Edited by Ann Marie Elpa
In September of 2017, Health Canada proposed a ban on all food items containing partially hydrogenated oils, otherwise known as ‘trans fats.’ Their main concern and goal, was to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in Canada, as it is one of the leading causes of death, on average killing tens of thousands of Canadians per year.
This ban would affect all food items, from those on the shelves of supermarkets, to those on the menus of restaurants. The Canadian Federal Government gave manufacturers a year to develop alternative recipes for their food items, after which they would be illegal in the Canadian market, and prohibited under the Food and Drug Act. As of September 15th, 2018 the ban on the use of trans fats has been put into full enforcement.
What Are Trans Fats?
Trans fat is created by adding hydrogen molecules to unsaturated vegetable oil, which is why it is also often referred to as ‘[partially] hydrogenated oil.’ The addition of hydrogen to the oil changes its state from a liquid, to closer resemble a solid, and make it more heat stable. Its purpose is to add taste and texture to foods, but mainly to increase their shelf life, giving them a longer grace period to sell.
Artificially created trans fats differ significantly from those which occur naturally in foods such as red meat and dairy. It has been established that consuming the man-made form of trans fat increases the amount of what is referred to as the ‘bad’ cholesterol in the body, while decreasing the ‘good’ cholesterol which is not ideal, from a health perspective. A high consumption of these fats has also been confirmed to put individuals at a higher risk of contracting coronary heart disease by threefold. This is because the trans fats cling to the insides of arteries, making the passage of blood through them to and from the heart overall more difficult, and slower. The National Academies of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine stated in 2002 that there is no level of trans fat that is safe to have in one’s diet and that it should be avoided at all costs in order to achieve optimal health.
So, What Does This Mean?
The ban on trans fats went into force on September 15th, meaning all foods processed on or after that date must be free of any traces of hydrogenated oil. Foods processed before this date are allowed to remain on shelves for the next two years in order to give retailers a chance to sell their remaining stock, and not create an excess amount of unnecessary waste.