Abstract
The composition of the foods people consume has a significant influence on their health. Whole certain components in certain foods offer protection against the development of certain disease conditions, the consumption of other components at certain levels might predispose one to certain diseases and disease conditions. The processing industries have a role to inform the consumer of the ingredients in their food products. This is necessary for the consumer to make informed decisions about their dietary choices. This requirement is enforced by the role through regulations passed by government agencies. Even then, certain compounds that are present in processed foods are still harmful to the human body even though they are allowed by the law. Partially hydrogenated fats and trans fats are such components. This project collects primary data to determine the percentage of frozen foods and snack food packages that contain partially hydrogenated fats. The project will also collect secondary data that shows the association of trans fats and partially hydrogenated fats with different diseases.
Key Words
Hydrogenation, Trans fats, Partially hydrogenated fats, disease, food processing, fatty acids
Introduction
The health of an individual is the product of the association of many factors. One’s dietary intake is a significant influencing factor of health. The nutritional composition of various foods affects the health of an individual through different ways. While the good nutrients in the foods nourish the body thereby helping it develop, other components in the food might cause or predispose one to poor health conditions. There is a need to gain and use the knowledge on food composition to determine the effects of different components of the food and food products on one’s health so as to make better and informed dietary choices.
Fat is one of the macronutrients that human body requires for growth and development. Fat is a significant part of the daily recommended allowances of an individual. Meeting the recommended daily allowances is necessary for the optimal functioning of the body. However, scholars emphasize on screening the type of fats that one uses to meet their recommended daily intakes. This cautionary approach is based on the knowledge that not all types of fat are good when consumed in large quantities.
Partially hydrogenated and trans fats are some of the fats that are available in the market in various food products. Trans fats are fats that are produced with a single or multiple double bonds. This makes them different from the other fats because they contain a cis configuration (Dhaka, Gulia, Ahlwat & Khatkar, 2011). The desire for trans fats in food processing industry is fueled by their ability to make margarines more firm so that they can be used as spreads. Trans fats are also desired in the food processing industries because they increase they increase the stability of the emulsions used in making shortenings (Dhaka et al., 2011).
Partially hydrogenated fats are formed through the addition of hydrogen across the double bond of unsaturated fats. The addition of the hydrogen bonds across the double bond results in increase saturation of the fats. When fats are hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated, the amount of trans fats might increase so that it accounts for a larger portion of the fatty acid content compared to the amount in the fatty acids of naturally occurring substance. For instance, the trans fatty acids in the industrially hydrogenated fats represents over 60% of the amount of fatty acids while the amount of trans fatty acid in the fatty acids contained in dairy products and beef is between 2% and 5%.
This paper explores these among other perspectives of health and partially hydrogenated and trans fats. The aim is to determine the health consequences that result from the use of partially hydrogenated and trans fats. The paper will also explore further the differences between the artificial trans fats that are prepared in industries and the naturally occurring trans fats as highlighted above. The paper will also explore the cumulative nature of the trans fats that are artificially manufactured in industries and the regulations instituted by the government with regards to the industrial use of trans fats in food processing.
Materials and Methods
The performance of the objectives of the paper is to be completed using a mixed methods approach. The paper will benefit from both primary and secondary data. The paper will also benefit from both qualitative and quantitative data. The secondary research on partially hydrogenated and trans fats will be done over the internet. The trans fatty acids are commonly associated with cardiovascular diseases. However, the literature search will not just focus on the association between partially hydrogenated and trans fats with cardiovascular disease.
The search will explore other diseases the cause of which partially hydrogenated and trans fats are implicated. The literature search over the internet will be done using relevant search engines and databases such as the PubMed, Ncbi, and scholar google among others. The consideration of online articles will be based on their ability to satisfy an inclusion criteria that among other factors includes sponsorship be reputable institutions such as relevant government agencies and reputable universities, objective articles that are devoid of the commercial and marketing intent, the use of references and evidenced of research, and online sites that are updated periodically.
The paper also entails a data collection exercise. This will entail visiting a supermarket and collecting data on the snack food packages that contain partially hydrogenated fats. The data collection exercise will also feature the study of labels of prepared frozen foods for the use of partially hydrogenated fats. The sample size will be twenty; meaning that the paper will study ten snack food packages and ten prepared frozen foods. The paper will also benefit from an interview with a customer relations representative from one of the manufacturers of margarines.
The data to be collected includes the meaning of the term ‘modified’ oil as it is used in their products and the association between the trans fatty acids that are abundantly found in the partially hydrogenated fats and negative health outcomes., The paper will include a seven day food diary that will list all the foods consumed in that period. This will include drinks, snacks, margarine and vegetable shortening.
Using this data, the paper will present the number of times on average that partially hydrogenated fats are consumed. The data will also be used to develop a list of the various names that food processing companies use for partially hydrogenated fats and the percentage of the foods from the samples considered that contain partially hydrogenated fats. Finally, the paper will feature a reflection on my intake of partially hydrogenated fats and trans fats and commentary on how this influences my health.
