IFBA Press Release on WHO and Elimination of Trans Fat

International Food & Beverage Companies Support the Call by the World Health Organization and Resolve to Save Lives for the Elimination of Industrially Produced Trans Fat from the Global Food Supply 

Geneva, 14 May 2018 – The International Food & Beverage Alliance (IFBA) today announced its support for the call by the World Health Organization and non-governmental organization, Resolve to Save Lives, for the elimination of industrially produced trans fat from the global food supply by 2023.

“We welcome this action by the World Health Organization and Resolve,” said Rocco Renaldi, Secretary-General of IFBA. “Two years ago, IFBA member companies committed to reduce industrially produced trans fat in their products worldwide to nutritionally insignificant levels by the end of 2018. Our progress has been significant – at the end of 2017, on an aggregated basis, we estimate that industrially produced trans fat had been removed from 98.8% of IFBA companies’ global product portfolios.”

The success of IFBA member’s efforts are the result of replacing partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) with non-PHO solutions, wherever possible with unsaturated fats, such as high oleic oils, without sacrificing quality and taste.

“We are committed to working in collaboration with governments, civil society and the food and beverage industry to share best practices and call on all food producers in all sectors to join the effort to achieve this public health priority,” continued Renaldi.

The text of IFBA’s statement can be accessed here.