Trans Fatty Acids: Current Contents in Canadian Foods and Estimated Intake Levels for the Canadian Population

Abstract

Research conducted in the mid-1990s indicated that the levels of Trans fats in Canadian diets were among the highest in the world. The consumption of Trans fats raises blood levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, while reducing levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol. In June 2007, Health Canada called on the food industry to voluntarily reduce levels of Trans fats in vegetable oils and soft (tub)-margarines to <2 of total fat, and in all other foods, to <5. Industry must show satisfactory progress by June 2009, or Health Canada might have to introduce legislation to ensure that recommended limits are achieved. Since 2005, Health Canada has been performing a national assessment of prepackaged and restaurant foods that likely contain Trans fats. From 2005 to 2009, 1120 samples were analyzed, of which 852 or approximately 76 met the recommended Trans fat limits. As a result of reformulation, most of the products had decreased Trans + saturated fat content. The estimated average intake of Trans fatty acids (TFA) in Canada significantly dropped from the high value of 8.4 g/day in the mid-1990s to 3.4 g/day (or 1.4 food energy) in 2008. However, this TFA intake of 1.4 of energy is still above the World Health Organization recommended limit of TFA intake of <1 of energy, which suggests that the Canadian food industry needs to put more effort into reducing the TFA content in its products, especially in tub-margarines, donuts, and bakery products.

Consumption of the trans fats and fats in adult females in urban and rural areas of Ludhiana: a population-based study

“…35 In these studies TFs consumption was higher than 0.491 grams per day median TFs consumption and 28.84 grams per day median fats consumption as reported in our study. 31,[33][34][35] In this study the median fat consumed from snacks in the urban area was 2.12 grams per day, which was marginally higher than 1.59 grams per day in the rural area. In Ghosh et al study, the median fat consumed from snacks with low SES in the urban area was 10.80 grams per day and 1.00 gram per day with low SES in the rural area.…”

“…33 In the 2008 national survey in Canada by 24 hour dietary recall in 10583 females 19 years and above, the mean TFs consumption was 2.870 grams per day. 34 In a 2008-2009 national survey in the UK, by four days dietary recall, it was found that mean TFs intake in 434 women in the UK was 1.600 grams per day in 19-64 years old age group. The mean fats intake in 434 women in the UK was 71.40 grams per day in 19-64 years old age group.…”

What are the trans fatty acids issues in foods after discontinuation of industrially produced trans fats? Ruminant products, vegetable oils, and synthetic supplements

“…In the last few years, however, the use of industrially produced TFAs has dramatically decreased in Switzerland , Austria , Germany , the United States , and Canada . In practically all food products iTFAs showed a decline except for certain foods such as cookies, biscuits, bakery products, cake mixes, shortenings, and frozen foods that still contain high amounts of TFAs in some regions of the world.…”

Trans Fatty Acids: Induction of a Pro‐inflammatory Phenotype in Endothelial Cells

“…Despite recent trends to drastically reduce trans fatty acids from dietary intake in European countries, IP-TFA are readily present in the western diet, particularly in the USA. Trans fatty acid intake in Canada was as high as 8.4 g/person/day in the mid-1990s; however, following the health Canada's 2007 request to voluntarily reduce the quantity of IP-TFA by food manufacturers, the average daily intake dropped to 3.4 g/person/day (1.4 % food energy) in 2008 [4]. Even with the significant reduction, the TFA intake continues to exceed the World Health Organizations recommendations of \1 % of food energy consumption.…”