Twelve food and beverage 'powerhouses' of the International Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA) have pledged to phase out industrially-processed trans-fat from global food supply by 2023, following the World Health Organisation's (WHO) initiative to eradicate the ingredient worldwide.
The IFBA members, including The Coca-Cola Company, McDonald's, Nestle and Unilever, support WHO's REPLACE action plan launched last year; a step-by-step guide on eliminating industrially-produced trans-fatty acids to the global food supply.
GlobalData consumer insights analyst Katrina Diamonon said the trans-fat pledge may represent a 'slippery slope' for brands to navigate if WHO continues to crack down on renowned 'food villains'.
“Consumption of trans fats is directly and incontrovertibly linked to a range of negative health outcomes, and its elimination is perceived as an obvious way to improve public health,” Diamonon told Food & Drink Business.
“Major food and beverage manufacturers want to be seen as proactively working to address dietary-related health issues, and aligning themselves with the recommendations of health authorities such as WHO is important from both a strategic and branding perspective.
“It will be interesting to see whether these manufacturers will make similar pledges. Doing so will no doubt have significant implications for product formulations and, critically, subsequent product taste, texture and consumer acceptance.”
Diamonon said the pledge is self-regulated, however in an age of social media fuelled scrutiny and accountability, “there will still be consequences for these manufacturers if the pledge is not adhered to.”
“The pledge is an important step in realising WHO’s goals, but must be combined with regulatory intervention to control or eliminate the production of trans fat, ongoing research into its health impacts, and continued education and awareness programs to alert consumers of the effects of trans fat consumption and how they can be replaced with healthier fats and oils,” she said.
According to WHO, industrially-produced trans-fats have caused over 500,000 deaths from coronary heart disease globally each year, and its elimination from the food supply represents a simple and effective way to save lives.
