Global market review of trans fats - with future outlookwhile spreadable oils and fats are...

Global market review of trans fats - with future

outlook

2005 edition

Page i

Global market review of trans fats - with future outlook

by Helen Lewis

May 2005

Published by

Aroq Limited Seneca House

Buntsford Park Road

Bromsgrove

Worcestershire

B60 3DX

United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)1527 573 600

Fax: +44 (0)1527 577 423

Web: www.just-food.com

Registered in England no: 4307068

© 2005 All content copyright Aroq Ltd. All rights reserved.

Page ii

Single-user licence edition

This report is provided for individual use only. If you would like to share this

report with your colleagues, please order additional copies or sign up for a

multi-user licence by contacting.

Rebecca Rice Research manager, just-food.com

Tel: +44 (0)1527 573 605

Fax: +44 (0)1527 577 423

Email: [email protected]

Copyright statement

© 2005 All content copyright Aroq Limited. All rights reserved.

This publication, nor any part of it, may be copied, reproduced, stored in a

retrieval system, or be transmitted in any form by any means electronic,

mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission

of Aroq Limited.

This report is the product of extensive research work. It is protected by

copyright under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Aroq Limited offers a reward of £1,000 for information leading to the successful prosecution for illegal copying of this document.

The authors of Aroq Limited research reports are drawn from a wide range of

professional and academic disciplines. The facts within this report are believed

to be correct at the time of publication but cannot be guaranteed. All

information within this study has been reasonably verified to the author’s and

publisher’s ability, but neither accept responsibility for loss arising from

decisions based on this report.


Page iii

Table of contents

Single-user licence edition............................................................................................................. ii Copyright statement .................................................................................................................. ii

Table of contents ........................................................................................................................... iii

List of tables ................................................................................................................................... vi

just-food.com membership .......................................................................................................... vii

Chapter one - Executive summary ................................................................................................1 Trans fats .................................................................................................................................. 1

Chapter two - Introduction to the trans fats report...................................................................... 3

Chapter three - What are trans fatty acids?.................................................................................. 5 A scientific definition.................................................................................................................. 5 Origins of trans fats ................................................................................................................... 5 A handful of the criticisms facing trans fats............................................................................... 6 All organic food is free from trans fats ...................................................................................... 7 The butter versus margarine debate......................................................................................... 7

Chapter four - Denmark has the strictest trans fats legislation in the world ............................ 9

Chapter five - US analysis ............................................................................................................ 11 The ‘inevitable’ introduction of mandatory labelling ................................................................ 11 The labelling laws.................................................................................................................... 11 Criticisms facing the trans fats regulation ............................................................................... 12 Dietary guidelines and the new food pyramid ......................................................................... 13

Chapter six - Canada is strongly ‘anti-trans fats’ ...................................................................... 15 Educating Canadians about trans fats .................................................................................... 15 What led to the need for a Trans Fats Task Force? ............................................................... 16 Canadian company action: the industry’s response ............................................................... 17

Chapter seven - Other countries sit up and take notice............................................................ 19 Israel may be next in line to tackle trans fats .......................................................................... 19 A CHOICE in Australia?.......................................................................................................... 19 French food standards agency recommends urgent action against trans fats ....................... 22

Chapter eight - The European position....................................................................................... 23

Chapter nine - Concern over TFAs gathers momentum in UK................................................. 25


Retailers’ responsibility ........................................................................................................... 26 Julian Graves .......................................................................................................................... 26

Page iv

Waitrose .................................................................................................................................. 26 Tesco ...................................................................................................................................... 27 The Co-op ............................................................................................................................... 27 Food manufacturers’ involvement in trans fats ....................................................................... 28 Nestlé ...................................................................................................................................... 29 Weetabix ................................................................................................................................. 30 Swedish Glace ........................................................................................................................ 30 Cauldron foods........................................................................................................................ 31 Traidcraft ................................................................................................................................. 31 United Biscuits ........................................................................................................................ 32 Some of the UK food products that still contain trans fatty acids............................................ 32 Horlicks .................................................................................................................................. 32 Ginsters.................................................................................................................................. 33 Müller ..................................................................................................................................... 34 Future for the UK..................................................................................................................... 34

