A Survey of Trans Fatty Acid Content in Commercial Edible Fats & Confections

Vishal, Joshi (2008) A Survey of Trans Fatty Acid Content in Commercial Edible Fats & Confections. [Student Project Report]

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Abstract

This Dissertation / Report is the outcome of investigation carried out by the creator(s) / author(s) at the department/division of Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore mentioned below in this page.

Item Type:	Student Project Report
Additional Information:	61 6. Summary ‘Trans fats’ have unsaturated fatty acids in trans stereo-isomeric form (TFA), which alter their physico-chemical properties. There is strong evidence that consumption of TFA increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, while it offers no nutritional benefits. Excess TFA consumption leading to heart related disorders is a global phenomenon, especially in developed and fast developing countries. Hydrogenated fats are the major source TFA and they are mainly used in bakery, confectionary and snack foods. Extensive use of hydrogenated fats in a wide variety of food products has prompted the national and international health and regulatory agencies to monitor TFA and also lay down specifications to restrict their levels. Trans Fat labeling has become mandatory in most of the developed countries. In India, a gazette notification to this effect has already been issued under the new Food Safety and Standards Act. In order to enforce the law and regulate the TFA content in foods we should have robust and sensitive analytical techniques to determine it at low levels with high reliability. In the present investigation, two analytical methods based on GC and IR, reported in literature, were systematically evaluated and the finding was that, while the IR method is suitable for screening the food samples for the presence of TFA, the GC method is useful as a for its quantitative determination with fair degree of accuracy at 0.5% level. The results showed that the variation in TFA content in indigenously made vanaspati samples varied over a wide range of 0.5 – 28%. However the majority lied between 15 and 17%. The imported samples were found to have narrow range of TFA from 12 to 16%. While the imported margarine samples had TFA in the range of nil to 10 %, the only indigenous sample analyzed had 12.3%. The imported bakery shortenings varied over a range of nil to 5%, whereas the only indigenous shortening sample had 13.3%. Thus, it could be seen that the imported fats generally has a lower TFA content than the indigenous fats this may be attributed to better alternate technologies available abroad. It is noteworthy that, at least a few of the samples analyzed showed no TFA content at all. Perhaps choice of the right feedstock of vegetable oil for hydrogenation may also be a contributing factor in achieving very low to nil TFA content in the tailor made fats. The present analytical technique was extended with a suitable procedure to prepare the analytical sample and then determine the TFA content in a few selected confectionery products. The TFA content in chocolate-wafers lied below 1.65% (on total fat basis) while in éclairs it was as high as 10.4% which is alarming, considering the fact that the recommended limits for trans fat is < 1% of total energy intake as per WHO recommendation.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	trans fats edible fats processed foods confectionery products
Subjects:	600 Technology > 08 Food technology > 18 Processed foods 600 Technology > 08 Food technology > 01 Analysis 600 Technology > 08 Food technology > 19 Lipids-oils/fats
Divisions:	Food Safety Analytical Quality Control Lab
Depositing User:	Food Sci. & Technol. Information Services
Date Deposited:	07 Nov 2008 07:21
Last Modified:	28 Dec 2011 10:06
URI:	http://ir.cftri.res.in/id/eprint/8825

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