Should Health Canada limit trans fat in packaged food?

Health Canada was set to impose regulations on the food industry in 2009 to limit the amount of trans fats in products, but pulled the plan in its late stages.

Trans fats are largely found in fast food, snack food, fried food and baked goods. (CBC)Documents obtained by the Centre for Science in the Public Interest show Health Canada had prepared an entire communications plan, news releases and briefing notes for Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq to announce the regulations.

The regulations would have taken effect in the spring of 2010.

In the end, Health Canada decided to continue the voluntary program of limiting trans fats.

"The minister has requested that Health Canada continue to engage with stakeholders to understand challenges and how best to overcome them without adding a regulatory burden," a spokesman for Aglukkaq, Steve Outhouse, wrote in an email.

Outhouse said that "three-quarters of pre-packaged foods under review met the reduction targets."

But Bill Jeffery, from the Centre for Science in the Public Interest, said the voluntary program was flawed and it did not do a comprehensive review of the food supply.

"You really have to wonder what the minister of health is doing," said Jeffery. "Here's a clear opportunity to get health-care costs down and increase productivity and they're opposed to it. It's inexplicable to me."

Trans fats can occur naturally but the processed ones are added to foods, typically fried foods and baked goods, to maintain taste and smell and give them longer shelf lives. Trans fats have been linked to heart disease and increased cholesterol levels.
    
Should Health Canada impose regulations to limit trans fats in processed food? Do you think that voluntary guidelines are sufficient to reduce trans fats? Let us know what you think.



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