Chapter ten - Company action against trans fats led by North American labelling laws ...... 36 Wilbur ...................................................................................................................................... 37 Jays Potato Chips ................................................................................................................... 37 Kraft......................................................................................................................................... 37 Z-Trim...................................................................................................................................... 38 Cookies forced to revise recipes............................................................................................. 39 Foodservice............................................................................................................................. 39 McDonald’s ............................................................................................................................. 40

Chapter eleven - Alternatives to trans fats ................................................................................. 42 Soybean oil ............................................................................................................................. 42 Tropical oils: palm and coconut .............................................................................................. 43 Associated benefits of using palm oil ...................................................................................... 45 Criticisms of the use of palm oil in the food industry............................................................... 46 Other alternatives to HVO....................................................................................................... 46 Rice bran oil ............................................................................................................................ 46 Animal fat ................................................................................................................................ 47 Smucker’s alternative to its Crisco brand................................................................................ 47 ADM’s NovaLipid..................................................................................................................... 47 Natreon canola and sunflower oils .......................................................................................... 48 NuSun sunflower oil ................................................................................................................ 48

Chapter twelve - Trans fats survey.............................................................................................. 49 Definition of omega 3 .............................................................................................................. 49 Definition of omega 6 .............................................................................................................. 50 Definition of polyunsaturated fats............................................................................................ 50 Definition of monounsaturated fats ......................................................................................... 51 Definition of HDL cholesterol ..................................................................................................51 Definition of LDL cholesterol ................................................................................................... 51 Definition of trans fats ............................................................................................................. 51 Definition of saturated fats ...................................................................................................... 52


Identifying foods that contain trans fats .................................................................................. 52 What are trans fats?................................................................................................................ 55

Page v

Chapter thirteen - Future forecasts and conclusions................................................................ 56 What is it to be: labelling, a ban or self-regulation? ................................................................ 56

Online sources of information ..................................................................................................... 59 Free email newsletters ............................................................................................................ 59 Other research reports ............................................................................................................ 59 Global news and feature articles............................................................................................. 59 Search the web ....................................................................................................................... 59

Your feedback ............................................................................................................................... 60


Page vi

List of tables

Table 1: How many consumers know their good from their bad fats ............................................. 49

Table 2: Identifying the hidden trans fats in foods.......................................................................... 53

Table 3: How many consumers know what trans fats actually are ................................................ 55


Page vii

just-food.com membership

As a 'consumer' of food industry research, just-food.com site membership will

be especially valuable to you. For just £125 a year (approx* $195/€175) you

will gain access to a growing portfolio of exclusive management briefing

reports, and also receive 12 new reports for each year you are a member.

* Exchange rate correct at time of writing, subject to fluctuation.

GBP price correct at time of writing.

These reports are between 5,000 and 10,000 words and give you fresh insight

into diverse sectors such as globalisation of the food industry, foodservice, fish

market and confectionery.

As well as this impressive list of members' only reports, you also gain one

year’s access to a constantly updated stream of news, feature articles and

analysis at www.just-food.com. Established in 1999, just-food.com has

rapidly evolved into the premier source of global food industry news, analysis

and data for busy senior executives.

In addition, membership gives you full access to four years of news and

feature archives, key news headlines from around the web and your own email

alerting tool – AMANDA. In short, a one-stop shop for global food industry

intelligence.

For further details of this month’s special joining offer visit

www.just-food.com/offer


Chapter one - Executive summary

Chapter one - Executive summary

Page 1


Trans fats

○ Fats are big business in the food industry; the global oils and fats market is

currently worth about US$3bn*. (* Source: Frost & Sullivan: Edible Oils and Fats-A

Global Overview of Technological Developments)

○ A tiny proportion of trans fats occur naturally in the digestive systems of

ruminant animals such as cows, sheep and goats. The majority of trans

fats are created when healthy vegetable oil is chemically modified by the

addition of extra hydrogen molecules, a process known as hydrogenation.

○ A report issued by the National Academies of Science's Institute of

Medicine (July 2002) stated that there is no safe level of trans fatty acids

and recommends consuming as few of them as possible while still

consuming a nutritionally adequate diet.

