NUTRITION

Are Trans Fatty Acids Jeopardising Public Health?

Are Trans Fatty Acids Jeopardising Public Health?

Demand to Ban TFAs in the UK

The use of trans fatty acids has not been banned by the UK government in spite of the fact that it has caused 7, 000 annual premature deaths in the country (Poulter, 2012, p. n.d.). The increasing health issues and unhealthy eating habits of the UK residents have urged the government to take public health on serious note. According to the survey statistics conducted by the health department, TFAs account for only 0.8% of typical daily food of Briton which is quite below the recommended level of 2% TFAs by the scientific committee on nutrition. Hence, the used level of TFAs could not pose any serious threat to life and health of consumers (Campbell, 2010, p. n.d.).

The UK government has been asked by the majority of doctors to ban TFAs use in every kind of food that is sold in the country and this could set the way for saving lives of thousands of individuals on yearly basis (Campbell, 2010, p. n.d.).

Policy for Food Labelling

In the year 2005, the government of UK was asked by the FSA members to bring better labelling. Joining hands against the use of trans fatty acids in food was also contributed by the media and other business consortiums of the country. The first retailer of the country was Sainsbury that stepped forward and banned the use of trans fat from every food brand of their own. This was subsequently followed by the issue of FSA that was indicating the achievement of safe levels of consumer intake resulted from the voluntary measures which were taken at the individual (retailers and manufacturers) ends (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 2006, p. 2).

Government's Approach to Control Fast Food Industry

The government officials have not enforced a policy to ban IPTFAs in the UK because it believes that the level of TFA use by the manufacturers could not pose serious health risks to consumers in the UK. The government officials and respective authorities have urged the importance of voluntary actions and initiatives to be undertaken on industry's side to curb the hazardous effects of TFAs (News Medical, 2012, p. n.d.).

However, the government officials have also reserved the option of implementing an interventionist approach if the industry members were found disobeying the set standards (Prince, 2008, p. n.d.). The government had ...