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Friday, 28 July 2006 09:40

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Food labels 'should list all fats'

Researchers from Oxford University suggest that all food labels should list all fats, not just the saturated kind, to help reduce rates of heart disease.

Helping consumers spot which products contain trans fatty acids - or trans fats - could cut the risk of heart disease, according to a British Medical Journal (BMJ) article.

Trans fats increase cholesterol and the risk of coronary heart disease, the BMJ article says.

They are made from a vegetable oil base and are used as an ingredient in processed foods such as margarine, biscuits, cakes and fast food.

The BMJ article says: "Mandatory addition of the content of saturated fat and trans fatty acids to nutrition labels would enable consumers to make healthier food choices that could lower LDL concentrations and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and other vascular events”.

The UK's Food Standards Agency is pressing for change to labelling rules at EU level.

British Heart Foundation policy officer Alex Callaghan said: "Manufacturers and retailers should clearly label trans fats on food packaging, so that people can make informed decisions about their diet. The British Heart Foundation supports action to amend European legislation to make such labelling mandatory”.

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