○ Denmark has taken a unique move to tackle trans fats. The country has

the strictest legislation in the world on the use of man-made trans fatty

acids.

○ The FDA estimates that the average daily intake of trans fat in the US

adult population is about X.X grams or X.X% of calories per day. On

average, Americans consume approximately four to five times as much

saturated fat as trans fat in their diet.

○ The regulation also stipulates that food manufacturers are allowed to list

amounts of trans fat with less than 0.5 gram as zero on the Nutrition Facts

panel.

○ There are reports that Canadians eat, on average, more than 10 grams of

trans fats a day, but this is expected to fall significantly as the food industry

is forced to act more responsibly, remove trans fats and add hydrogenated

vegetable oil (HVO) to the nutrition label.

Chapter two - Introduction to the trans fats report

Chapter two - Introduction to the trans fats report

Page 3


Some say the industry is taking advantage of consumers’ over-dependence on

convenience and processed foods, an inability to cook and a lack of

understanding of the fundamentals of nutrition. On the other side of the critical

fence, there is the argument that the industry itself is just not interested or is

ignoring the basic needs for health and messing with people’s lives by

manufacturing food that can lead to high LDL cholesterol, type II diabetes,

asthma, Alzheimer’s, heart disease and death. Others point out that the food

industry is reacting to the issue responsibly by reducing or eliminating levels of

trans fats in their products. Either way, the equation is straightforward: as

consumption of processed foods grows, so does the intake of saturated and

trans fatty acids (TFAs).

Not only are these hidden fats buried in foods to make them longer lasting,

easier to cook and thicker in substance, but they are also hidden from health-

conscious consumers’ prying eyes. At the point of sale, more and more people

are reading back-of-pack ingredient labels, scrutinising the contents of the food

they are buying for their partner or child and checking for calories, fat and

strange-sounding ingredients. Thanks to government campaigns like ‘Sid the

Slug’ in the UK, we are even now checking the salt (or sodium) levels and

communications regarding saturated fat, which have resounded around the

industry and media for years, have finally made an impact. But, no matter how

hard we look, we won’t find trans fats on the nutrition label. In fact, if we are

shopping in Denmark, there would be a valid reason for this lack of reference

to trans fats, after their effective ban, they have more or less been removed

from consumers’ reach altogether.

The United States and Canada are the only countries in the world to have

adopted regulation enforcing the labelling of trans fats, which will come into

effect as of January 1, 2006; so at least consumers in North America know

what they are getting. Or do they? Trans fats is not exactly a well-known term

to the average Joe on the street or even to many industry executives and if

people do know the origins of trans fats, the exact perils of consumption

Chapter three - What are trans fatty acids?

Chapter three - What are trans fatty acids?

Page 5


Fats are big business in the food industry; the global oils and fats market is

currently worth about US$3bn*. The consumption of oils and fats is declining,

while spreadable oils and fats are experiencing tremendous growth. According

to Frost & Sullivan, the major drivers behind the decline in the oils and fats

market are high levels of product maturity, rising consumer health concerns,

increase in the use of ready meals and processed foods and decrease in the

interest in home-cooked meals. (*Frost & Sullivan: Edible Oils and Fats-A Global

Overview of Technological Developments)

Trans fats form one part of the oil and fats industry, having been introduced

into the food industry through the hydrogenation process around a century

ago. Walter Willett, M.D., chair of the Harvard School of Public Health’s

nutrition department, called trans fats the ‘stealth fat’.

A scientific definition

A trans fatty acid is an unsaturated fatty acid molecule that contains a trans

double bond between carbon atoms, which makes the molecule less kinked

and more stable compared to 'cis fat'.

Origins of trans fats

A tiny proportion of trans fats occur naturally in the digestive systems of

ruminant animals such as cows, sheep and goats. The majority of trans fats

are created when healthy vegetable oil is chemically modified by the addition

of extra hydrogen molecules, a process known as hydrogenation. Trans fats

from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils displace much of the natural solid

fats and liquid oils. Partial hydrogenation raises the melting point of foods,

producing a more solid product, which manufacturers seek for use in baking

over liquid oils. Partial hydrogenation also increases the shelf life and flavour

profile of foods and is more cost-effective than many other fats.

