Experts hail FSSAI's cap on trans-fat intake move

New Delhi: Hailing the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) decision to limit trans-fat in oils and fats, experts have said that it's a first step by FSSAI towards fulfilling its commitments made in 2018 to reduce trans-fats in both edible oils and in all foods.

Commenting on the decision, Vandana Shah, who is regional director South Asia Programs at Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said, "India joins the growing number of countries, including Brazil and Turkey, who are taking steps to follow the WHO's call to eliminate industrially-produced trans-fat from their food supply by 2023."

"FSSAI's leadership and initiative to make India TFA Free could become a model for other countries in the region to better protect their citizens from this toxic ingredient," Shah said.

Hailing the regulatory move of FSSAI, Ashim Sanyal of Consumer VOICE said, "India has achieved a lifesaving milestone with FSSAI regulating trans-fats to 3 per cent now and 2 per cent by 2022 in oils and fats."

Notably, consumption of trans-fats is linked with increased risk of heart diseases. According to 2017 estimates, India has one of the highest-burden of heart disease deaths due to high trans-fat intake out of all countries in the world.