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NCDs Problem in the West and in Thailand— product brands that still contained high trans fat intended to use the trans
Different Books of the Same Story. fat-contaminated ingredients—while the other brands of the same
Thailand’s eating pattern has been influenced by the West in many products have solved this problem by changing their ingredients for years.
ways, especially bakery foods. Fortunately, the use of ingredients This research, though done on only 162 samples, has been intentionally
containing trans fats was still limited to the upper markets, not the sampled the selected types of foods that known be potential source of
lower ones. Therefore, the ban on trans fatty acids affects only the trans fat. The selected food types are bakery products and western-style
middle and upper markets, without so much impact on the lower foods, as well as foods that contain natural trans fat.
market. The result from the intentional sampling showed that only 13% of the
“The problem on trans fatty acid in bakery products has very small selected foods were found to be contaminated with trans fat at the
impact in Thailand due to 3 main factors: unhealthy level. Considering the wide variety and large quantity of food
(1) Classy bakeries are favored in only small circles, products sold in Thailand, fried doughnut, puff and pastry, together merely
(2) Alternative natural saturated vegetable oils for PHOs are add up to less than 1% of all the food. So, there is no need to be overly
available such as palm oil and coconut oil, alarmed by data and fault factsheets shared by those without true
(3) Bakery products are not the main diet in the Thai’s daily lives. knowledge on the subject, because in truth, 99% of food we consumed
“In Thailand, Non-communicable Diseases or NCDs problems are still safe from trans fat.
are not caused by trans fatty acids but from saturated fatty acids or Prof. Dr.Visith voiced his thought that Thailand is fortunate in this
SFA,” said Prof. Dr.Visith. matter for 2 reasons.
Trans fatty acid is a major problem in the West mainly because 1. Trans fat-containing ingredients are not commonly used by majority
partially hydrogenated oils are used in almost every menu, which of Thai population,only among the western food enthusiasts, and
make it quite impossible to avoid. Or in some Asian countries 2. The Equatorial location of Thailand blesses us with many saturated-
especially South Asia such as India, ghee—or clarified butter fat-containing plants, so we have several natural saturated oils to choose
commonly used in local cuisine—is very expensive, and plant oils from, e.g. coconut oil and palm oil.
produced in these countries are mostly polyunsaturated. Food Solving trans fat problem in Thailand, therefore, is not so complicated,
producers, then, need to rely on the alternative choice, partial considering that western-styled food is an option not a must for Thai
hydrogenation process to make the oils more saturated and usable, people. In addition, alternative sources of saturated fat are usually cheaper
which also makes the products becomes for affordable to the lower and can be adapted to use as replacements for the original trans fat-
class. In this case trans fat problem is instead found among the poor contaminated ingredients. Moreover, due to the fact that there are only
population—which is the majority of the country. 2 operators in Thailand that have the capacity and capability to produce
Assoc. Prof. Dr.Wantanee Kriengsinyos, Head of the Nutrition the PHOs, it is quite easy to control the production of such oils.
and Dietetics Program, Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University, Both Prof. Dr.Visith and Assoc. Prof. Dr.Wantanee agreed that while
commented that: Trans fatty acids are the food contaminant that many danger of trans fat is such a big and alarming issue around the world,
international organizations and developed countries try to minimize and most countries are trying to bring down trans fat content in food
its content in foods. Trans fat consumption not only increases the products, Thailand, as it turned out, is the country that can solve this
level of bad LDL-cholesterol in blood similarly to saturated fatty acids problem most effectively. This is because we have alternative raw material
but also reduce the level of good HDL-cholesterol, leading to highly readily available, and the readiness of private sectors who for the pass
increase risk factor of cardiovascular diseases, which is the top main 5-6 years have been researching and developing formulas away from
causes of death for world population. the use of PHOs which is the main source of trans fat. Results from the
Trans fatty acids can be found both in nature and from the industrial analysis of trans fat content in food, carried out by four acknowledged
production, but trans fatty acids in foods that have high negative parties—the Department of Medical Science, Department of Science
impacts to health, are mostly from industrially partial hydrogenation Service, Institute of Nutrition-Mahidol University, and Foundation for
of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids. Consumers—are very similar. The results showed that only some well-
“Obtaining trans fat instead of other fatty acids only 1% of total known doughnut brands (trans fat is not found in low-end
energy increases bad (LDL) cholesterol, but decreases good (HDL) doughnut) and some imported croissant brands
cholesterol, suggesting that high TFA intake is associated with are found to have high content of trans fats
negative health outcomes. Studies have shown that consuming trans from the use of PHOs, all of which will
fat replacing only 2% of carbohydrates has an increased risk of be enforced by the law against trans
cardiovascular disease, up to 23%. Trans fat derived from the fat --when it comes into force on
industrial process increased the risk of cardiovascular disease by as the 9 January 2019.
th
much as 42%, while no such risk was found in the consumption of “A process of issuing a
natural trans fat,” remarked Assoc. Prof. Dr.Wantanee. Notification of the Ministry of
Public Health to ban
Analysis of Food showed that 99% of Food Products productions and imports of
in Thailand are Trans Fat Free. the PHOs has gone
The Trans Fat Free Thailand project, which has been going on since thoroughly and carefully
2016, is a research and study conducted on food products sold in through public hearings,
Thailand, by Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University, in cooperation so it is practical and will
with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Ministry of Public have positive impact on all
Health, under the research fund granted by the Agricultural Research parties, especially on the
Development Agency (Public Organization). consumers,” concluded the
Research results showed that, of all the potentially trans fat- Head of the Trans Fat Free
contaminated food products, only fried doughnuts, puffs and pastries, Thailand project.
and imported croissants were found to be contaminated with trans
fat at an unhealthy level based on the WHO guideline. In the rest of
food samples, trans fat is not found or found in very low level. The

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