NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya is strengthening regulations on industrially produced trans-fatty acids (iTFAs) by proposing stricter limits on their use in food products to help reduce the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, health experts have said.
Speaking during the National Stakeholder Engagement Forum on the proposed review of Legal Notice No. 25 of 2015, experts noted that eliminating industrially produced trans fats from the country’s food supply is a critical step towards achieving Universal Health Coverage through prevention and health promotion.
Industrially produced trans fats contribute to more than 278,000 deaths globally every year, according to the World Health Organisation.
The World Health Organisation recommends that governments implement best-practice trans fat elimination policies either by setting a mandatory limit of two grams of trans fat per 100 grams of total fat in all foods or by banning the production and use of partially hydrogenated oils as an ingredient in food products.
According to health experts, introducing a mandatory limit on industrially produced trans fats in Kenya could prevent approximately 17,000 heart disease events and 1,900 deaths within the first ten years.
The stakeholders described prevention as one of the most cost-effective public health investments, emphasising that reducing exposure to industrial trans fats can significantly lower the risk of heart disease and stroke before they occur.
They explained that industrial trans fats are commonly generated through the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils and are frequently found in processed foods such as bread, baked goods, margarine, fried foods, fast foods, packaged snacks and products prepared using repeatedly reused cooking oil.
Proposed regulations
Under the draft regulations, food products would be limited to no more than two grams of industrially produced trans-fatty acids per 100 grams of total fat.
Manufacturers, importers and distributors would also be required to declare the presence and quantity of trans fats on food labels, strengthening consumer awareness and improving regulatory enforcement.
The proposed amendments further introduce a clear legal definition of trans-fats, mandatory nutrition declarations, measurable standards for trans-fat content and restrictions on the sale of food products that exceed the prescribed limit.
Additionally, the draft regulations provide an 18-month transition period to allow manufacturers, importers and distributors sufficient time to reformulate products and comply with the new requirements.
Prevention, most cost-effective investment
In his remarks, Program Manager for Food Environment Policies and Maternal and Infant Nutrition at the Ministry of Health, Zachary Muriuki, said unlike naturally occurring trans fats found in small amounts in meat and dairy products from ruminant animals, industrially produced trans fats offer no nutritional benefit and substantially increase the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and other chronic illnesses.
Muriuki observed that businesses benefit from retaining healthy customers over the long term, warning that products containing harmful levels of trans fats can contribute to disease and premature deaths, ultimately hurting both consumers and the economy.
He said eliminating industrial trans fats is both a public health and economic imperative.
“The industry needs now to come on board and reformulate because businesses depend on their customers. If your product is poisoning or killing your customers, then you are not doing any good to yourself or to the economy of Kenya,” Muriuki said.
“Technical experts, myself included, are coming together in a stronger way to protect consumers. Many people may not understand what it means when a product contains trans-fatty acids, and that is why we are working to ensure these regulations are implemented,” he added.
Stronger consumer protection
According to research presented during the forum, a survey of approximately 5,668 processed food products in Kenyan supermarkets found that only about 1.7 per cent declared the presence of industrial trans-fat ingredients, while a significant number contained ingredients associated with industrial trans fats, leaving many consumers unaware of their exposure.
Presenters argued that strengthening labelling requirements would enable consumers to make informed dietary choices while giving regulators clearer tools for monitoring compliance.
International Institute for Legislative Affairs Kenya Chief Executive Officer, Celine Awuor, said consumers will be protected once the legal framework ensures that only products that are compliant and meet required standards are allowed in the market.
“The government and regulators are not compelled to test products to verify the declared values on food labels are accurate. Once this legal framework is passed, only products that meet the required standards and are compliant will be allowed on the market,” Awuor noted.
Kenya leads region
Head of the Division of Food Safety at the Ministry of Health, Brenda Nakhumicha, said Kenya is leading the East African region in introducing a legal framework to regulate industrial trans fats.
“We are proud as Kenya being the first country in the East African region to review and adopt this legal notice. This legal notice has now been incorporated under the Food, Drugs and Chemical Substances Act,” she said.
“This will give Kenya a strong legal framework to regulate industrial trans fats and protect public health,” she added.
Participants in the forum drawn from government, academia, research institutions, civil society, consumer organisations and the food industry were invited to review the draft regulations and submit comments before the amendments are finalised.