bakeries and roadside shops.

This practice is being widely used in fast food shops to reduce costs but is very unhealthy, R. Kathiravan, Designated Officer of Food Safety Wing, told The Hindu here on Thursday.

Cholesterol

Re-heating of oil that had already been used resulted in an increase in the trans fats content in food products. This can increase the cholesterol levels in the body, which can result in several major health problems.

Diseases

It can also increase the risk of getting cardiovascular diseases and heart attacks as it can clog the arteries.

Practice

“Unfortunately, this practice is found even in big outlets, which claim that they polish and filter the oil before re-heating to reduce the chemical composition of the product. However, we are not convinced,” he said.

The Food Safety Wing officials would soon begin taking samples from shops that sell food fried in oil.

Samples

The Government Food Safety Laboratory in Coimbatore, one of the six accredited laboratories in the State, is not equipped to test for the presence or levels of trans fats.

However, the officials have decided to get the food samples tested at King’s Institute at Guindy, Chennai.

Dr. Kathiravan warned that if the products used in the shops were found to contain trans fats levels above the permitted norms, cases would be immediately registered against the shop owners under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.