Trans Fat Regulations, Sri Lanka (Effective Jan 1, 2024)
What you need to know
In an effort to promote healthier eating habits, the Food (Trans-Fat) Regulations, 2022, will come into effect on January 1, 2024.
What are Trans-Fats?
Trans-fats are a type of unsaturated fat that are either naturally occurring or artificially created. Naturally occurring trans-fats are found in small amounts in animal products like meat and dairy. Artificial trans-fats, also known as trans fatty acids, are created in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid. These artificial trans-fats are often used in processed foods because they improve taste, texture, and shelf life.
Why are Trans-Fats unhealthy?
Trans-fats are considered unhealthy due to their negative impact on heart health. They raise levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol while lowering HDL (good) cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Additionally, trans-fats are linked to inflammation, a key factor in the development of heart disease, and may contribute to insulin resistance, which increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Due to these health risks, many health organizations recommend minimizing trans-fat intake.
What foods are high in Trans-Fats?
- Margarine (Hard): 15–20%
- Shortening: 10–15%
- Fried Fast Foods (like fries, fried chicken): 5–10%
- Bakery Products (like pastries, cakes, pie crusts): 2–5%
- Snack Foods (like microwave popcorn, chips): 3–8%
- Frozen Pizza: 2–4%
- Non-Dairy Creamers: 1–2%
- Packaged Cookies and Crackers: 2–5%
Trans-Fat Labeling on Packaged Foods
If you’re buying packaged food like cookies, chips, or frozen meals, check the label. Manufacturers must now declare the amount of trans-fat per 100 grams or 100 milliliters on the packaging.
E.g. If a packet of cookies contains 3 grams of trans-fat per 100 grams, this information must be clearly stated on the label.
Exception for Exported Food Products
Foods manufactured exclusively for export are exempt from these regulations. So, if a product is made in your country but shipped elsewhere, it doesn’t need to follow these rules.
E.g. A local company producing snacks solely for sale in a foreign market doesn’t need to label trans-fat content as per these regulations.
Restrictions on Retail and Wholesale of High Trans-Fat Foods
Foods intended for direct consumption cannot have more than 2% trans-fat (excluding naturally occurring trans-fats in animal fat).
E.g. A supermarket can’t sell a brand of margarine that has 3% industrial trans-fat.
Supplier Responsibility
Suppliers providing ingredients to food manufacturers must inform them if the trans-fat content exceeds 2% of the total fat (excluding natural trans-fats from animal sources).
E.g. A company supplying oil to a bakery must inform the bakery if the oil has more than 2% industrial trans-fat.
Ban on Partially Hydrogenated Oils (PHOs)
The manufacture, import, transport, distribution, sale, and use of partially hydrogenated oils are prohibited. These oils are a major source of industrial trans-fats.
E.g. A restaurant cannot use partially hydrogenated vegetable oil for frying.
Exceptions for Naturally Occurring Trans-Fats
Foods with naturally occurring trans-fat (like in dairy or meat) that have an iodine value greater than 4 are not considered to contain PHOs, unless they are further hydrogenated.
E.g. Cheese, which naturally contains trans-fat, is not affected by this rule unless it’s artificially hydrogenated.
These new regulations aim to reduce the consumption of artificial trans-fats, which are linked to health issues like heart disease. By understanding these rules, consumers can make healthier choices, and businesses can adapt to provide safer food products.
Appendix: Regulations from Extraordinary Gazette
1. These regulations may be cited as the Food (Trans — Fat) Regulations, 2022 and shall come into operation on January 01, 2024.
2. A person shall not sell, offer for sale, expose or keep for sale or advertise for sale, any packaged food product containing trans-fat unless the total amount of trans-fat of such food product as per 100g or 100ml of the food product is declared on the label of such packaged food product.
3. These regulations shall not apply in respect of food products manufactured exclusively for the purpose of export.
4. A person shall not engage in retail sale or wholesale of any food product intended to be used by a final consumer, which the content of trans-fat, other than tran-fat naturally occurring in fat of animal origin, exceeds two percent of the total fat contained in the food.
5. Any person engaged in the business of supplying as ingredients, food products, to manufacturers of other food products, intended to be used by final consumers, shall provide information to such manufacturer on the amount of trans-fat other than naturally occurring trans-fat of animal origin, where such amount exceeds two percent of the total fat contained in the food.
6. A person shall not manufacture, import, transport, distribute, store, sell, offer for sale, expose or keep for sale, advertise for sale any partially hydrogenated oils.
7. A person shall not use partially hydrogenated oils in the preparation of food or as an ingredient in food products:
Provided however, any food or food ingredient with naturally occurring trans-fat having Iodine value greater than 4, shall not be considered to contain partially hydrogenated oils unless it is hydrogenated and not completely or near completely saturated.
8. In these regulations -
- “Final consumer” means a person who uses or consumes finished food products;
- “naturally occurring trans-fat” means trans-fat naturally occurring in fat of animal origin;
- “partially hydrogenated oils (PHO)” means fats and oils that have been hydrogenated and not completely or near
- completely saturated and have an Iodine Value (IV) of greater than 4;
- “trans-fat” means a form of unsaturated fat and includes-
- (a) trans-fat naturally occurring in fat of animal origin;
- (b) trans-fat other than trans-fat referred to in paragraph (a)
