Under a European Commission regulation adopted on Wednesday 24 April, for the first time a legal limit value will be imposed on the use of trans-fatty acids (TFAs) in processed foods to protect consumer health, but foods exceeding this limit may be sold on the market until 1 April 2021.
TFAs are unsaturated fatty acids found in large quantities in foods (prepared dishes, pastries, quiches or pizzas, margarines, chips, chocolate bars and prepackaged baked goods) without consumers knowing their properties. They cause coronary heart disease, infertility, Alzheimer's, diabetes and obesity, and are responsible for 660,000 deaths per year in the EU.
According to the regulation, the limit value is 2 grams per 100 grams of animal fat for food intended for the final consumer and the definitions of 'fat' and 'trans fatty acids' will be aligned with those in Annex 1 of the regulation on the provision of food information to consumers (Regulation 1169/2011).
For years, the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and the European Parliament had been calling on the Commission to legislate to fight a real health scourge at EU level (see EUROPE 12111/14, 12061/3). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)