In six months' time, Thai consumers are to be protected from bad food ingredients known as trans fats.
This month, the Public Health Ministry took the bold step to prohibit the use of these kinds of fat which are blamed for increasing the risk of heart disease or strokes. They are also associated with a higher risk of developing type-2 diabetes. The ministry has gazetted new regulations that ban the production, import and distribution of food containing trans fats. The ban takes effect in January.
Trans fatty acids, which result from partially hydrogenated oils, are commonly found in cakes, pies and cookies, margarine, crackers, cream-filled sweets, doughnuts, fried fast foods and frozen pizza, as well as food ingredients like margarine.
A food industry innovation, trans fats are known for the use of a technique called hydrogenation -- the addition of hydrogen to unsaturated fats like vegetable oil to make them thicker and stable and to give them a higher smoking point when used for deep frying. Hydrogenation is used to produce so-called "partially hydrogenated oils" -- the main source of trans fat in the world -- and has since become widespread in the food industry, especially in the making of bakery products, for being cheap, tasty and offering a longer shelf life. Its side effects caused alarm in the US in the 1990s when research showed the effects on health, with a rise in deaths from heart problems.
In addition, trans fats are known to cause higher low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or bad cholesterol, as well as a decrease in high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or good cholesterol. This puts consumers at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease, which according to World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics claims the lives of 17.7 million people each year. If successful, the ban would help prevent 500,000 deaths per year from cardiovascular disease, the WHO said. The ministry's bold move is part of global efforts to make the world trans fats free by 2023, a goal set by the WHO.
Trans fats have become a health issue in Thailand over the past few decades since part of the population, mainly the middle class in urban centres changed their dietary habits, embracing Western lifestyles and cuisine. Last year's report from the Bureau of Non-Communicable Diseases showed a sharp rise in the number of heart disease-related deaths among Thais. In 2015, almost 20,000 Thais were reported to have died from coronary heart disease, a big jump from around 15,400 in 2012. Average medical expenses resulting from heart disease alone amount to around 7 billion baht a year, according to data from the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board.
The Health Ministry is making the right move by banning trans fats. Though there are concerns that such a course of action could create panic, this should not be the case if the ministry takes the opportunity to promote consumer education and advise people how to make the right choices for better health and maintaining healthy lifestyles. A six-month period should be enough for food producers to look for safer and better alternatives as they phase out trans fats.
It must be said that a number of food manufacturers have adapted well to the new health trend. Over the past few years, "0mg trans fats" or "trans fat free" labels have become familiar among consumers.
Possible adverse effects could be increased production costs for food firms, as warned by the Federation of Thai Industries this week. But commercial agencies should take measures to minimise unwanted impacts and ensure fairness for consumers.
A positive impact from this action against trans fats is that it has triggered public interest in health issues, with extensive debate on social media about this controversial ingredient. After all, prevention is the best strategy in public health.