An official report on the state's trend to ban the use of transgenic oil in food by 2023, in line with the World Health Organization's recently launched strategy, On trans fats (fat acids), require manufacturers of food products containing trans fats to find alternatives to these fats.

Hydrogenated oils (vegetable margarine) are defined as oils that are heated to high levels with the addition of hydrogen to them. They are classified as processed oils. They are used in the manufacture of foods and various foods, as they improve taste, prevent mold and prolong shelf life, but they are harmful to public health.

In an official report issued by the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment, an official report warned of the dangers and harms of the use of hydrogenated oils in food, stressing that they cause the increase of human weight, raise the levels of harmful cholesterol and reduce the levels of cholesterol beneficial, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, Stressing that these oils are more harmful to the health of the heart than saturated fats, which raise the level of harmful cholesterol, while not affect the level of good cholesterol, while hydrogenated oils affect the heart and good cholesterol together, and cause the incidence of diabetes and Alzheimer's.

The report, which was presented to the FNC recently, stated that vegetable oils are considered to be the most important and best sources of fat, but the cost of their use is high in the field of food processing. Therefore, alternatives have emerged in so-called hydrogenated or trans fats, In relatively small quantities in animal products, such as meat, milk and its derivatives, while the second type is industrial, which is the oils of plants subjected to heat, pressure and hydrogen to convert oils from liquid to solid state, which is relied on in the manufacture of foods.

He pointed out that the World Health Organization and the American Heart Association recommended that the amount of saturated fat should not exceed 10%, and trans fats converted to 1% of the total calories consumed per day, meaning that an adult should not exceed 22 grams of saturated fat , And 2.2 grams of trans fat (based on the fact that the diet contains 2,000 calories per day).

The Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment is concerned with food safety, in order to ensure the circulation of healthy and consumer-friendly products and to raise the level of food safety in the country to the best international standards and practices, the report said, pointing out that the ministry has a leading role and responsibility for developing policies, strategies and legislation to ensure food safety.

The report states that in the framework of the State's keenness on raising the level of food safety, Federal Law No. 10 of 2015 on Food Safety and its Implementing Regulations has been promulgated. The law includes several objectives, including ensuring the safety and appropriateness of rolling food, Of the validity of food for human consumption, in addition to protecting consumer health, by removing or reducing all risks associated with food. He said that the ministry is coordinating with the local authorities concerned with food safety and the relevant federal bodies, including the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology Federal Customs cent and the Ministry of Health and Prevention Society and the Ministry of Economy, through the formation of the National Committee for Food Safety since 2010, and the Commission to propose legislation and technical regulations and standards related to food safety functions.

The report summarized the measures taken by the ministry to reduce the damage of fats to the health of the consumer in the country. He pointed out that the issue of trans fats was presented at the committee meetings in 2012. The Ministry of Health and Community Protection was commissioned to prepare a comparative study of international procedures to reduce Of the risk of consumption of trans fats. The results of the study indicate that the state legislation does not require the availability of data on the food card on the proportion of hydrogenated fats, as well as the lack of legislation to reduce the intake of trans fats.

As a result of this study, the Committee recommended in December 2013 that the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA) issue the technical regulations on the requirements of food data on the card. The regulation was updated in 2017 and entered into force on August 1 2017. Place nutritional data on the label of packaged food products and apply to all packaged foods, except for some of the substances listed in the regulation.

Food producers and importers are required to add trans fats in dietary data, including energy, carbohydrates, fats, protein, fiber, vitamins and other minerals, the report said.

"To limit the intake of trans fat, a technical regulation was issued on trans fat (fatty acids) on 23 November 2016, requiring manufacturers of trans fat-containing food products to find alternatives to these fats, to be the maximum content of trans fats in other foods 5% Total Fat Content ».

The report added that from the regulatory aspect of food trade, the Cabinet issued its decision No. (26) for the year 2017 on the executive regulations of Federal Law No. 10 of 2015 regarding food safety. According to these regulations, food is considered harmful to health if it affects the health of the consumer, Either directly or in the near or long term. A penalty of not less than three months' imprisonment and a fine of not less than 100,000 dirhams, not exceeding two million dirhams, or either of these penalties, shall be imposed at any stage of the food chain. It is harmful to health.

The local food control authorities carry out intensive inspections and inspections of imported and imported food. They also conduct periodic field visits to food establishments from factories, restaurants, wholesale and retail stores, commercial markets and others to monitor them to ensure that good hygiene practices are observed. The application of the provisions of the federal law on food safety, its executive regulations, technical regulations and standard specifications, including the matching of food labels to ensure compliance with the writing of trans fats in the nutritional data of the product, Samples were taken it to ensure compliance with the maximum percentages allowed for trans fats in food.

The report stressed that the Ministry has not received any notifications or irregularities related to oils in the food products at the state level, based on the National Food Accreditation and Registration System (ZAD), administered by the Ministry, through which food is registered after ensuring that registration requirements are met, Laboratory analysis required to conform the product to the technical specifications and regulations.

He said that last year the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a global strategy to ban the use of trans-synthetic fats by 2023, as is the practice in some countries such as Denmark. To achieve this goal within the country, The Ministry of Health and Community Protection, the membership of representatives of the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment and local authorities concerned with food control, with a view to adopting and implementing the WHO strategy.

Prevention of harmful food

According to the report of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the ministry enjoys the membership of a number of international and regional organizations concerned with the issuance of food safety legislation, regulations and laws according to the latest scientific studies and research. It is also associated with international and regional food safety and reporting systems, And the Gulf Food Alert System.

He explained that these partnerships allow the Ministry to continuously monitor developments and notifications to prevent the entry of food that is harmful to health, adulterated, misleading and contrary to technical regulations and standards, which is circulated to all authorities concerned with food control.

5 Health risks

- Obesity diseases.

High cholesterol.

- atherosclerosis and heart disease.

Disorders in digestion.

- The incidence of degenerative diseases.

3 Reasons for Hydrogenation of Oils

- Extending the shelf life of products, as hydrogenation acts as a kind of food preservation process.

- Add a more dense texture to foods.

- Provide profit by raising sales and reducing lost quantities.

5 ways to avoid hydrogenated oils

- Familiarity with the types of foods containing hydrogenated oils.

- Reading labels for canned and preserved foods.

- Use healthy vegetable oils for cooking.

- Reduce canned foods.

- Take healthy snacks during working hours.

• "Environment" has not received notifications or irregularities related to oils in food products at the state level.

• "Vegetable margarine" leads to weight gain, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and Alzheimer's.