DAR ES SALAAM: AS the government intensifies efforts in the fight against Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), stakeholders are calling for the formation of a legally binding national standard to regulate and limit the amount of Trans Fatty Acids (TFAs) in food products.
The call is based on study findings by Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), which revealed that trans fatty acid levels in Tanzanian food products persist beyond recommended limits, along with inadequate nutritional labelling.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Trans-fat, or trans-fatty acids (TFA), are unsaturated fatty acids that come from either industrial or natural sources and the recommended intake of trans-fats is less than 1 per cent of total energy.
Tanzania Women Lawyers Association (TAWLA) Executive Director Ms Tike Mwambipile said that despite global progress in eliminating TFA from food products, many Tanzanians continue to be exposed to industrially produced food with high content of trans fatty acids putting their health at risk.
“It is within this context that TAWLA in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, WHO Country Office, Tanzania NCD Alliance (TANCDA) and Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), has initiated a national campaign to advocate for the elimination of TFA from the food supply,” said Ms Mwambipile.
She said: “The absence of a comprehensive national standard in Tanzania to regulate and limit TFA content in food products exacerbates this issue, leading to preventable deaths and a strain on our healthcare system.”
Industrially produced trans-fat can be found in margarine, vegetable shortening, vanaspati ghee, fried foods and baked goods such as crackers, biscuits and pies, baked and fried street and restaurant foods.
Ms Mwambipile said they believe that the development of a legally binding national standard on TFA is crucial in protecting public health.
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“Such standard will limit the amount of TFA allowed in food products, with the ultimate goal of eliminating industrially produced TFA. Our collective effort is aimed at raising public awareness, building the capacity of stakeholders and advocating for policy and regulatory reforms that prioritise the health of our citizens,” said Ms Mwambipile.
WHO had set a target to eliminate industrially produced trans fatty acids (iTFA) from the global food supply by the year 2023. Despite the target, Tanzania still has limited data which could be used in developing law and policy to regulate the amount of trans fatty acids in food products.
Dr Lucy Duma, a doctor at Frelimo Regional Hospital in Iringa Region, stated that many people are unaware of the risks associated with trans fatty acids. She also highlighted that the absence of a law regulating TFA makes it difficult for individuals to take necessary precautions.
“It is not easy for most people to take precautions against TFA because they are not aware of them, and this lack of awareness has contributed to the rise of NCDs in the country, including cardiovascular diseases, which are commonly caused by high intake of TFA from industrial foods and oils,” said Dr Duma.
For his part, Hassan Rusobya, Nutritionist from Muhimbili University of Allied Sciences (MUHAS) said that a study conducted was aimed to assess the levels of TFA and other fatty acids in popular edible oils and fried foods commonly consumed in Tanzania.
“We conducted the study in Dar es Salaam and analysed 57 samples of cooking oils and 20 samples of fried foods sold on the streets and in recreational areas to find out about the TFA that are in the foods,” said Mr Rusobya.
Mr Rusobya said, the results showed that 21 per cent of the cooking oils tested exceeded the recommended levels of TFA, with margarine, industrially refined sunflower oil, animal fats and peanut butter showing the highest levels and only 2 per cent of the cooking oils provided TFA information on their nutritional labels.
This study highlights the need for urgent measures to reduce TFA levels and improve the provision of accurate nutritional information on foods in Tanzania and these steps are essential to protect public health, particularly in reducing the risk of heart disease associated with high TFA consumption.