Results
Partially Hydrogenated Fats in Frozen Foods
Frozen foods are prepared and sold for the convenience of the customer who prefers not to cook. They can purchases the frozen foods, warm them in a microwave for a few minutes and they are ready to be consumed. Many of the frozen foods contain partially hydrogenated fats. However, the, aim of this paper was to determine this hypotheses empirically. The following data was collected from a local supermarket. It is relatively difficult for consumers to determine the foods that have partially hydrogenated fats. The nutritional information on most of the frozen foods shows that they have zero trans fats. The same foods could still have partially hydrogenated fats as shown in Table 1 below.
Figure 1 below shows that only 20% of the foods sampled did not have partially hydrogenated fats while the remaining 80% of the frozen foods had partially hydrogenated fats as part of their ingredients even though the nutritional facts in most of the frozen foods listed them as having zero trans fats.
Figure 1showing the Partially Hydrogenated Fats in Frozen Foods
Partially Hydrogenated Fats in Snack Food Packages
The preparation of many snack packaged foods might contain partially hydrogenated oils as part of their ingredients as indicated in the table below.
Figure 2 below shows that 90% of all the snack food packages sampled contained partially hydrogenated fats compared to the 10% of the snack food packages that did not contain partially hydrogenated fats.
Figure 2 showing the Partially Hydrogenated Fats in Snack Food Packages
List of Names used Partially Hydrogenated Fats
The food processing industry uses different names interchangeably with the partially hydrogenated fats. They include.
Partially hydrogenated vegetable oil
Hydrogenated vegetable oil
Shortening
Summary of the Interview
‘Modified’ oils is one of the nutritional labels that appears on processed food products, margarines, and shortenings. The term ‘modified’ in this context is operationally defined to mean chemical modification of the oil to change its chemical and physical properties. The customer care representative confided that margarine cannot be made from completely hydrogenated fats because they have a hard consistency which is not appropriate for spreading. Unsaturated oils cannot be used either because they have a liquid consistency.
The interviewee argue that to avoid the formation of trans fats through the addition of hydrogen across the double bonds through the process of hydrogenation, their company modifies the unsaturated oils through chemical processes such as interesterification. She confided that through this process, the chemical and physical properties of the oils are changed through the exchange of esters but without the alteration of the composition of the fatty acids as would be the case if partial hydrogenation was one on the oil.
When prompted on why the trans fatty acids that are found in most fats that are partially hydrogenated are bad for one’s health, the customer relations representative confided that the negative health effects are influenced by how the trans fats affect the levels of cholesterol in one’s body. She explained these effects by alluding to the low-density lipoproteins and high-density lipoproteins. She explained that the high-density lipoproteins that is generally considered as the good kind is charged with transporting the surplus cholesterol to the liver.
The low-density lipoproteins which are generally considered as the bad cholesterol could potentially accumulate on the arterial walls. The effect is that they arteries become hard and also become narrow. The rapturing or tearing of the fatty deposits that have accumulated in the arterial walls over time can result in a blood clot that might result in the blockage of the flow of blood to key organs of the body.
Discussion
The focus on partially hydrogenated and trans fats is not without merit. Dhaka et al., (2011) find that the consumption of trans fats results in the lowering of the high-density lipoproteins in the human body while at the same time increasing the levels of low-density lipoproteins. In addition, the consumption of trans fats results in the increase of insulin levels and triglycerides. These effects have detrimental effect on the human body. Although the most focus has been the association between trans fats and cardiovascular disease, there are other equally serious negative health events that justify the focus on partially hydrogenated fats and trans fats.
Dhaka et al., (2011) list colon cancer as one of the negative health conditions that result from the copious consumption of trans fats. More precisely, the consumption of high amounts of trans fats increase the risks of developing colon cancer two-fold in women whose estrogen levels were low and who were also not put on a hormone therapy treatment. The risk of developing colon cancer is also increased by 50% in men older than 67 years who were not being treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
The copious intake of trans fats might also result in the deposit of fat in the abdominal region and also the increase in body mass resulting in obesity. An empirical study by Ricerus, Arner, Brismar & Vessby (2002) found that even though the intake of calories was the same, the a higher proportion of trans fats will result in an increase in one’s body mass and the deposit of fats in the abdominal region (Kavanagh et al., 2007). Another health concern associated with the consumption of trans fats is allergies. Scholars have found a statistically significant and positive association between the occurrence of asthma, asthmatic eczema, and allergic cold and the consumption of trans fats. Comparisons with the consumption of mono and polyunsaturated fats did not indicate the associations on either levels (Dhaka et al., 2011).
Recent studies have challenged previously held beliefs that the fetus in the womb is protected from the trans fatty acids that might be in the bloodstream of the mother (Dhaka et al., 2011). The finding of a similar level of trans fatty acids in both the fetus and the mother indicates that they can filter past the membranes of the placenta into the child’s system. These high levels have been shown to reduce the gestation period. This means that the child can be born premature before developing all the organs (Dhaka et al., 2011).
The government departments have also realized implications of trans fats and partially hydrogenated fats on human health. The passing of the regulations requiring the labelling of food items with the nutritional facts that highlight the amount of trans fats in grams and the use of the partially hydrogenated fats in the ingredients of processed foods was a move to give the consumer the information required to make a dietary choices. Part of the regulations by the Food and Drug Administration require the labelling of the amount of trans fats that are above 0.5 grams in a single serving. The evolution of these regulations has seen the use of partially hydrogenated fats banned from the use in the processing of foods (Food and Drug Administration, 2015).
Conclusion
There is evidence to support the claim that dietary choices affect ones health significantly. Trans fats are abundant in nature. There are also industrially-manufacture trans fats. There is a prevalent use of artificial trans fats because they are cheaper. However, the adverse effects that they have on health justifies the sustained concern about their presence in processed foods and the high consumption of these foods by consumers. The project has shown that many of the frozen foods and snack food packages contain the partially hydrogenated fats as part of their ingredients. The discussion has shown that this is associated with many more diseases in addition to the cardiovascular complications. The evolution of government regulations to ban the use of these compounds in food processing is a welcome move.
References
Dhaka, V., Gulia, N., Ahlwat, K. and Khatkar, B. (2011). Trans fats – sources, health risks, and alternative approach – A review. Journal of Food Science and Technology. 48(5): 534- 541.
Food and Drug Administration. (2015). The FDA takes step to remove artificial trans fats in processed foods. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm451237.htm
Kavanagh, K., Jones, K., Sawyer, J., Kelley, K., Carr, J., Wagner, J. and Rudel, L. (2007).Trans fat diet induces abdominal obesity and changes in insulin sensitivity in monkeys. Obesity Research. 15:1675–1684.
li-Jama, P., Meyer, H., Ringstad, J. and Pedersen, J. (2002). Serum free fatty acid pattern and risk of myocardial infarction: a case-control study. Journal of Internal Medicine. 251:19– 28.
Ricerus, U., Arner, P., Brismar, K., and Vessby, B. (2002). Treatment with dietary trans10- cis12 conjugated linoleic acid causes isomer-specific insulin resistance in obese men with the metabolic syndrome. Diabetes Care. 25:1516–1521.
Appendix
7-Day Food Diary
As shown in Table 3 above I consumed the partially hydrogenated fats on eighteen occasions throughout the week. The table also shows that the meals consumed did not contain partially hydrogenated fats on seventeen occasions. Arguably, I consumed partially hydrogenated fats in virtually half of the meals consumed in the week. This despite the fact that some of the meals were prepared at home. The use of partially hydrogenated fats in the preparation of foods is a common practice both in the domestic and commercial scene. This is because the partially hydrogenated fats are cheaper when compared to the naturally saturated oils. Additionally, they last longer when compared to the naturally saturated oils. This property favors the users who need to use the oil multiple times in the preparation of foods.
Even though many of the food items were listed as having zero trans fats, it is worth noting that the labeling of foods and inclusion of the nutritional facts was subject to the regulations passed by the Food and Drug Administration. The regulations also informs that food products that do not have more than 0.5 grams of trans fats in a single serving can be labelled as containing zero trans fats. I reckon that this is not as helpful considering the fact that I consumed the food products with partially hydrogenated fats as part of the ingredients on eighteen instances in one week. This is because a single serving could have as much as 0.49 grams of trans fats and still be legally labelled as having zero grams of trans fats. It is also considering that in some instances, I had more than one servings of some of the food products.
The trans fats lead to the depletion of the high-density lipoproteins, a kind of cholesterol which is very beneficial to the health of the cardiovascular systems (li-Jama, Meyer, Ringstad & Pedersen, 2002). As highlighted before, the trans fats results in the accumulation of low-density lipoproteins in the arterial walls. The narrowing of the walls might result in the increase in the pressure of the blood because of the reduction of the volume of the cavity. The rupturing of the fatty tissues might also result in stroke and other negative cardiac events (li-Jama et al., 2002).
Based on the knowledge of the prevalence of partially hydrogenated fats in the frozen foods and snack food packages, the frequency of consumption of the partially hydrogenated fats as determined through the 7-day food diary, and the knowledge of the risks, I now appreciate the decision by the Food and Drug Administration to outlaw the use of partially hydrogenated fats in the making of processed foods (Food and Drug Administration, 2015). Considering that the Food and Drug Administration (2015) did not consider the partially hydrogenated fats as GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe) anymore after the review of extensive evidence, it is my hope that it is entirely banned.
