Close eye to be kept on trans fats (2)

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But Chen Chunming, a veteran nutritionist, said trans fat consumption in China is rising, because people are eating more processed food. Processed food accounts for less than 30 percent of food consumption in China, compared with 60 percent in the US.

Chen Junshi, from the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, said the center will constantly track consumption levels and make policy proposals when needed.

Deng Haihua, a spokesman for the National Health and Family Planning Commission, said health and nutrition education will be improved.

"We've followed closely the health impact of trans fats globally and have taken some measures in China for public guidance," he said.

A 2012 study by the WHO found that death rates from cardiovascular disease were twice as high among people eating food high in trans fats, saturated fat, calories and salt.

The regional study compared countries with healthier food policies, including Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and Britain, which has no such policies.

It predicted that a ban on industrial trans fats in Britain, a country of more than 63 million people according to a 2011 census, could help save up to 5,000 lives a year.

In China, from January the level of trans fats has to be highlighted on the nutrition information label for processed food containing hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fat.

If there is less than 0.3 grams in each 100 grams of the food, the amount of trans fats can be labeled as zero.

Yang Yuexin, a nutrition researcher with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said, "The label rule will help consumers make the right choice for healthy eating."

Deng said trans fat limits have been set for baby food products, where they should account for no more than 3 percent of total fatty acids.

Fu Hong, an associate professor at the College of Biological Science and Technology at Fuzhou University, said such rules will help domestic food producers to improve processing methods.

Zhu Nianling, director of the China Association of Bakery and Confectionery Industry, said trans fats within certain limits are acceptable in food processing. Chen Rongrong, general manager of the essence and spice unit at Hangzhou Wahaha Group, the country's leading beverage producer, said there is a difference between artificial trans fats and those created during food processing.

Wang Zhuoqiong contributed to this story.

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