Govt regulates production of certain unhealthy food

In a recent development, the government of Pakistan has taken decisive steps to regulate the production and supply of specific types of unhealthy food.

In this regard, the government has issued a notification specifying that the limit of Trans Fatty Acids (TFAs) shouldn’t exceed 2g per 100g of fat in Vanaspati, shortenings and bakery products.

This information was shared by Nutrition and National Health Services National Coordinator Dr Khawaja Masuood Ahmed at a training workshop held in Islamabad recently.

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Dr Ahmed added that the measures aim to address concerns related to public health and nutrition by setting standards for the content of unhealthy elements in commonly consumed food items.

“It is a significant step forward, but experts expressed concerns that all types of foods are not covered in the regulation. Effective regulation and policy measures are needed to regulate all foods with a maximum of 2 per cent of the iTFA limits,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2023.