Analysis of Fat Content with Special Emphasis on Trans Isomers in Frequently Consumed Food Products in Egypt: The First Steps in the Trans Fatty Acid Elimination Roadmap.

Ghada Ismail,Maysaa El Sayed Zaki,Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh,Jana Jabbour,Randa Abo El Naga

doi:10.3390/nu13093087

Abstract

Trans Fatty Acid (TFA) intake is a risk factor for coronary heart diseases and cancer. Egypt, considered among the highest TFA consumers in the world, lacks proper dietary analysis of TFAs. This cross-sectional study aimed to analyze TFAs in traditional and frequently consumed food products. A market survey was conducted to identify products and brands that are mostly consumed in major governorates in Egypt. Laboratory analysis allowed for the profiling of TFAs, and saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Products having more than 2 g of TFA/100 g of fat were considered to have an elevated TFA content. Commonly consumed food items (n = 208) in the Egyptian market were identified. On average, 34% of the products exceeded the TFA limit. Sambosk meat, a traditional meat item, had the highest TFA content of 5.2%, followed by foods fried with used oils. Oriental sweets had a TFA content three times higher than that of doughnuts. The fast-food group had the largest proportion of TFA-rich products, followed by the canned and frozen item groups and confectionaries. This study revealed that around one third of products in the Egyptian market have a high TFA content. This calls for urgent legislative action to regulate composition.

Highlights

Compared to unsaturated fatty acids, Saturated Fatty Acids (SFAs) are associated with increased serum levels of low-density lipoprotein, odds of Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) and incidence of cancer [1,2]
Best-practice Trans Fatty Acid (TFA) policies have been implemented in countries, covering only 8% of the world’s population, where they have been efficient in limiting TFA dietary content and intake [10,12]
The market survey, as outlined below, identified commonly consumed food sources in the Egyptian market that would benefit from a TFA analysis, whereas the dietary assessment phase involved the analysis of food products’ fat profiles and started from the second week of February

Summary

Introduction

Compared to unsaturated fatty acids, Saturated Fatty Acids (SFAs) are associated with increased serum levels of low-density lipoprotein, odds of Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) and incidence of cancer [1,2]. The World Health Organization (WHO) set guidelines to limit TFA intake to 1% of energy intake and identified the elimination of TFA from the global food supply as a health priority in its 2019–2023 agenda [10] To meet this aim, the WHO and Resolve to Save Lives introduced, in 2018, the REPLACE roadmap, a comprehensive scheme to eliminate industrial TFAs. To meet this aim, the WHO and Resolve to Save Lives introduced, in 2018, the REPLACE roadmap, a comprehensive scheme to eliminate industrial TFAs This roadmap recommended an analysis of TFAs in food sources, the substitution of TFAs with unsaturated fats, and the establishment of legislative actions to limit TFA food composition [11]. These best-practice mandatory approaches have been mainly applied in high-income countries [10]

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion