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Trans fats ban could burn small businesses: expert


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Trans fats ban could burn small businesses: expert

By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM 
THE NATION

 

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Nutritionists praise health move but local bakeries brace for impacts.
 

THAILAND’S BAN on trans fats is being applauded by consumer protection activists and nutritionists but a food-industry expert says the government action could lead to chaos in small bakeries and dairy beverage businesses.

 

The ban will be enforced on January 8 next year, six months after the Public Health Ministry implemented a ministerial regulation to ban the production, import, and sale of products with partially hydrogenated oils. Those oils are the main source of trans fats, and medical researchers say their elimination will reduce people’s risk of cardiovascular disease. 

 

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The science on trans fats is clear: they are linked to heart disease and diabetes, among other illnesses.

 

Nutritionist Sanga Damapong on Sunday said trans fats can be found in crispy snacks, french fries, cookies, shortening, margarine, non-dairy creamers and dry fast foods.

 

“Trans fats can cause many deaths because they contribute to the risk of cardiovascular disease,” he said.

 

Sanga said trans fats, a type of unsaturated fat, were first industrially produced from vegetable fats 50 to 60 years ago. They greatly reduce the cost of manufacturing some food products while extending their shelf-life, eliminating odour and arguably making food tastier.

 

“After they began being used commercially around the world, people noticed an increase in non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases – predominantly heart attacks and strokes – high blood pressure and diabetes,” Sanga said. “Studies were conducted and trans fats were identified as the culprit.”

 

He said the move should have little effect on Thai food manufacturers since the ministry had advised them that the ban was coming and they have already made adjustments. Also, they have another six months to alter product labels, he said.

 

Consumer protection activists are cheering the decision to ban trans fats in food and drinks, said Foundation for Consumers secretary-general Saree Aongsomwang. She urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and related agencies to regularly examine food and drink in the marketplace after the ban goes into full effect to make sure that all food producers follow the law.

 

“This is a progressive move to protect customers by reducing their health risk from daily consumption of food and drink. Until now, there has been no guarantee for health-conscious consumers that they could totally avoid trans fats in their food, due to a lack of detailed labels on products, Saree said.

 

“After this ban is in effect, consumers will no longer have to look for a ‘trans-fats free’ label to select healthy foods, as all varieties of food and drink will be required by law to be trans fats free. But it will need strict law enforcement and regular random inspections by the FDA and other related organisations.”

 

Saree agreed with Sanga that the six-month period before the ban begins is long enough for the food business to adapt to the law without affecting consumers.

 

Food-industry expert Wassaphon Saengseethong, also known as SchwedaKong, said large food companies have already adapted to the new regulations. 

 

He said that only a few foods in the Thai marketplace have trans fats, but warned that small food and bakery businesses might find it hard to adapt to the new food guidelines.

 

“From my experience, it will be very hard for the small food and drink businesses to adapt to this new regulation. The main ingredients for their bakery products and dairy beverages, such as coffee and milk tea, require margarine, shortening, and non-dairy creamer as a cheaper and preferred substitute for real dairy products,” Wassaphon said.

 

“This ban may temporarily affect the price of food and drink. After businesses have adapted to this ban, the situation will go back to normal.”

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30350198

 
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-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-17
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I wished there were bakeries who used real butter or healthy fats...now they use shortening from the Makro, it's very cheap.

 

I eat a lot from bakeries and am gaining weight from it...i wished they had more choice of healthy breads.

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3 hours ago, Thian said:

I wished there were bakeries who used real butter or healthy fats...now they use shortening from the Makro, it's very cheap.

 

I eat a lot from bakeries and am gaining weight from it...i wished they had more choice of healthy breads.

there is many in phuket....

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11 minutes ago, Emster23 said:

Can't wait to see how ban on fried rice works out

I think it is more a question of what you fry the rice with, than the fried rice itself. Conflating trans-fats with the act of frying itself, will get nobody anywhere.

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Like everything else, taken in moderation it shouldn't be to much of a problem. It's just those who take in too often are the ones who develop health problems. 

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This is  a great move. The Thai Public Health Ministry should be applauded for taking the initiative. Trans fats are certainly not the only factor in heart attacks and strokes (the biggest killers world-wide) but they are, without doubt, a major factor.

 

This has been a long-recognized health risk and trans fats are in a lot of food in Thailand and other countries. The food which use it have a "greasy" texture and are difficult to digest. Even most peanut butter has hydrogenated oils. They make people feel heavy, fat and lethargic. McDonalds, KFC and a lot of fried food around Thailand are rich in this gooey, slimy stuff.

 

We evolved eating mostly cis-configured plant fats, except for the Inuit eskimos which some people quote as existing on trans-configured animal fats. The Inuits have a life expectancy of 27 years. Plant "fats" have been re-engineered in laboratories to become the equivalent of animal fat and thus make them better for marketing.

 

They are taking a lead role in this and it would be great to see this introduced used in western countries where is does so much damage to health and health budgets due to the cost of surgery and rehabilitation which is astronomical.

