What is Trans Fat?

24-01-2023

1 min read

Prelims: Science & Technology

Overview:

According to a recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO), five billion people globally are exposed to harmful transfat, which is increasing their heart disease and death risk.

About Trans fat

Trans fat, or trans-fatty acids, are unsaturated fatty acids that come from either natural or industrial sources.
Naturally-occurring transfat comes from ruminants (cows and sheep).
Industrially-produced transfat is formed in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to vegetable oil converting the liquid into a solid, resulting in “partially hydrogenated” oil (PHO).
Partially hydrogenated oils (PHO) are solid at room temperature and prolong the shelf life of products. They are primarily used for deep frying and as an ingredient in baked goods.

What are the Initiatives taken to reduce transfat intake?

National Level: Foods Standards and Safety Authority of India (FSSAI)launched a “Trans Fat-Free” logo for voluntary labelling to promote TFA-free products.
Global Level: World Health Organisation launched a REPLACE campaign in 2018 for global-level elimination of trans-fats in industrially produced edible oils by 2023.

Q1) What is the functional role of Fatty Acid in body?

Fatty acids are energy sources and membrane constituents. They have biological activities that act to influence cell and tissue metabolism, function, and responsiveness to hormonal and other signals.

Source: 5 billion people globally exposed to toxic trans fat linked to heart disease: WHO