Chapter four – Denmark has the strictest trans fats legislation in the world Page 9

Chapter four - Denmark has the strictest trans fats legislation in the world

Denmark has taken a unique move to tackle trans fats. The country has the

strictest legislation in the world on the use of man-made trans fatty acids.

Introduced in March 2003 and enforced since January 2004, oils and fats in

processed foods are forbidden in the Danish marketplace if they contain more

than 2% of trans fats, effectively removing trans fats from kitchens around the

country.

In 2003, a report published by the Danish Nutrition Council, prompted the

Danish Government to enforce exacting restrictions on the role of

hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) food production. Danish Food Minister

Mariann Fischer Boel presented new regulations in March 2003 aimed at

reducing the amount of trans fatty acids.

Many critics argue that a ban would cause excessive problems for food

manufacturers, however, in Denmark, companies have adapted to the change

relatively stress-free and many are preparing HVO-free products for the rest of

the Nordic market, to avoid any further changes down the line.

Denmark's food minister has said: “We put the public health above the

industry's interests”. Many are now questioning why other countries, including

the UK, cannot follow suit with an effective ban on trans fats.


Critics argue that the food industry needs time to alter packaging, source

alternatives and change production processes, although in Denmark, the

industry officially only had half a year to comply. The law sets out how the

legislation was introduced over this six-month period. From June 1, 2003 the

content of trans fatty acids in oils and fats (the law covers specific types) could

not exceed two grams per 100 grams of oil or fat (not two grams of the overall

product weight). From June 1, 2003 to December 31, 2003, the law states:

“The content of trans fatty acids in the oils and fats covered by this Executive

Chapter five - US analysis

Chapter five - US analysis

Page 11


The ‘inevitable’ introduction of mandatory labelling

Initially, there was some concern from Canadians that the North American

Free Trade Agreement would hinder a stand against trans fats. However,

Canada and the United States will be the first to introduce labelling regulations

requiring companies to declare the quantity of trans fats in products. The US

story began in July 2002 when the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of

Medicine, which advises the government on health policy, made official what

many had proposed for some time – that trans fats have a negative effect on

blood cholesterol levels and are therefore likely to raise the risk of heart

disease. The conclusion of the report was simple: people should eat as little

HVO as possible.

Previously, the only way anyone could identify trans fats was to study the back

of packs for the words ‘hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils’ or

‘vegetable oil shortening and/or margarine’. However, the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) now requires food manufacturers to list trans fatty acids

on Nutrition Facts and some Supplement Facts panels. According to the

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute over 12.5m Americans suffer from

coronary heart disease (CHD) and more than 500,000 die each year, making

CHD one of the leading causes of death in the United States today.

The FDA estimates that the average daily intake of trans fat in the US adult

population is about X.X grams or X.X% of calories per day. On average,

Americans consume approximately four to five times as much saturated fat as

trans fat in their diet.

The labelling laws

On July 11, 2003 the FDA announced it was to amend regulations on nutrition

labelling to require that “trans fatty acids be declared in the nutrition label of

conventional foods and dietary supplements”. The FDA explained in its

announcement that the action responded in part to a petition from the Center

for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). The statement included a footnote

stating: “Intake of trans fat should be as low as possible”.

Chapter six - Canada is strongly ‘anti-trans fats’

Chapter six - Canada is strongly ‘anti-trans fats’

Page 15


There are reports that Canadians eat, on average, more than 10 grams of

trans fats a day, but this is expected to fall significantly as the food industry is

forced to act more responsibly, remove trans fats and add HVO to the nutrition

label.

The new regulations require manufacturers of packaged food to provide more

detailed nutrition information to enable Canadians to make informed food

choices, differentiate between healthy and unhealthy products more easily,

assess the nutritional value of foods and better manage special diets. As of

January 1, 2006, the Nutrition Facts table will identify the number of calories,

amount of fat, saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate,

fibre, sugars, protein, calcium, iron and vitamins A and C in a specified amount

of food.

