Bioavailability of Trans and Saturated Fatty Acids in Stuffed Cookies and Wafers Produced in Brazil

Several scientific studies highlight that trans fatty acids are harmful to health. The World Health Organization (WHO) considering the presence of trans fat in food recommends its total elimination by the year 2023. The Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency’s (ANVISA) Collegiate Board Resolution (RDC) No. 54, from November 2012, establishes that only foods with trans fat levels lower ≤ 0.1 g per portion can claim zero trans on the label. Stuffed cookies and wafers are important representatives of ultra-processed foods containing high levels of sugars and fats, being widely consumed for their low cost and accessibility. The objective of this study was to evaluate the levels of trans and saturated fat by gas chromatography (AOAC Official Method 996.06) in stuffed cookies and wafers, 31 stuffed cookies and 33 wafers were analyzed in the city of São Paulo, evaluating the amount of trans fats, between 0.01 to 1.56 g/serving and 0.01 and 2.56 g / serving in the filled wafers and cookies respectively. Therefore, it was found that some brands of stuffed wafers and wafers still present large amounts of trans fat in their composition causing risks to the consumer’s health