A preliminary survey: trans fat in fried food, bakery, edible fat and oil products and milk and milk products

Abstract

This preliminary survey aimed to determine dietary sources of trans fat and to raise consumer awareness on selecting the proper dietary food. The research focused on the investigation of total trans fat content in high-faffoods, which can be divided into four categories of fried foods, bakery, edible fat and oil products and milk and dairy products. One hundred and ten samples were sampled and analyzed by a gas chromatography/flame ionization detector (GC/FID). The highest amounts of trans fat in each food categories were obtained as follow: 6.20 percent in donut or 3.41 grams per serving size, 5.18 percent in wafers or 0.64 grams per serving size, 7.72 percent in non-dairy creamer or 0.25 grams per serving size and in the range of 0.01 to 0.63 percent in milk, milk powder and milk ice-cream which is less than 0.32 grams per serving size. The main trans fatty acids found in these foods are trans-octadecenoic acid (C18:1 t) (77.86%) and translinolelaidic acid (C18:2 t) (16.56%).

The recommendation to consumers based on this information may help decrease the risk of death and illness from coronary heart disease and sudden heart attack by avoiding high trans fat foods or partially hydrogenated oil such as donuts, wafers, non-dairy creamer and margarine. Pathogens and must be treated and be improved for consuming purposes.