Ministry drive to reduce saturated and hydrogenated fats in food products

Muscat: Authorities in Oman are working to prepare a national strategy to reduce chronic diseases, the Ministry of Health announced.
In a statement, the ministry said, “The Ministry of Health has prepared a national plan to reduce chronic diseases and aims to promote healthy food consumption and community interventions to reduce the consumption of saturated and hydrogenated fats, salt and sugar.”
It added, “These contribute to chronic diseases such as stress, diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol.”
“The plan includes many interventions and laboratory tests for the most consumed food products in the community and specifications for healthy food, with a grace period for manufacturers and importers to change their products during a period agreed upon in coordination with the trade and industry sector,” it further said.
The plan also includes a community-wide awareness campaign on healthy food and healthy and unhealthy choices for products.
The ministry pointed out that it started implementing this plan in cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and other related sectors. One of these interventions was related to hydrogenated fats.
The ministry will also force manufacturers and importers to specify the saturated and hydrogenated fats of each product.
The ministry also seeks to prevent the use of hydrogenated fats and reduce the saturated fat in food products and restaurants, in cooperation with the relevant sectors.
The ministry confirmed the adoption of health policies in coordination with the World Health Organisation.