A REMARKABLE thing happened in Parliament recently: members from all parties put aside their differences to vote together.
Usually, such multipartisanship shines only during crisis. This time it was a concern for the health of Canadians.
A motion was passed giving the government one year to introduce rules or legislation that “effectively eliminates” trans fatty acids in foods.
Such co-operation in Parliament is laudable. But although we agree that trans fats are nasty things that require regulation, good intentions can’t be allowed to mask common sense.
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Most trans fats come from partly hydrogenated vegetable oil, a process that involves heating in the presence of hydrogen. This causes the liquid oil to turn into a solid, such as margarine, at room temperature. It makes frying oils more stable and extends the shelf life of packaged products.
Before hydrogenation, these attributes were met by using animal fats and tropical oils such as palm and coconut, foods high in saturated fat. But scientists urged change because of concerns that eating saturated fat increases heart disease risk.
The food industry acted but unwittingly moved to trans fats, which are presumed to be even worse for heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
The government already has rules that will soon require trans fats to be labelled. It has created a task force with representation from the food industry, health associations, academics and government to develop plans to reduce trans fats to the lowest levels possible.
These initiatives are the best way to prompt the needed change. Momentum is building as consumers become more knowledgeable and processors respond to buyers’ desires.
Parliament will err next year if it simply imposes an immediate ban on trans fats but fails to ensure that the replacements produce a healthier diet.
One danger is that an immediate ban might press food processors to simply return to use of saturated fats that were abandoned 30 years ago.
The food industry needs time to research and develop healthier products and the seed industry needs time to develop more and better varieties of high oleic canola for use by farmers.
Farmers, in turn, will need time to increase the acreage of this canola as rotations and profits dictate. Regular canola oil does not contain trans fats, and high oleic canola oil, also free of trans fats, can be used in commercial frying to replace hyrdogenated oils.
The need to cut trans fats is clear but not urgent. After all, there are more dangerous products, such as cigarettes and alcohol, that government has not banned.
The best course for Parliament is to read the task force report when it is issued next year. It may well have a strategy that meets the goal of eliminating trans fats from Canadian diets without the need for legislated prohibition.
