FSSAI calls for elimination of industrially produced trans-fat in food supply

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) launched Friday a media campaign calling for the elimination of industrially produced trans-fat in the food supply.

Named "Heart Attack Rewind", the 30-second public service announcement — the first mass media campaign of its kind — will support FSSAI's global target of eliminating trans-fat in India by 2022, a year ahead of the global target by the World Health Organization, the FSSAI said in a statement.

Globally, trans-fat intake leads to more than 500,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease every year. Trans-fat is made by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid, and to increase the shelf life of foods, the statement said.

"The FSSAI is committed to reducing the industrially produced trans fatty acids to less than 2 per cent by 2022 in a phased manner. This is in line with our objective to get Freedom from ‘Trans Fat: India@75'," Pawan Agarwal, CEO FSSAI, said.

"I am hopeful that this media campaign will educate consumers about the harmful effects and its link to cardiovascular diseases," Agarwal said.

"Heart Attack Rewind' warns citizens about the health hazards of consuming trans-fat and offers strategies to avoid them through healthier alternatives. The campaign was developed by experts at Vital Strategies.

In May 2018, WHO launched a comprehensive plan to eliminate industrially produced trans-fat from the global food supply by 2023.

(With inputs from agencies.)