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A study by the University of Dhaka's Institute of Nutrition and Food Science found transfats in 67% of samples, which increase the risk of heart disease. Bottled soybean oil sold in the domestic market has been found to have higher than acceptable levels of trans fatty acids. These harmful substances increase the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease in people in the long term.
This presence of trans fatty acids has emerged in a two-year study by 13 researchers from Dhaka University's Institute of Nutrition and Food Science and BRAC University's James P. Grant School of Public Health. About 67 percent of the samples of bottled soybean oil from different companies in the market were found to have trans fatty acids above the tolerable level. For open soybean oil, the rate is about 25 percent. However, none of the palm oil samples were found to contain trans fatty acids above tolerable levels.
Trans fatty acids are known as transfats. Transfats can form in soybean oil during the refining process. Citing previous research, this study says that when edible oils are refined at high temperatures, transfats increase.
Najma, the team leader of the research and Professor of Nutrition and Food Science Institute of Dhaka University said, "The research has been done to determine the quality of edible oil in the country. According to the results of our research, the condition of the edible oil available in the market is showing long-term damage to the public health of the country.
Professor Najma Shaheen also said that the safe food authority of the government has determined the tolerable level of transfat in edible oil as per the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO). It is possible to reduce the amount of transfat if the companies that refine the edible oil are a little more aware and the concerned government agencies increase the supervision.
Such studies have been done in the past in various countries including China and India. Transfats were found to be higher than tolerable levels.
1521 sample tests
In the study, samples were collected from 8 divisions of the country. 1,521 oil samples were collected from three markets (one urban and two rural) of each division and tested. A total of 106 'composite or bunch' samples of edible oil were tested, the researchers said. These included 18 'composite' samples of branded soybean oil and 49 open oil samples from retail establishments. 11 (composite) palm oil brands were sampled. 28 (composite) samples of open palm oil were taken. Sampling period February-March and June-August 2021. Subsequently, samples were also collected from five factories. The collected samples are tested at the Independent University (IUB) laboratory.
An article on the results of the study was published on January 7 in the international science journal Food Chemistry Advances. According to the researchers, this is the first comprehensive study on the quality of edible oil in the country.
Trans fatty acids are known as transfats. Transfats can form in soybean oil during the refining process. Citing previous research, this study says that when edible oils are refined at high temperatures, transfats increase.
High in soybeans
12 out of 18 'composite' samples of bottled soybean oil were found to have transfats above acceptable levels. Transfats were also found in the rest, but at lower levels. For open drum soybean oil, 12 'composite' samples were found to have transfats above levels. 37 were found to be low.
Transfats were not found to exceed levels in any of the palm oils. However, all loins were found to contain transfats at lower levels than normal.
In 2021, the Food Safety Authority issued regulations to control trans fatty acids in food products. It came into effect from 31 December 2022. Its maximum level in food is set at 2 percent. However, the study found transfats two to four times higher than standard levels overall in soybean oil samples. The researchers did not disclose the name of the company producing and marketing the oil.
It is possible to reduce the amount of transfat if the companies are a little more aware and the concerned government agencies increase the supervision.
Prof. Najma Shahin, the head of the research team and director of Safe Food Authority (Food Purity Inspection and Judicial Proceedings Division) said. Akhtar Mamun said, they have not seen the research report. You can comment after watching.
Manzoor Morshed Ahmed, Chief Scientific Officer of the Bangladesh Industrial and Scientific Research Council, was a member of the Safe Food Authority. His tenure as a member of the authority has recently expired. He was involved in drafting the Transfat Control Regulations.
Manzoor Morshed Ahmed said that he came to know about the research while he was in the security authority. The findings of this study also played a role in the formulation of regulations. He said, regularly check all possible types of food to know if there is transfat or not. But the test is not like that.
Manzoor Morshed Ahmed said that the risk of transfats is higher in dalda and food made from dalda than edible oil.
What is transfat, and why is it harmful?
Health experts say trans fat in food is a form of harmful fat. It lowers the level of 'good' cholesterol in the blood and increases the level of 'bad' cholesterol. Excess bad cholesterol in the blood increases the risk of heart disease. Therefore, high transfat intake increases the risk of heart disease.
Researchers say that transfats increase not only in factories, but also in using the same oil (burnt oil) for frying food over and over again.
People get heart disease for various reasons. One of them is transfat. According to a BBS survey, about 2 lakh 24 thousand people died in the country in 2020 due to heart disease (heart attack and heart disease). This is the most common cause of death in the country.
The demand for edible oil is increasing
According to the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC), the country has an annual demand of about two million metric tons of edible oil. Of this, 14 to 15 lakh tonnes of oil is imported. About 70 percent of imported oil is palm and the rest is soybean oil.
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) household income-expenditure survey, per capita consumption of edible oil in 2022 was about 31 grams per day, which was about 27 grams in 2016. As a result, consumption of edible oil is increasing.
A director of an edible oil refining company in the country told Prothom Alo that they would take immediate action if they knew what was found in the study, and how transfat increases. However, the oil refining system in every big factory in Bangladesh is of European technology. Transfats are not supposed to increase there.
A senior official of another edible oil refining company said that there is no danger of transfats increasing during oil refining in modern factories. It would be good for everyone if the government takes measures to sit down with the oil-producing companies that have high levels of transfats in soybean oil.
More deaths from heart disease
People get heart disease for various reasons. One of them is transfat. According to a BBS survey, about 2 lakh 24 thousand people died in the country in 2020 due to heart disease (heart attack and heart disease). This is the most common cause of death in the country.
People have to spend high rates on treatment if they get heart disease. Many families have to sell assets to get a loved one treated for heart disease. Poor families often cannot afford treatment.
National Heart Foundation's Epidemiology and Research Department Professor Sohel Reza Chowdhury said that transfat is one of the causes of heart disease in the country. Reducing excess transfat intake will greatly reduce premature mortality. It will be good both in health and medical sector spending and public health. He said the production process of edible oil producing companies needs to be modified to reduce transfat. Food safety authorities should take responsibility in this regard.
Source: Online/GFMM
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