Display of 'trans-fat free' logo on food items voluntary:FSSAI

Bakeries, sweet shops and other food business operators can voluntarily display 'trans fat free' logo on food products and in their outlets, according to the food safety regulator FSSAI.

The logo 'trans-fat free' can be used provided the food establishments uses trans-fat free fats oils, and do not have industrial trans-fat more than 0.2 gram per 100 gram of the food, it said in a letter written to state governments.

"The use of trans-fat free logo is voluntary," the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said.

It will be the responsibility of the food business operators to comply with the requirements as specified in the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations 2018, it said.

India is committed to eliminate industrial trans-fats in fats or oils and in foods containing fats or oils in a phased manner, it added.

It has already limited trans-fat content in fats and oils to 5 per cent and the notification to further reduce it to 3 per cent by 2021 and to 2 per cent by 2022 is under process. The regulation is also being extended to food products having fats or oils, the FSSAI said.

Industrial trans-fats are toxic compounds that are the cause of cardiovascular and other related diseases. They are formed during hydrogenation of vegetable oils and other processes such as heating of oil at high temperature and bakery shortening and in vanaspati, it added.