February 16, Kathmandu.
Over half a million people die every year across the globe because of trans-fatty acids. Studies have identified high concentration of the unsaturated fat to cause coronary artery disease, diabetes, cancer, and liver dysfunction, among other ailments.
In 2018, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released REPLACE trans fat, a guide to eliminating industrially processed trans-fatty acids. Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand have received WHO certificates validating progress in eliminating industrially produced trans-fatty acids.
Nepal started its journey in eliminating trans-fatty acids from food supply by issuing a regulatory notice in Nepal Gazette on February 8. ‘Trans fat shall not have a proportion exceeding two percent of the total fat content in any food item,’ the English translation of the regulatory notice goes.
Meanwhile, WHO has praised Nepal for the legislative action against the excessive use of trans fats in food items. It expects Nepal’s regulation to add 30 million people to its target of protecting two billion people from the harms caused by trans-fatty acids.