Variability in trans fatty acid content of selected local and imported foods in Jordan

Trans fatty acids are commercially produced when unsaturated fatty acids undergo hydrogenation. To the best of our knowledge, information on TFA content of local and international foods in Jordon are not available. The aim of this study was to analyze TFA content of selected Arabic foods including imported and locally produced foods to explore the variability in TFA content among food groups and within a product category. A total of 122 local and imported commercial foods were analyzed using gas liquid chromatography. Data showed that average TFA levels in foods groups in Jordan varied from 2.46 +/- 0.97 g/100g fat to high up to 5.6 +/- 4.9 g/100g fat. Bread and bakery group contained 2.46% TFA, milk and dairy products (3.87%), sausages & Luncheon meats (3.84%), snacsks (3.93%) while fast food (4.16%), fats and oils (4.5%) and baked sweets (5.6%) contained higher levels of TFA. Among milk and dairy products, TFA content of the traditional foods in this food group such as Jameed and Arabic cheese were 3.64% and 4.8%, respectively. Similarly, the % of TFA varied considerably within the snacks group ranging from very low of 1.47% in chips up to 20.38% in popcorn. Among fast foods group, the highest percentage of TFA was found in Shawerma and burgers (5.6% and 5.31%, respectively). In baked sweets, TFA content has accounted for 2.45 - 20.76 g/100g fat; the highest percentage of TFA has been observed in doughnuts and Baqlawa. The TFA content ranged from 1.54 - 7.23% 100g fat in a locally produced fast food items sucha as falafel. The amount of TAF (g/100 g fat) in 9 Arabic sweet items and 8 samples of sweet biscuits varied significantly. Considerably variations in TFA content were also seen in two samples of French fries that ranged from 2.49 to 5.76 g/100 g of fat. Among the imported food items, the levels of TFA in five popcorn items ranged from 2% to over 40% as compated to 1.26% in a locally produced popcorn. In conclusion, this study provides a large database on TFA levels in foods and food groups that are consumed in Amman, Jordan. It also demonstrates a wide variation in TFA content in different brands of the same food item. Thus, regulations should be made to control TFA content in foods, particularly by controlling the use of hydrogenated fats in food production and to include TFA content on food labels. Labelling regulations should also include fast foods due to the fact that a sample of 4-5 medium pieces of falagel contains an average of similar to 4% of TFA and one sandwich of shawerma (=similar to 135 g) contains up to 5.6% of TFA.