[Trans fatty acids in nutrition labeling and ingredient listing of prepackaged products in Costa Rica, 2022Ácidos graxos

Objective: To analyze the content of industrially produced trans fatty acids stated in the nutrition labeling and ingredients list of prepackaged products marketed in Costa Rica. Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study analyzing the presence and content of industrially produced trans fatty acids stated in the nutritional labeling and ingredients list of 7,402 prepackaged foods in two supermarket chains in Costa Rica. The analysis was based on the current policy of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on this subject. Results: Of the 7,402 prepackaged products studied, 40.8% made a statement on industrially produced trans fatty acids. Of these, 95.5% declared 0 grams and the rest stated more than 0 and less than 8 grams per 100 grams of product. Most of the collected products that reported fatty acids contained an excessive amount of energy, according to the PAHO nutrient profiling model. Forty-nine percent of the products exceeded 2 grams of industrially produced trans fats per 100 grams of total fat; less than 0.7% (n = 52) reported hydrogenated fatty acids; 0.4% (n = 29) reported partially hydrogenated oils; and only one product reported both. Conclusions: The presence of trans fatty acids persists in a considerable proportion of marketed products, especially in cakes, cookies, and breads. Nutrition labeling should be mandatory in Costa Rica and regulations should be established to prohibit the presence of hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fatty acids in industrialized products.