Alarming levels of trans fatty acids have been found in soybean oil, dalda (hydrogenated vegetable oil), butter, and margarine sold in the Bangladesh market. These harmful fats are linked to about 4.0 per cent of deaths from the heart diseases in the country.
The information was shared on Monday at a seminar on the harmful effects of cooking oil on human health and the environment.
The seminar was jointly organised by the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) and Muenzer Bangla Pvt Ltd at the BFSA training room in the city.
BFSA Member Professor Dr Mohammad Shoaib presented the keynote paper. He shared the test results from samples collected across the country in the 2024-25 fiscal year.
The findings showed that 7 out of 11 soybean oil samples had trans fats above the safe limits. Among the 95 dalda samples, 93 exceeded the limit. For butter, 26 out of 30 samples; and for margarine, 6 out of 14 samples had excessive trans fat.
BFSA introduced regulations in 2021 to control trans fats in food items, which came into effect on December 31, 2022. These rules set the maximum trans fat level at 2.0 per cent for all processed and packaged foods. However, many products are not following this limit.
Due to high intake of industrial trans fats, around 2,78,000 people die every year in Bangladesh. Trans fats build up in blood vessels and increase the risk of heart attacks.
Studies show that about 59 out of every 100,000 people die from heart diseases in the country, and around 4.0 per cent of these deaths are linked to trans fats.
BFSA Chairman (acting) Md Anwarul Islam Sarker said public awareness is very important for a healthy life. He also warned that reused cooking oil contains dangerous levels of trans fats.
The seminar also focused on stopping repeated use of the same oil for cooking, as it creates harmful chemicals like trans fats and free radicals.
These can increase the risk of cancers, heart diseases, liver problems, and other serious illnesses. Consuming such burnt oil is a major threat to public health.
Dr. Ahmed Khairul Abrar, Assistant Scientist at the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute, said burnt oil can cause cancers. People who cook frequently with reused oil are also at risk.
Special guests at the event included Muenzer's South Asia Project Manager Martin Schestag, and BFSA members A N M Nazim Uddin and Dr Mohammad Mostafa.
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