A CIVIL Society Organisation, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has urged the National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to hasten the process of trans-fat regulations.
The group in a statement signed by its head of media and campaign, Philip Jakpor said NAFDAC should take actions to ensure speedy approval of the ‘’Pre-packaged Food, Water and Ice Labelling Regulation, 2019’’ and ‘’Fats & Oils Regulation, 2019’’
Marking the two years anniversary of the Replace Package of the World Health Organisation (WHO) the group said the two guidelines are aimed at regulating the amount of trans fatty acids in the nation’s food chain.
The statement futher read that the regulation is a step-by-step guide for the elimination of industrially-produced trans-fatty acids from the global food supply.
The WHO had on May 14, 2018, released the replace package, advising governments across the world that eliminating trans fat is key to protecting health and saving lives.
According to the group, WHO estimates that every year, trans fat intake leads to more than 500,000 deaths of people from cardiovascular disease.
ERA/FOEN wrote that the world is currently battling the covid-19 pandemic and scientific evidences have shown that people with existing CVD conditions are prone to complications if they contract COVID-19.
“More than ever before the nation needs to work fast on laws and policies that will promote healthy lifestyles and approval of the regulations speedily will go a long way in that direction’’, Akinbode Oluwafemi, ERA/FoEN Deputy Executive Director said.
“Industrially produced trans fats are contained in hardened vegetable fats, such as margarine and ghee, and are often present in snack food, baked foods, and fried foods,” the statement read.
The group also urged Nigerians to abstain from all foods laced with industrial trans fat.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via labolade@icirnigeria.org, on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94