Dr. Joop Kleibeuker of the European Dairy Association (EDA) claimed that while a number of peer reviewed studies already support its view that TFAs naturally present in some meat and dairy are not harmful, it continued to closely follow scientific development on the subject.
Last month, researchers from the VU University of Amsterdam used an oral presentation to outline findings of an as yet non-peer reviewed study suggesting TFAs may raise cholesterol no matter if they are industrially added or naturally occurring.
Industrially produced trans fats, formed during the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oil when converted into semi-solids for other food applications, have been linked to a number of health problems in research.
Trace amounts of TFAs are also found naturally in dairy and meat products, due to the rumen in milks, though the EDA said that scientific evidence had been less conclusive as to their health impacts in relation to the industrially formed variety.
Ongoing developments
Speaking to DairyReporter.com, Kleibeuker said that with ongoing development of research methods for scientific study, it would follow all developments closely and in certain situations even consider supporting some research.
Providing sufficient proof could be vital to the industry in its attempts to prevent having to label the presence of TFAs on their products, which are increasingly unpopular amongst consumers and manufacturer.
Nonetheless, despite this ongoing focus, the EDA says that it remains confident in the peer review science behind its position on trans fat sources, particularly over some reports on the affects for heart health.
“At normal to high consumption of dairy products, the intake of TFA formed in the rumen of animals does not appear to negatively affect health,“ claimed Kleibeuker.
Such a statement was not backed by findings presented by Ingeborg Brouwer PhD at November’s meeting of the American Heart Association.
Pointing to a randomised trial, Brouwer, from the VU University of Amsterdam, said that any diet high in trans fats, whether industrially or naturally-sourced, increased cholesterol levels and could be detrimental to heart health. The findings were taken from a nine-week study of 61 men and women.
However, Kleibeuker said that the test methodology, which through a controlled diet program, replaced seven per cent of fat intake – about 18.9 grams – with three different types of oil, was not a true reflection of diet.
“[The researchers] have used very high levels of TFA that are out of reasonable consumption patterns,” he said. “Is it realistic then to produce findings on such tests?”
Dutch findings
Brouwer, speaking at the event, accepted that naturally occurring TFAs were present at much lower levels than when added in processed foods, with test levels of the fatty acids therefore significantly higher than in a normal diet.
Doctor Robert Eckel of the University of Colorado Denver, who moderated the press conference announcing the Dutch findings, suggested that increasing pressure to ban industrial forms of TFA had led to a growing reliance on their natural counterparts.
Brouwer claims that natural sources have therefore become proportionately larger contributors to TFA intake in consumers though, adding that lower-fat meat and dairy goods may be a healthier alternative.
"The lower [in fat] it gets, the better it probably is," she stated, "I don't know how doable it is to get these trans fats out."
Methodology
Under the testing conditions, study subjects ate meals that came with margarine and a yoghurt drink for three weeks each.
According to the researchers, these products were dosed with either levels ofcis-9, trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid often found in milks and beef products, processed trans fats or a cholesterol-neutral control supplement.