Comparison between Experimentally Determined Total, Saturated and Trans Fat Levels and Levels Reported on the Labels of Cookies and Bread sold in Brazil

In Brazil, the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) made the labeling of trans fats in foods mandatory from July 2006. The claim “trans fat free” can be used only for foods with trans fat content lower than 0.2g and saturated fat content lower than 2g per serving. This study determined fatty acid profile by gas chromatography and total fat content of nine cookie types and three bread types and the results obtained were compared with the values reported on the labels of these products. According to the results, 92% of the products contained trans fat, although only 33% reported this on their labels. There was no significant difference with the experimentally determined levels of the products that reported the presence of trans fat. In 67% of the products that reported an absence of trans fat on their labels, less than 0.2g of trans fat per serving was experimentally detected. The results revealed that the food product manufacturers studied are labeling trans fat content properly according to the law as they report products that have less than 0.2g trans fat as “trans fat free”. However, it bears noting that claiming that a product is free of trans fat on the label does not always guarantee that it is not present in the product and that the maximum suggested daily intake of 2g will not be exceeded relatively easily considering that consumers do not always consume only the amount identified as the serving size on the label. Also, the paper enabled a discussion about the lack of standardization in the description of fat used as ingredient in foods.