The Basic of Trans-Fatty Acids in Foods: An Update to Prevent Diseases.
TFAs mainly arise from hydrogenation either through: (i) naturally occurring enzymatic process involving desaturases (i.e. enzymatic transformation) in the rumen of animals (e.g., bacterian flora in cows, sheeps, goats) in mammalian breasts; (ii) partial (or total) industrial catalysis of vegetables or fish oils requiring hydrogen gas or a metal catalyst (e.g. nickel) to replace saturated FAs, solidify vegetal fat products (e.g. pizzas, cakes, chocolates, shortenings such margarines), decrease their oxidation sensitivity, and enhance their taste or (iii) extreme thermal treatments
While too little information is available about the effects of natural TFAs on human health, most experimental and experimental studies, albeit sometimes controversial, report that industrial TFAs are neither essential nor salubrious, and could even predispose to important pathologies, including fetal malformations, Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and other inflammatory-state diseases (e.g., cancers, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity), especially when consumed chronically or at high doses. Interestingly, certain TFA isomers.
Furthermore, the production of healthier shortenings by these industrial processes, along with reforms for greater transparency in labeling (i.e.specifications of TFA composition and amount on prepackaged foods) and/or active consumer educational campaigns to substantially reduce TFA production and consumption.
Therefore, it becomes clear that both individual- and policy-level initiatives to decrease TFA consumption should continue, particularly in population subgroups (e.g. young individuals), and recent findings provide further evidence to support the concerted effort to minimize or even ban TFAs in the diet.
Adv Food Technol Nutr Sci Open J. 2015; 1(3): e9-e10. doi:10.17140/AFTNSOJ-1-e003