Bakeries, sweet shops, restaurants can now sport ‘Trans Fat Free’ logo

Food safety regulator FSSAI working on bringing down trans fat content to 2% by 2022

Bakeries, sweet shops, restaurants besides packaged food companies will now be allowed to use “Trans Fat Free” logo at their outlets and on their products, if they comply with the norms notified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The regulator had last year notified the Advertisement and Claims regulations, which states that nutritional claim of trans fat free can only be made if products contain less than 0.2 gm trans fat per 100 gm or 100 ml of food.

In a letter sent out to food safety commissioners and food business operators earlier this week, the food safety authority said, “Food establishments like bakeries, sweet shops and other food outlets are encouraged to use healthier fat or oil options, to reduce the trans fat content in the foods.”

“The food establishments which use trans-fat free fats/oils and do not have industrial trans-fat more than 0.2 gms per 100 gm of the food, in compliance with the regulation on Claims and Advertisements, 2018 can display ‘Trans Fat Free’ logo in their outlets and on their food products,” it added.

Since last year FSSAI has been pushing the industry to bring down the trans-fatty acids in Vanaspati, edible bakery shortenings, margarine in a phased manner. The trans fat content in fats and oils has already been limited to 5 per cent. The regulator is working on further reducing the content to 3 per cent by 2021 and 2 per cent by 2022. “The regulation is also being extended to food products having fats and oils,” FSSAI said.

This commitment was made after the World Health Organisation called for the elimination of industrially-produced trans fat from the food supply by 2023. Many countries around the world, such as Denmark, Chile, Norway, Singapore and South Africa already limit trans-fat in all foods to 2 per cent.

According to FSSAI regulations, the maximum permissible limits for Total Polar Compounds (TPC) have been set at 25 per cent, beyond which the cooking oil is unsafe for consumption.

Stating that the logo is voluntary, FSSAI also stressed in its letter that it will be the responsibility of Food Business Operators to comply with the requirements as specified in its regulations, in cases, “wherein a claim to this effect is made.” The regulator has also released the specifications of the logo.