There are exceptions to this labelling regulation such as alcohol, fresh fruit and

vegetables, raw meat and poultry (except ground meat and poultry which falls

under Food and Drug Regulations), raw fish and seafood and

foodservice/restaurants. However, if any of the above products carry labels or

claims that they contain a specific nutrient or health benefit, sweetener or

vitamin/mineral then they will no longer be exempt.

Educating Canadians about trans fats

Labelling is all well and good but without consumer awareness, it seems

unreasonable to expect a change in eating habits based on a more extensive

nutrition label. Health Canada has been actively involved in the campaign and

is vehemently against the use of trans fats in foods. The foundation regularly

makes reference to the fact that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of

death in Canada, killing 78,942 people in 1999 and argues that many of those

deaths are preventable. Health Canada also suggests the labels could save

the health-care system US$X.Xbn over the next 20 years.

Chapter seven - Other countries sit up and take notice

Chapter seven - Other countries sit up and take notice

Page 19


Israel may be next in line to tackle trans fats

Trans fats, despite being extensively debated in countries such as the United

States, Denmark and Canada for years, is only just appearing on the agenda

of health departments and food industry conferences in other countries around

the world. There have been reports that Israel is planning to become the

world’s third country to enforce trans fat labelling regulations. Reports in the

Jerusalem Post in February 2005 suggested that the Israeli government is

looking into policies to specify trans fatty acids on product nutrition labels.

According to the report, the Health Ministry plans to require food

manufacturers to specify harmful trans fatty acids on their lists of ingredients

instead of the generic term "vegetable oils" by 2007. Nili Arbel, head of the

Health Ministry Food and Nutrition Service's nutrition department, told The

Jerusalem Post that Israel plans to follow in the footsteps of the United States

and Denmark.

This is not an unlikely scenario, as Israel’s health problems are similar to those

in the western world, with heart disease and cancer accounting for more than

two-thirds of deaths. In fact, health and nutrition is a major issue to the Israelis

– the World Health Organisation found that Israeli children consumed more

sugary drinks than any of the other 35 countries analysed, followed by

Scotland.

A CHOICE in Australia?

In Australia, a country renowned for its proactive interest in healthy eating and

nutrition, consumer groups are only just beginning to call for trans fats to be

included on food labels. If anything, Australia appears to be lagging behind the

UK in terms of trans fats awareness despite leading on other nutritional points

of interest such as the Glycemic Index.

Clare Hughes, Food Policy Officer at the Australian Consumers' Association

(ACA) told just-food: “Generally speaking consumer awareness varies, most

Chapter eight - The European position

Chapter eight - The European position

Page 23


There are currently no plans to instigate mandatory labelling of TFAs or a ban

of TFAs over a certain level across Europe. The decision-makers point to the

fact that Europeans reportedly consume less trans fats than North Americans.

French studies concur with this view (see page 22). The TransFair study

conducted in the EU in the 1990s found that trans fats accounted for about X.X

to X% of daily calories for Europeans, compared to X.X% for Americans, as

estimated by the US Food and Drug Administration*. However, as

consumption of processed foods continues due to time pressures and the

need for convenient, quick meal options, this is likely to increase unless levels

of TFAs are reduced or eliminated. (*www.dowagro.com/natreon/fats/labeling.htm)

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and The Scientific Panel on

Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) conducted a risk assessment

of TFAs based on a question raised by the European Commission as a result

of the Danish legislation adopted in March 2003. The opinions of the Danish

Authorities opposed those of the Members of the European Commission as

Denmark proposed that the measure was justified on public health grounds in

order to minimise the risk of cardiovascular disease. The resulting report

‘Trans fatty acids: EFSA Panel reviews dietary intakes and health effects’ was

published in September 2004. The major conclusions of the report include the

following:

○ Trans fatty acids, like saturated fatty acids, raise LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol

levels in the blood, thereby increasing the risk of coronary heart disease

(CHD).

○ The rise in LDL cholesterol is proportional to the amount of TFAs

consumed.

○ At equivalent dietary levels, the effect of trans fatty acids on heart health

may be greater than that of saturated fatty acids.

