About
Hydrogenated vegetable fat is produced by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils under heat and pressure, converting them into semi-solid or solid fats with improved stability and extended shelf life. It is widely used in baked goods, margarine, shortenings, and fried foods for texture, plasticity, and resistance to rancidity.
Safety summary
Partially hydrogenated vegetable fats are the primary dietary source of industrially produced trans fatty acids (iTFAs), which raise LDL ('bad') cholesterol and substantially increase the risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular death. The US FDA declared partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) not Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) in 2015 and banned their addition to foods by June 2018; the WHO launched its REPLACE action package in 2018 calling for global elimination of industrially produced trans fats by 2023. Fully hydrogenated vegetable oils (containing negligible trans fat but high saturated fat) remain permitted under specific conditions in some jurisdictions, but the two forms are frequently conflated on ingredient labels.
Regulatory landscape
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Banned | FDA issued its final determination in June 2015 that PHOs are not GRAS; manufacturers were prohibited from adding PHOs to foods after June 18, 2018. Fully hydrogenated oils (negligible trans fat) remain permissible. A direct final rule to formally revoke any residual PHO uses was subsequently issued.source |
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Restricted | Regulation (EU) 2019/649 limits industrial trans fatty acids (iTFAs) to a maximum of 2 g per 100 g of fat or oil in food products sold to final consumers and food producers, applicable from April 1, 2021. EFSA and the European Commission concluded that a legal content limit was the most effective public health measure for iTFA control.source |
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Restricted | FSSAI gazetted regulations in February 2021 capping industrial TFA at ≤3% of total fats/oils by January 2021 and ≤2% by January 2022, applicable to partially hydrogenated vegetable fats, vanaspati, margarine, bakery shortenings, and all food products in which these are ingredients. Mandatory declaration of trans fat and saturated fat content on labels is also required.source |
Who should approach with care
Research citations
- 1FDA. Trans Fat | FDA, 2024. fda.gov
- 2FSSAI. India@75: Freedom from Trans Fats by 2022 – FSSAI Press Release, 2021. fssai.gov.in
- 3PubMed. The Demise of Artificial Trans Fat: A History of a Public Health Achievement, 2021. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 4WHO. REPLACE: An action package to eliminate industrially-produced trans-fatty acids from global food supply, 2018. who.int
- 5FDA. Final Determination Regarding Partially Hydrogenated Oils (Removing Trans Fat), 2015. fda.gov
