SFDA Obtains WHO Certificate On Food Free Of Artificial Trans Fats

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is among five countries to have received a recognition certification from the World Health Organization for eliminating artificial trans fats in food products. 

The Kingdom, represented by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, obtained the credentials alongside Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, and Thailand. 

This came after providing the international team with a report detailing the efforts to prevent the use of partially hydrogenated oil. 

The exclusion of artificial trans fats from food items enhances the nutritional content of these products, playing a crucial role in achieving the health sector’s transformation objectives and indicators related to increasing the average human lifespan in the region.

In line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, the absence of these substances reduces the incidence of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular diseases and helps individuals achieve a higher quality of life.

With the introduction of Saudi technical regulations, which establish specific restrictions on harmful elements in oils and other domestically produced or imported food items, the SFDA initiated its efforts to reduce specific products in 2015.

A survey was then conducted on food products in neighborhood markets, examining their trans fat content. Food product compliance reached about 94 percent, and the authority outlawed the use of partially hydrogenated oils in 2020.

This policy prohibits food importers and factories from using these substances in manufactured foods. It applies to all edible items intended for human consumption, except for hydrogenated oils and trans fats derived from natural sources.

This reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to human health and the implementation of policies and regulations aimed at safeguarding the general well-being of the population in all aspects.

In alignment with Vision 2030 and WHO recommendations, the SFDA has developed legislation in recent years to eliminate trans fats, prohibiting the use of partially hydrogenated oils. 

This regulation applies to all foods intended for human consumption, except for entirely naturally sourced hydrogenated oils and trans fats from animal products.

The second round of WHO certification on trans fat elimination will commence next year, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency.