Email to Food Standards Agency - labelling of trans fatty acids (TFAs).
The following are letters between myself and the FSA regarding the labelling of trans fats. Dated: 21/11/2006
Dear Julie,
I have become concerned with our inability to legislate and create
awareness for the general public on issues like the prevalence of trans
fats in the UK food chain. This has been linked in scientific research to
an increase in CHD, cancer, diabetes and lung disorders for over 20 years.
In Denmark trans fats have been banned for several years, in the USA it is
a legal requirement to label trans fats on all products over a certain
level, and they are now trialling a ban on trans fats in the New York area.
I still find it amazing that we have not provided a legal requirement for
our labels to highlight these very harmful, man-made, damaging fats. Has
there been any move forward on this? Is it likely to happen in the future?
Surely our government cannot keep ignoring the overwhelming evidence
against trans fats. I would appreciate any information you may have on
this.
Thank you for all you do in trying to improve awareness and fight for truth
in labelling.
regards
Ben Pratt
And this was their response:15/12/2006
Dear Mr Pratt
Thank you for your email of 21st November 2006, regarding the labelling of
trans fatty acids (TFAs).
In the UK, nutrition labelling of foods is voluntary unless a nutrition
claim, such as 'low fat', is made about the food. The manner of presenting
nutrition information, whether declared voluntarily or mandatory if a claim
is made, is defined in the Food labelling Regulations 1996 (as amended) (SI
1499), Schedule 7. Please note that these nutrition labelling guidelines
only apply to pre-packed food.
Our national rules on nutrition labelling implement European Union
legislation (Council Directive 90/496/EEC). Companies can use a short
version (the ‘Big four’), which details the amounts of energy, protein,
carbohydrate and fat in a product, or a longer version (the ‘Big four +
little four’). The longer version gives details of the energy, protein,
carbohydrate, sugars, fat, saturates, fibre and sodium in the foodstuff.
The Agency recommends that the longer version should be given on all
pre-packaged foods. Additional nutrients (such as trans fats) only need to
be included in the nutrition panel if a claim is made about them.
TFAs is the term given to a form of unsaturated fat produced when liquid
vegetable oils are turned into solid fats through the process of partial
hydrogenation. They are also naturally found at low levels in dairy
products, beef and lamb, and in some liquid oils.
The Government’s current advice to consumers is to reduce levels of
saturated fat in the diet and to limit consumption of the types of foods
that contain TFAs from hydrogenated vegetable oil sources (such as biscuits
and cakes, fast food, pastry and some margarines).
With regard to the Agency's position on the labelling of trans fats, I can
confirm that we are currently pressing for revision of the European
directive that governs the content and format of nutrition labels on foods
marketed in the United Kingdom and other European countries, so that these
fats are labelled. We believe that addition of the content of trans fatty
acids to nutrition labels would help consumers to make healthier food
choices.
With regards to the labelling of hydrogenated oils/fats specifically, food
labelling rules require that if the oil/fat has been hydrogenated, it
should be labelled as such, and the absence of this should indicate that
the oil/fat has not undergone that treatment.
I hope this information is helpful.
Kind regards,
Julie Lucas
Nutrition Division Branch E
Food Standards Agency
Board recommends voluntary approach for trans fats
Thursday 13 December 2007
The Agency’s Board is to recommend to UK health ministers that voluntary measures to reduce trans fats in food have resulted in such low consumer intakes that mandatory restrictions are not necessary. The decision was made by the Agency’s Board at its open meeting today.
The FSA was asked by the Health Secretary in October 2007 to undertake a review of trans fats in light of action that has been taken in Denmark and New York City to impose mandatory restrictions on these types of fats.
A review of the evidence showed that voluntary action by the UK food industry has already delivered consumer benefits equivalent to the most restrictive legislation. As a consequence, average dietary intakes in the UK have come down to just 1% of food energy – half of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition’s (SACN) recommended maximum intake. SACN recommends that the average trans fat intake should not exceed 2% of food energy.
Summary:
Although the FSA have stated that trans fatty acid levels have reduced to less that 1% of population they have not revealed how they have come to this conclusion. FSA sponsored surveysconcluded in 2002 have shown levels of trans fats to be below 1.3% and 1.9% across males and females respectively. This does not agree with the figure of below 1%. Have they reviewed the manufacturers products and ingredients used or have they taken a large population sample and requested self reported food diaries? Both are likely to be unreliable sources of information. In my experience of working with many clients and students alike trans fatty acids still compose a significant part of the diet in many people and there are plenty of products still sold in supermarkets with hydrogenated oils and trans fats in them. Voluntary codes are just not sufficient.