Chapter nine - Across the Atlantic concern over TFAs grows

Chapter nine - Across the Atlantic concern over TFAs grows

Page 25


The UK’s Food and Drink Federation responded to the Which? report on trans

fats in October 2004 with the following statement: “The UK food industry is fully

committed to reducing the level of trans fats to as low as is technically possible

and has been actively reducing these levels. In fact, the Government's latest

national diet and nutrition survey (NDNS) shows how the consumption of trans

fats has fallen from X.X% of total energy in 1985 to X.X% energy in 2000”.

According to Oliver Tickell, founder of tfX: “In the UK, the current directive

makes it unlawful to label trans fats without making a claim. I’ve spoken to

people in New Zealand, Canada and America who cannot believe this is true”.

He adds: “The directive does need to be reformed soon so that trans fats can

be clearly labelled”.

Despite a lack of North American style labelling regulations or an effective ban

(as in Denmark) trans fats are becoming a hot issue in the UK food industry,

potentially as a result of interest from overseas or a combination of factors

including the increasing awareness in healthy eating and the media’s scrutiny

of the food industry. It is clear that this ‘word of mouth’ activity is making an

impact on the decision-makers, for example, The Food Standards Agency

provided this statement to just-food: “The Agency is pressing for the labelling

of TFAs in foods at European Union level. We recognise that some food

products contain significant amounts of TFAs and, importantly, we also

recognise that some consumers are concerned about the effect of TFAs on

their individual cholesterol levels. Therefore, our view is that information about

TFAs should be included in nutrition labelling in a way that is helpful to the

consumer”.

The aims of tfX, the UK campaigners against trans fats, are to persuade the

British Government to place an upper limit on trans fats both in food, and in

oils and fats used in the preparation of food. Leading up to this ban, tfX seeks

mandatory labelling of trans fats, in the same way as saturated and total fat

content has been included on many nutritional labels to date. tfX is also hoping

Chapter ten - Company action against trans fats led by North American labelling laws

Chapter ten - Company action against trans fats led by North American labelling laws

Page 36


In the United States and Canada, the marketing opportunity associated with

becoming ‘trans fat free’ is increasingly appealing. While in Denmark trans fats

have effectively been removed from reach; the junk food nation has had to

change more than just its oils to conform to regulations in time for the end of

2005 deadline. The North American food industry has had to turn this from a

troublesome chore into an opportunity to re-position foods, often with an

unhealthy image, into a healthier product with enhanced benefits for the

consumer. Put simply, they can demand more money (which will inevitably go

towards making up the costs spent on sourcing alternatives and changing

recipes) and feel better about themselves in the process.

The change in the United States is remarkable, even some restaurant chains

(Ruby Tuesday, Legal Sea Foods) have switched to deep-frying in canola or

other trans-free oil and every product sold in the Whole Foods supermarket

chain is now trans fat-free. As restaurants do not have to nutritionally label

their products, many will continue to use trans fats, however, it is interesting to

note that in Denmark, McDonalds now uses sunflower, canola and palm kernel

oils and Burger King fries its food in canola oil, all of which are free from trans

fats.

The rest of the world – apart from Canada – is a lot slower to react in this way.

While it is easy to spot packaging screaming out its zero trans fats status, UK

supermarkets offer a very different perspective. Of course, the government has

not ordered the food industry to eliminate trans fats; it has instead encouraged

it through the labelling regulations. As consumer awareness grows, a product

high in saturated and trans fats is likely to be snubbed by health-conscious

shoppers in favour of one with clear zero trans fats labelling.

It is not possible to detail all the companies currently using trans fats and those

that have made the change, particularly as many are still going through the

Chapter eleven - Alternatives to trans fats

Chapter eleven - Alternatives to trans fats

Page 42


North America, unsurprisingly, currently stands as the global leader in fat

reformulation strategies and product development to provide viable

alternatives to reduce the amount of trans fatty acids for the food industry.

Many questions face manufacturers looking to reduce or eliminate trans fats

from their products. In Denmark, the United States and Canada this is a huge

priority for industry players and for global companies, many feel it is necessary

to investigate alternatives despite a lack of legislation, thanks to growing

consumer awareness and pressure from consumer associations.

