Ilonggo solon warns public vs. ‘killer fats' in fastfood joints

A neophyte Ilonggo solon recently called for government action on the operation of all franchised food chains in the country. The reason? The risks posed by a “killer fat” called Trans Fattty Acid (TFA) that recently caused international fastfood company, McDonald's to settle a lawsuit in California for $8.5 million.

Alarmed by the report, Rep. Janette Garin (First District, Iloilo), chair of the House Committee on Oversight on Health Matters checked on extensive studies made on TFAs and expressed greater concern on the consistent link made to popular fastfood chains and mass production of baked and processed goods here.

“If America is worried given their technology and stringent health measures, well-funded healthcare programs, strict dietary guidelines, how much more for us here? The world is alarmed over the silent killer in TFA.  When are we taking action ourselves? Let us do it now and not send our children and our families to their early graves,” Rep. Garin said.

TFA is a “bad fat” that is known to be present in burgers, fried chicken and French fries of fastfood joints as well as in baked and processed goods.  These after the wide use of partially-hydrogenated oil (PHO) for their large-scale frying.   PHO is the leading source of TFA.  Health Department officials admits there is no legislation that would prevent local fastfood companies and bakeries in using the cheaper oil that contains TFAs rather than the healthy oils in vegetable and corn oils “but we have suggested it .. we will have to look again into the practice,” said Department of Health Undersecretary Ethylen Nieto in a news story that recently appeared in national broadsheet Manila standard. 

“We need to know our ‘TFA situation' here and let our people understand the clear and present danger it poses.  Sure, ultimately the responsibility lies with the consumer to choose the right foods. However, this is more easily said than done when millions are spent in advertising with misleading images of healthy, happy families heading out for their favorite transfatty acid fast food fix.  The government has a responsibility in this regard and I see the need to legislate laws that would ensure a risk-free fastfood operation to the public,” the lady solon further explained.

Yet why single out fastfood joints?

“Because TFA studies consistently direct this to these establishments. Because given the rise and seeming overnight success of these establishments, there is a need for them to at least equal their efforts in informing their clientele of the nutritional value of their products, they have a bigger responsibility in ensuring that their produce contains no ill-effects on the long run, because TFA is a silent killer said to be present in their “fast-foods,” baked and processed goods,” she continued.  “The government cannot just close its eyes and say that maybe now is not the time to address this.  Again, the government cannot send our children to their early graves.  The government must legislate to regulate the food industry in terms of TFA-use and similar harmful ‘ingredient.'  By knowing our “TFA situation,” the government would be able to come in and help the food industry in this regard.  If we have no idea how good or bad it is, we are left fighting a health battle that we may never win.  If by this move we discover and manage to validate that TFA is not even a problem nor a practice in Filipino fastfoods and Filipino chains of baked and processed foods, then we work on informing the rest of the world, America even so they may learn from our good example and join Denmark in the short-list of TFA-free countries.”

In a privilege speech, Garin who is a physician by profession rallied the support of colleagues in the Lower House to heed international warning against TFA content in fastfood foods.  Such, as the lady solon noted how heart diseases rank first as the killer disease among Filipinos.

“As a result of the chemistry of cravings, people who eat more junk food crave more junk food; those who eat more nutritious foods crave more nutritious foods. The nutritionally rich get richer, and the nutritionally poor get poorer,” she ended.