FSSAI may issue order to reduce trans-fat in food items by 2022

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is planning to come out with a regulation to reduce trans-fat content in food products having fats or oils to 2 per cent by 2022.

 It currently allows trans-fat content in fats and oils to 5 per cent. The notification to further reduce to 3 per cent by 2021 and 2 per cent by 2022 is still in the process.

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"Food safety is one aspect, but eating healthy and sustainable food is a priority. We are coming out with regulations to decrease trans-fat in foods and oils to 2 per cent by 2022," said Arun Singhal, CEO, FSSAI.

The food safety executive shared this in a virtual event organised by industry body Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on the 4th anniversary of the CII-HUL Initiative on Food Safety Sciences (CHIFSS).

Asserting that trans-fat is a "serious issue", Singhal added that the industry should come forward for collaboration with the FSSAI to find ways to bring down the trans-fat content in foods and oils.

Currently, bakeries, sweet shops and other food business operators can voluntarily display 'trans-fat-free' logos on food products and in their outlets.

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Speaking on the occasion, FSSAI Chairperson Rita Teaotia lauded food businesses for being responsive in these times of extraordinary public health emergency due to COVID-19.

"In many developed countries, every aspect of production, processing, distribution and retailing, street vending and consumption of food systems can be and is comprehensively regulated. Therefore, designing a food safety out there is simpler, and all the stakeholders find it feasible to implement. In a nation like ours, where size, volumes and diversity of stakeholders are enormous, we need to contextualize the food safety risk management design," added the Chairperson.