Trans Fatty Acidsand

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils

Industry Actions

Main suppliers to UK market

Coverage of theUK market from these four suppliers is greater than 90% (including re-packerswho buy from the main producers and re-pack in smaller containers)

All food sectors (from multinational and national food producers to cash-and-carry outlets), including foodservice, catering, quickservice restaurants and takeaways are covered by these suppliers (either directly or indirectly)

Cargill

AAK

ADM

imports

IOI/LodersCroklaanThe Netherlands

Timeline

1990 1995 2000 2005 2007

Clinical nutritionists(Mensink and Katan) identify trans fatty acids as detrimental in terms of blood cholesterol

UK margarine and spreads manufacturers begin to reduce trans levels

Oils and fats processors begin to research and develop non-hydrogenated alternatives to trans-containing fats

Process of phasing out

partial hydrogenation

essentially complete

Headlines in UK press about ‘killer fats’

Food industry active in removing partially hydrogenated fats from manufactured foods

BRC announce removal of HVOs by end of 2007

AchievementsSector Fat type trans before

reformulationtrans after reformulation

Biscuits Shortening 5-10% <1%

Cream fats 2-50% <1%

Other bakery (buns, cakes, pastries, pies)

Cake marg. 10% <1%

Shortening 12% <1%

Puff pastry margarine

8% <1%

Frying Frying oils <1-25% <1%

Confectionery Coating fats <1-55% <1%

Fillings, toffees 25-30% <1%

Margarines and spreads

Oil blend <1-5% <1%

How has this been achieved?• Biscuits, bakery, confectionery and spreads

– Main fat functionality is to provide structure and solidity

• Non-hydrogenated fats which can achieve this are based on palm oil, palm kernel oil to which, in some applications, rapeseed oil can be added (as well as sunflower oil and olive oil in spreads)

• Frying– Main fat functionality is to provide oxidative stability

• Oils such as high-oleic sunflower oil and palm oil fractions go a long way to achieving this as non-hydrogenated alternatives

Effect on saturates levels

• In some applications (notably those where fats are used for structure) the (average) saturated fatty acid content has increased

0 100

Biscuit doughs

Biscuit creams

Cake marg

Shortening

Frying

Coatings

Fillings

Spreads

% Saturates

Bar 1

Pre

Bar 3

Post

FEDIOL (European Oil Processors Federation) has a guideline that the level of saturates after reformulation should be no higher than the total saturates +trans in the original composition. Most applications show saturates increase well below this

Where do we stand now?• The use of hydrogenated vegetable oils (HVOs)

has been eliminated in almost all mainstream food production in the UK

• Some of the oils and fats processors have closed down their hydrogenation plants

• Others still operate but predominantly for the production of fully hydrogenated oils (which contain <1% trans) for use in limited but very specific applications

• There is little likelihood of a return to the use of partially hydrogenated oils but the use of fully hydrogenated oils could give the industry scope for further development and optimisation.