Two years after an Australian Government-funded panel recommended phasing out trans fatty acids from the national food supply, thousands of products still contain the dangerous fats without mandatory labelling. A 2011 review also called for trans fat labelling on nutritional panels, but the requirement has not been implemented.
Associate Professor Tim Crowe, a nutrition lecturer at Deakin University, explains that most trans fat in Australian diets occurs naturally in dairy products, accounting for about three-quarters of intake. However, the more harmful form is created through partial hydrogenation, a process used since the 1950s to solidify liquid oils for processed foods, extending shelf life.
Consuming high levels of trans fats increases bad cholesterol, lowers good cholesterol, and raises heart disease risk. Professor Crowe notes that trans fats also cause inflammation, linked to metabolic diseases like diabetes. The World Health Organisation recommends trans fat intake below one per cent of total diet, and most Australians fall within this range, but some exceed it due to high processed food consumption.
Products likely to contain higher trans fat levels include muesli bars, bakery items, fried potato chips, snack foods, microwave popcorn, and some margarines. Professor Simone Pettigrew from the University of Western Australia warns that children consuming these products during key developmental stages face potential dangers.
Both experts advocate for eating fresh foods and avoiding processed and fast foods to limit trans fat intake. While Australian trans fat levels are low compared to the US, where mandatory labelling has driven reductions, Professor Pettigrew stresses that voluntary industry efforts need monitoring and a firm end-date. Recent data from Food Standards Australia and New Zealand shows a 25 to 45 per cent reduction in added trans fats in the Australian diet.