Questions arising from the North American labelling regulations include: what

options are available for replacing trans fatty acids in processed foods? Do

alternatives possess the same/better characteristics than existing oils such as

texture, shelf life, oxidative stability, taste profile, processing stability? Are

consumers prepared to accept the alternatives?

The Business Impact Test carried out in 2000 to 2001 for Health Canada

showed that approximately half of the 47 industry respondents estimated that

prices of their product would rise slightly and about one-third said there would

be no impact on consumers.

Soybean oil

Monsanto is one of the companies leading product development in the TFA

alternatives market with the launch of a low-linolenic soybean oil produced by

‘conventional breeding’ that will reduce or eliminate trans fats in processed

soybean oil. Monsanto has offered the opportunity to hundreds of Iowa

growers to plant these soybeans, which will be the first to carry the VISTIVE™

brand, for the 2005 crop season.

VISTIVE soybeans are lower in TFAs because they contain less linolenic acid

calling for less or no hydrogenation. Traditional soybeans have X% linolenic

Chapter thirteen - Future forecasts and conclusions

Chapter thirteen - Future forecasts and conclusions

Page 56


What is it to be: labelling, a ban or self-regulation?

The United States and Canada have opted for mandatory labelling of trans fats

and Denmark has gone for a ban. However, it seems Europe prefers the

notion of self-regulation and weighing up the evidence provided in this report, it

seems this will continue to be the case for some time to come. The short-term

future forecast for trans fats outside of the US, Canada and Denmark is likely

to be self-regulation rather than labelling laws or bans. However, Oliver Tickell,

founder of tfX and UK campaigner against trans fats, believes it is simply a

matter of time before the European food industry addresses the issue and

whether it is labelling or a Danish type solution remains to be seen. Speaking

to just-food, Tickell said: “What is not clear is how much time it will take for

Europe to respond. It won’t be in the short term but it will undoubtedly happen;

it could be a few years or 10 to 15 years and if it does take that long it would

be a scandal”.

Saturated fats remain the primary target for fat-fighters as they are consumed

in greater quantities than trans fats. The evidence provided by Harvard shows

that trans fats could actually cause further likelihood of heart disease than

saturated fats by increasing the bad and decreasing the good cholesterol

levels. Just-food’s Trans Fats Survey showed that consumers are more aware

of the negative effects of eating saturated fats compared to trans fats.

Saturated fats are widely accepted as being ‘unhealthy’ with XX% of

respondents citing them as such, X% did not know and X% believe they are

healthy. This is compared to XX% of respondents who believe trans fats are

unhealthy.

The European Commission has reacted to the steps taken by Denmark

against TFAs by asking The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and The

Scientific Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) to conduct

a risk assessment of TFAs. The findings reiterate that TFAs are unhealthy and

that the rise in LDL cholesterol is proportional to the amount of TFAs

consumed. However, as the intake of trans fatty acids varies between

Online sources of information Page 59

Online sources of information

Free email newsletters

Experience just-food.com via our free newsletters:

○ Daily industry headlines The most important headlines direct to your inbox daily.

○ Catherine Sleep's 'Editors weekly highlights' Catherine's take on the most important industry events each week.

○ Rebecca Rice's 'Research Update' A monthly update of newly available research, discounts and special

offers.

Sign up at www.just-food.com/newsletter

Other research reports

Search for related research reports from over 20 leading research suppliers in

the just-food.com store.

Global news and feature articles

Search for related news items and feature articles from just-food.com’s news and feature archives, going back more than four years.

Search the web

Try www.google.com to search for related web sites and pages.


Your feedback Page 60

Your feedback

Your feedback is greatly valued. Please complete the form below with your

positive and negative comments, along with any questions or queries, and fax

it to us on +44 (0)1527 577 423. Thank you.

Name ________________________ Job title ________________________

Company ________________________ Phone ________________________

Email ________________________

Study title _________________________________________________________________

Things I liked about this study...

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Things I disliked about this study...

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

My questions regarding the content...

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

I would like to see more information on...

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Other subject areas of interest to me include...

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________


Global market review of trans fats - with future outlookwhile spreadable oils and fats are...

Documents

Transcript of Global market review of trans fats - with future outlookwhile spreadable oils and fats are...