Trans Fat Labeling Information on Brazilian Packaged Foods.

Camila Zancheta Ricardo,Ana Paula Bortoletto Martins,Ana Clara Duran,Laís Amaral Mais,Isabela Mateus Peroseni

doi:10.3390/nu11092130

Camila Zancheta Ricardo, Ana Paula Bortoletto Martins + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11092130

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Abstract

Although the adverse effects of trans fat consumption are well documented, industrially-produced trans fats are still used in a variety of food products. Our objective was to investigate the presence of trans fat information on the nutrition facts panel, in the list of ingredients, and the use of trans fat claims in packaged food and beverages marketed in Brazil. This was a cross-sectional study that used data from packaged food and beverages available in the five supermarket chains with the largest market share in Brazil. Of the 11,434 products that were analyzed, 81.3% did not present a source of trans fats in the list of ingredients. The percentages of products with specific (hydrogenated fats or oils) and unspecific trans fat terms (margarine, vegetable fat, and vegetable cream) in the list of ingredients were 4.1% and 14.6%, respectively. Bakery products, cookies and crackers, candies and desserts, snacks, and convenience foods had the highest percentages of trans fat claims. We also found claims in products with ingredients that are sources of trans fats. In conclusion, trans fat ingredients were found in almost one-fifth of the Brazilian packaged foods. The current Brazilian legislation is not sufficient to inform consumers about the content of trans fats in packaged foods. Along with measures to restrict the use of industrially-produced trans fats, improvements in nutritional labeling are also needed.

Highlights

Trans fats are unsaturated fatty acids with at least one double bond in the trans configuration.They occur naturally at low levels in meat and dairy products from ruminants and are industrially produced by the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils [1]
Most of the Brazilian packaged foods and beverages did not report the presence of trans fats in the list of ingredients or on the nutrition facts panel
15% of food and beverages had at least one ingredient that might be a source of trans fats, but that do not allow for a definitive assessment of their presence

Summary

Introduction

Trans fats are unsaturated fatty acids with at least one double bond in the trans configuration. They occur naturally at low levels in meat and dairy products from ruminants and are industrially produced by the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils [1]. Trans fats are attractive to the food industry because they increase the shelf life of foods and oils and improve taste and texture at a low cost. The adverse health effects of trans fat consumption, the association with increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), are well documented in the literature [1,6,7]. There is a clear relationship between the intake of trans fats and the risk of CHD, ruminant trans fats have no apparent health effects, which is likely due to the low content in the diet of the general population [8]

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