On March 24, a decree to eliminate the use of trans fats in food and beverages was published in the Official Gazette of the Ministry of Health. From that date, the food industry has six months to adapt to the change.
The deputies received congratulations from the WHO for the approval of the decree in February of this year. Although it is true that it is not yet known how the federal government will verify that companies comply with the new provision.
The presence of trans fats is essential in some processed foods to reduce production costs, although they are currently known to be harmful to health. Mexico joined the countries that have taken actions to eliminate its use. This reconversion is a challenge that requires time, implies changes in the industry, supervision by the authorities and the need to inform the population.
Importance of eliminating trans fats
The World Health Organization (WHO) points out that the excessive consumption of trans fats, being more difficult for the body to process, causes an increase in harmful cholesterol that clogs the arteries and leads to heart disease, the same as every year cause the death of 13 thousand Mexicans.
Trans fatty acids are found naturally in red meat and dairy products. And artificially (partially hydrogenated oils) in cookies, snacks, chips, ice cream, cakes, fast food and various foods of industrial origin.
During World War II, partially hydrogenated oils had a huge boom due to the introduction of margarine as a replacement for butter. After this, they were incorporated into the food industry because they increase stability at high temperatures, reached during cooking processes. In addition, they give a greater expiration margin, which lengthens the display time of the final product, resulting in lower production costs.
In 2018, the WHO set the goal of eliminating industrially produced trans fats in the foods consumed in the world by the end of this year, 2023.
Is the Mexican industry ready?
With the premise of cross-border trade, the USMCA was a driver for the elimination of industrially produced trans fatty acids. The United States and Canada, Mexico’s main trading partners, have already restricted the use of trans fats, which is an advantage because companies that export products to those countries have already made the transition to other types of oils, as Erick Ochoa, general director, commented. Fair Health.
Regarding the costs of this implementation, Baeza explained that the industry already has standardized processes and, although there are biotechnological alternatives to partial hydrogenation (a process to create partially hydrogenated oils), they imply a conversion process and high investment costs.