Soon: Trans fat labelling in Taiwan

Packaged foods will be the first item slated for mandatory labeling, the bureau said, followed progressively by the fast-food industry and smaller food outlets. Food manufacturers will be given time to adjust to the new labelling requirements.

Why trans fat labelling in Taiwan

“It's time to give consumers a choice,” said Cheng Hui-wen director of the Bureau of Food Safety (BFS) at the Department of Health. "Studies over the last 10 years increasingly show that the consumption of trans fats affects the cardiovascular system and other organs."

The reasons he gave was the concern that small shops would simply switch to using pork lard if legislation on trans fat labelling in Taiwan is applied to them.

Weng Shiu-jen, a bureau section manager, emphasised the need for balance on the issue of trans fat labelling in Taiwan.

"What might be more important than cutting out every last trace of trans fats is controlling overall fat intake," Weng Shiu-jen said.

Weng said that pastry makers are likely to switch to saturated fats such as lard if they can no longer use trans fat -- which is still not a healthy choice.

This position is not surprising given that most mainstream scientists and health authorities still view pork lard and other saturated fats to be just as harmful as trans fats, even though pork lard had been consumed by the Chinese for thousands of years without causing any health problems.

However, it is significant that the Taiwan Department of Health has decided to proceed with trans fat labelling in Taiwan in spite of such concerns.

In contrast, health authorities in Singapore cite such concerns as reasons NOT to introduce trans fat labelling nor to impose other measures such as imposing a trans fats ban.

Taiwan's health authorities are also mindful that measures to require trans fat labelling in Taiwan could affect businesses.

Cheng Hui-wen emphasised the importance of good communication between the authorities and businesses.

"This is an issue that affects their bottom line," Cheng Hui-wen said, noting that removing trans fats may affect food taste and stabilising properties.

Cheng Hui-wen said the Bureau of Food Safety was in talks with 11 fast-food chains, including McDonald's, to facilitate voluntary trans fat labelling in Taiwan and changes in frying oil formulas to include less trans fats.”

But while trans fat labelling in Taiwan will be made compulsory, it seems unlikely that the health authorities there will impose a ban on trans fats.

Cheng Hui-wen said consumers still have the right to make a choice even if it affects their health.

"Drinking alcohol is bad for your health, but we do not ban overdrinking," Cheng Hui-wen said. "Let consumers weigh the pros and cons and make their own decision."

Following the announcement on trans fat labelling in Taiwan, the Taiwanese Consumers' Foundation urged fast food companies to voluntarily abandon the use of trans fats in food preparation.

In April 2006, the Consumers' Foundation surveyed 36 foods sold in Taiwan, including margarine, potato chips, cookies, French fries, fried chicken and frozen bread.

The survey found that 13 food products contained between 0.5 percent and 15 percent trans fats, with the worst offender Creation Food Co. Ltd.'s liquid coffee creamer, which had 10-15 percent trans fat.

The Consumers' Foundation survey also found the levels of trans fats in french fries sold in Taiwan were generally below 5 percent of the foods' weight.

Mos Burger and TKK Fried Chicken had trans-fat levels of less than 0.5 percent. However, the level in McDonalds and KFC ranged from 1 to 5 percent.

“Taiwan has clearly not come to grips with this potential killer,” the Consumers' Foundation noted. “In Taiwan, the term trans fats is still unknown to most people.”

This fact, however, makes the Taiwan government's moves to legislate trans fat labelling in Taiwan all the more significant – because it is doing it without any consumer pressure.

Again, this is a sharp contrast to the situation in Singapore where consumers have been calling for trans fat labelling but the government health authorities repeatedly say that they will not do so.