Cutting trans fat

Introduction

• Come January 1, 2022, India will join a select group of countries limiting industrial trans fat to 2% by mass of the total oils/fats present in the product.
• India would thus be achieving the WHO target a year in advance (WHOs target is by 2023).

Trans fat content limit

• In mid-2016, the trans fat content limit was halved from 10% to 5%, and in December 2020, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) capped it to 3% by 2021. Now India has committed to limit trans fat to 2% by 2022.

Details about trans fat

• While trans fat is naturally present in red meat and dairy products.
• The focus is on restricting the industrially produced trans fat used solely to prolong the shelf life of products at less cost.
• While the government’s notification specifically mentions edible oils and fats and emulsions such as margarines are the major sources of industrial trans fat.
• Also, even when the fat/oil contains less than 2% trans fat, repeated use at high temperature can increase the trans fat content.

Harmful impacts of transfat

• Trans fat negatively alter the lipoprotein cholesterol profile by increasing the level of bad cholesterol (LDL) while decreasing the level of HDL or good cholesterol.
• These changes in the lipoprotein cholesterol profile increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Trans fat limits globally

• In 2004, when Denmark became the first country to limit industrially produced trans fat content in all foods to 2% of fats and oils, it faced resistance from much of Europe, including the European Commission.

• However, many countries have since adopted similar restrictions themselves.
• In fact, in April 2019, the European Union (EU) adopted a new regulation — from April 2021 — to limit the amount of industrially produced trans fat to 2% in all foods sold within the EU.
• According to a 2020 report of WHO, 32 countries already have some form of mandatory limits on trans fat.

Way ahead

• According to WHO, a dozen large multinational food companies have already committed to eliminate industrially produced trans fat from all their products by 2023.
• With a year’s notice, it should be possible for the multinational food companies to redouble their efforts to meet the FSSAI standard, while Indian companies that have earlier been able to cut the level of trans fat as in the FSSAI limit, should have no excuse not to meet the current capping.

Strategic Disinvestment Policy for Public Sector Enterprises

• The policy promised as part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat package, states the government will exit all businesses in non-strategic sectors, with only a ‘bare minimum’ presence in four broad sectors.
• These strategic sectors are — atomic energy, space and defence; transport and telecom; power, petroleum, coal and other minerals; and banking and financial services.
• It will help the exchequer stop throwing good money after bad, and funnel it into more productive endeavours.

Capping on Transfats

• Trans fat is naturally present in red meat and dairy products.
• The focus is on restricting the industrially produced trans fat used solely to prolong the shelf life of products to 2% by mass of the total oils/fats present in the product 2022
• Repeated use at a high temperatures can increase the trans fat content.
• Denmark became the first country to limit industrially produced trans fat content to 2% in 2004.

New Variety of Marigold Developed by IIHR

• Indian Institute of Horticultural Research has developed a new variety of Marigold named Arka Shubha
• This variety of marigolds can be used for the extraction of crude carotene up to 2.8%.
• Presently, India imports most of its carotene from China
• The Arka Shubha variety is of use in the poultry sector as well. Its petals could be used as feed to get quality yolk.

MoU for the construction of the Shahtoot dam in Afghanistan

MoU was signed recently for the construction of the Shahtoot dam to provide drinking water to Kabul.

• The proposed dam will be on the Kabul river basin. It is one of the five river basins in Afghanistan.
• The dam will provide drinking, irrigation, and Environmental water for Kabul province.
• This is the second major dam being built by India in Afghanistan, after Salma Dam which was inaugurated in 2016.

PM Modi Invited to Participate in G-7 Dialogue

• India has been invited as a special guest at Cornwall, United Kingdom to attend the G-7 grouping meeting.
• PM Modi may also head over to Brussels to conclude the pending India-EU Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) talks.
• The talks have been held over issues like market access for automobiles, dairy products, wines and the movement of professionals.