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5 hours ago, Thian said:

I wished there were bakeries who used real butter or healthy fats...now they use shortening from the Makro, it's very cheap.

 

I eat a lot from bakeries and am gaining weight from it...i wished they had more choice of healthy breads.

'real butter' how funny. Dairy will kill you mate...

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yet another source says this

 

Quote

The order which was issued on June 13 and will become effective 180 days after its publication in the Royal Gazette cites scientific evidence that trans fatty acids from partially hydrogenated oils will increase the risk of heart diseases and stroke.  It is also associated with a higher risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.

Common foods which contain trans fats include cakes, pies and cookies, margarine, crackers, microwave popcorn, cream-filled candies, doughnuts, breakfast sandwiches, fried fast foods, frozen pizza.

It is not known when the ministerial order will be published in the Royal Gazette.

 

So it's coming or not?

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7 hours ago, Thian said:

I wished there were bakeries who used real butter or healthy fats...now they use shortening from the Makro, it's very cheap.

 

I eat a lot from bakeries and am gaining weight from it...i wished they had more choice of healthy breads.

I got a bread machine, just put in flour and water and some other stuff butter or oil (once you know what to do it takes almost no time). Works great can work with a timer so i got fresh bread in the morning. 

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5 minutes ago, robblok said:

I got a bread machine, just put in flour and water and some other stuff butter or oil (once you know what to do it takes almost no time). Works great can work with a timer so i got fresh bread in the morning. 

Which m/c have you got, Rob?

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Just now, faraday said:

Which m/c have you got, Rob?

Parasonic SD-P104  (there are cheaper ones that work just as good). Once you have the measurements right (they usually come with a manual) you can have your bread set up in 5 minutes and warm in the morning. At first it takes a bit of time but once you remember how much of everything you need its easy. I make whole wheat or white bread.. or sometimes use the flour from IKEA (dark flour with oats and other stuff in it). 

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Parasonic SD-P104  (there are cheaper ones that work just as good). Once you have the measurements right (they usually come with a manual) you can have your bread set up in 5 minutes and warm in the morning. At first it takes a bit of time but once you remember how much of everything you need its easy. I make whole wheat or white bread.. or sometimes use the flour from IKEA (dark flour with oats and other stuff in it). 
Bread machines are easy and convenient to use. But I want to mention that there is no or almost no crust on the bread.
Up to each ones preference, but I like to have a crust on my bread or bread roll.
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1 hour ago, FitnessHealthTravel said:

'real butter' how funny. Dairy will kill you mate...

The French seem to be doing okay generally speaking. They practically inhale dairy. 

Using butter,  prices will go up.  But it's still cheaper than a triple bypass. 

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3 hours ago, djayz said:

Like everything else, taken in moderation it shouldn't be to much of a problem. It's just those who take in too often are the ones who develop health problems. 

Correct 100%.  This just all leads to the State telling us what we can and cannot do/eat/think.  If you don't want to consume transfats ... then don't.  Why do we need a law against it?  Moderation and a little intelligence in what you eat or don't eat is certainly better than the State telling us what to eat or not eat.

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7 minutes ago, CLW said:

Bread machines are easy and convenient to use. But I want to mention that there is no or almost no crust on the bread.
Up to each ones preference, but I like to have a crust on my bread or bread roll.

I think there is enough crust for my taste, but what people like varies. 

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3 minutes ago, kurtmartens said:

Correct 100%.  This just all leads to the State telling us what we can and cannot do/eat/think.  If you don't want to consume transfats ... then don't.  Why do we need a law against it?  Moderation and a little intelligence in what you eat or don't eat is certainly better than the State telling us what to eat or not eat.

I don't mind state interference. It's what they live for. In most cases it's beneficial, protecting the feeble minded from themselves. 

It's when they criminalise victimless adult choices that gets me reaching for my reactionary Che beret. 

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I wished there were bakeries who used real butter or healthy fats...now they use shortening from the Makro, it's very cheap.


BigC bakery in Pattaya has some things baked using butter (cakes, croissants etc.). They have a French baker. The bakery in Tops in Central also uses butter in some products.

Both are very good bakers, though the prices at Tops are rather silly.

Still cheaper than the bakery in the food market in Terminal 21 in Bangkok though. 100B for one croissant, anyone?

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27 minutes ago, Small Joke said:

I don't mind state interference. It's what they live for. In most cases it's beneficial, protecting the feeble minded from themselves. 

It's when they criminalise victimless adult choices that gets me reaching for my reactionary Che beret. 

True. I know what you mean but really it's an attack on greedy big business. The pharmaceutical industry and food industries need tackling for the way they have wreaked ,for profit, on an unsuspecting population. I always think of Tobacco and Thalidomide.

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My wife receives loads of christmasgifts at work, baskets full of cookingstuff and so on.

 

She always brings the olive oil home, also from all her collegue's who have no idea what to do with it and even don't want to bring it home for free.

 

We cook in coconut-oil ourselves, don't want palm-oil, but there's huge pricedifference in coconut-oil and i wonder what the differences are between cheap and expensive.

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