On Thursday 29 September, the European Parliament’s environment committee called for the establishment of legal values for trans fats (or trans fatty acids - TFA) on public health grounds. A draft resolution to this effect was passed by a wide majority (60 in favour and 2 against).
Saturated fatty acids are found in dairy products and meat, along with industrially-manufactured vegetable oils, and can cause heart disease – which kill nearly 660,000 people a year in the European Union. Croissants, popcorn and chips are high in TFA.
The European Commission is invited to designate upper limits swiftly in order to reduce the consumption of TFA by everyone in the EU. It is also requested to cooperate with the member states on improving public awareness about nutrition and work with industry to encourage healthier ingredients. Because they are cheap and can be re-used in industrial frying, TFA are used in food preparation by many restaurants and fast food joints.
In a report submitted in December 2015, the European Commission recognised the usefulness of upper limits, which the European consumer bureau, BEUC, has been demanding for years (see EUROPE11445). The European Parliament will vote on this draft resolution at its second plenary in October (24-27 October). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)