Palm oil and coconut fat banned by law in Belgium?

Palm oil and coconut fat banned by law in Belgium?

Two senators from CD&V (The Flemish Christian Democratic Party), Sabine de Bethune and Cindy Franssen, recently submitted a  bill in Belgium  to ban trans fats in the diet. In itself a commendable initiative, because the link between trans fats and cardiovascular disease has been  scientifically proven . In countries such as Switzerland, Denmark, Iceland and Austria, trans fats are already banned in the diet, as are the  restaurants in New York .

What is striking when reading the bill is that coconut oil and palm oil are being surreptitiously involved in the ban. Palm and coconut oil, along with cocoa butter, are the vegetable oils with the highest content of saturated fatty acids. However, vegetable saturated fatty acids are absolutely not trans fats. On the contrary, in addition to the natural trans fats of animal origin, trans fats are created precisely by the industrial hydrogenation of unsaturated vegetable fats such as we find in margarines.

It is very strange how in the explanatory memorandum to this bill the dangers of trans fatty acids are discussed at length, while the ban on palm and coconut oil is hardly explained or justified in it. However, in the bill all these fats are subject to the same strict standard: a maximum of 2 grams per 100 grams of oil or fat. The notes state that palm oil and coconut oil are “likely to be as harmful as trans fatty acids,” a claim that cannot be substantiated by scientific research.

It becomes completely hilarious when you consider that these vegetable saturated fats are increasingly promoted as a health product, while the bill paints them as unhealthy. Coconut oil is said to protect  against diabetes , cocoa butter is mandated by the legislator as a mandatory ingredient (at least 25%) to be able to speak of "real" chocolate, and red palm oil is  advertised as a natural antioxidant .

Is it a coincidence that coconut and palm oil is produced outside the EU, especially in Asia? While the EU is the  third largest producer of sunflower oil  and the largest producer of  olive oil  and  rapeseed oil  . Or how a disguised form of protectionism is being created under the guise of concern for public health. Follow the money and you suddenly understand the political choices. (thanks to Luc van Breaker)

 

Update May 25, 2013: In response to this article, the Senate of the CD&V has sent us the following response:

Palm oil and coconut fat banned by law in Belgium?

Dear,

This is a response on behalf of both MPs, namely Sabine de Bethune and Cindy Franssen. We would like to add a little nuance to it.

Our bill is in line with a restriction of trans fatty acids as recommended by the Superior Health Council (SHC) in its advisory report 8666.

With regard to the restriction of coconut oil and palm oil, the SHC advises against replacing trans fatty acids with palm oil and coconut oil. We quote from advice 8666 of the SHC: “ 2.5. The SHC emphasizes the importance of replacing trans fatty acids with oils or fats that do not contain a high content of certain saturated fatty acids (such as palmitic, myristic and lauric acid).

The SHC will soon focus on developing detailed advice on the use of palm oil in many foods. We therefore consider it advisable to await this advice.

In view of the first recommendation (8666) of the SHC, we believed that the issue of trans fatty acids should not only be debated, but also the issue of palm oil and coconut oil. We realize that a European regulation would be much more effective and efficient, but as politicians who promote public health and are responsible for protecting Belgian consumers, we want to initiate the debate and consult with stakeholders and nutritionists, in order to refine our bill and adjust it where necessary.

As you can notice, our bill is certainly not final. It is especially important that the debate is conducted in the context of our public health.

With kind regards,

Bart Cores

Spokesperson CD&V Senate faction 0485/82.38.58