Hurstville Council NSW Latest To Ban Trans Fats

Many Australians suffer from obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Overseas the US, Denmark and Canada have banned the use of trans fats which increase the risk of heart disease and here, Hospitality magazine reports, Kogarah, Gosford and now Hurstville councils have also banned venues from using these cooking oils.

What Does This Mean For Hurstville?

From now on all new food service venues in the council area will be restricted from serving food containing trans fats, responding to medical research that indicates trans fats increase the risk of heart disease.

The council will also seek to raise public awareness of the risks of trans fats and other cholesterol raising saturated fats in existing food businesses, either through incentives, regulation or education.

Some Concerns About Implementing The Ban

There is a concern that the ban would apply to all foods and not just those where trans fats are obvious.

Restaurant and Catering CEO, John Hart says:

“I’m not sure that businesses are going to be able to necessarily determine where there are trans fats..

For example if a restaurant uses a bakery product that includes trans fats does that count? Because the restaurant may not know whether the fats in those products are trans fats or not- if businesses are required to go back through the supply chain, its going to be a very big problem..

Provided it only applies to the very high products such as frying oils then I think businesses can cope with it.”

The ‘Contribution’ Made By Trans Fats Here?

According to the Heart Foundation and Diabetes Australia, 46,000 Australians die from cardiovascular disease each year.

It is estimated that more than 62 per cent of adults are overweight and that there will be more than seven million Australians with obesity in 15 years.

So What ARE Trans Fats?

• Naturally occurring trans fats are caused by the way that some animals, such as cattle, sheep and goats, digest their food (the ‘ruminating’ process). They are found in small amounts in dairy products, beef, veal, lamb and mutton
• Artificial, synthetic, industrial or manufactured trans fats are caused by the way some fats and oils are processed. They are found in foods that use hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable fats, such as deep-fried and baked foods
• Trans fats dramatically increase the risk of coronary heart disease, and there is no safe level of consumption
• They increase the concentration of ‘bad’ (high density) cholesterols and decrease the concentrations of ‘good’ (low density) cholesterols
• Heart Foundation info

A worthwhile approach for some OTHER councils?