International Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA) Enhanced Commitment to Phase out Industrially Produced Trans-Fatty Acids
The International Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA), which brings together 12 leading food and non-alcoholic beverage companies, is determined to innovate and optimize the composition of members’ products in order to help contribute to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) goal of eliminating industrially produced trans-fat (iTFA) from the global food supply by 2023.
Over the years, IFBA members have been working to remove iTFA from their products and have made substantial progress. In 2016, IFBA member companies committed to reducing iTFA in their products worldwide to no more than 1 g trans-fatty acid per 100 g of product by the end of 2018. This commitment has been achieved in an estimated 98.5% of IFBA company products worldwide, through the phase out of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) as food ingredients.
Building on this progress, IFBA member companies committed in 2018 to explore alignment with the WHO’s 2018 recommendation for a maximum iTFA threshold in food products not exceeding 2 g iTFA per 100 g fat/oil.
IFBA member companies commit to not exceed 2 g iTFA per 100 g fat/oil in their products worldwide by 2023, in line with the WHO’s overall objective of phasing out iTFA from the global food supply by that date.
In support of both WHO Guidelines recommending a maximum 1% total energy intake from all trans-fat and an intake of saturated fat not exceeding 10% of total energy intake, IFBA member companies will seek wherever possible to avoid that reformulation efforts to meet this iTFA commitment result in increases in saturated fat content.
IFBA member companies further remain committed to working in collaboration with governments, health authorities, civil society and food and beverage industry associations to share best practices and help guide other companies, particularly Small and Medium Enterprises, through the process of substituting PHOs. We call on food producers in all sectors to take prompt action and we stand ready to support effective measures in this area.
Geneva, 2 May 2019
