FSSAI always formulates laws and issues notifications to deal with any sort of evil that occurs in Food items. TransFat is one of the most notorious and inseparable from stuffs those are edible.
FSSAI issues notification regarding limit of trans-fats in refined vegetable oil in its formulated under Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Tenth Amendment Regulations, 2020.
According to the regulations, currently the trans-fatty acids shall not be more than 5 per cent by weight. On and from January 1, 2021, the maximum limit of trans fatty acid shall not be more than 3 per cent by weight, and on and from January 1, 2022, the maximum limit of trans fatty acid shall not be more than 2 per cent by weight.
The FBOs were asked to comply with the provisions of these regulations by July 1, 2021.
FSSAI is working harder to reach the target of eliminating TransFat from the food in 2022, even before the target of WHO’s.
Under the regulation, the ingredient oil from which the refined oil is formed and also aregmone oil test should come negative. In addition to this the acid content must not increase the prescribed limit of 0.6 percent and water content must not increase 0.10 percent of weight. Ingredients of refined oil must come from the list prescribed by the authority.
Further, the regulations also defined multi-sourced edible oil which means an admixture of any two edible vegetable oils and such oils shall not contain more than 33 per cent of saturated fatty acids. Currently, such oils also should contain trans fatty acid not be more than 5 per cent by weight.
The regulation on refined oils are going to concern the use of refined oils, Vanaspati ghee, margarine, fatspreads both mixed and vegetable spreads.