Canada bans partially hydrogenated oil in food products

Health Canada has banned the use of partially hydrogenated oil (PHO) to cut the levels of trans fats in food products and reduce the risk of heart disease.

PHOs are a common source of industrially produced trans fats, which have the potential to increase low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in the blood and reduce high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels.

Canada’s Minister of Health Ginette Petitpas Taylor said: “As Minister of Health, I am very concerned with the rise in heart disease, which is one of the leading causes of death in Canada.

“Health Canada’s ban on PHOs in the food supply is part of the Government of Canada’s action to help protect Canadians from the diet-related chronic disease.”

With the ban in place, it is now illegal for manufacturers and food service establishments to sell domestic or imported food with added PHOs.

The ban was announced last year and is reported to be part of Canada’s Healthy Eating Strategy. It excludes the naturally occurring trans fats that are found in some animal-based foods, such as milk, cheese, beef and lamb.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will ensure that food manufacturers implement appropriate measures to meet regulatory requirements through inspections, audits and sampling.

Health Canada’s ban on PHOs is in line with the global efforts to remove industrial trans fats in foods.

It would further help achieve the World Health Organization’s (WHO) public health recommendation of reducing the intake of trans fats by the majority of the population to less than 1% of total energy intake.