KARACHI: Speakers at a programme held on Thursday at Karachi University (KU) underscored the need for minimising use of industrially produced trans-fatty acids in making edible oil and ghee, linking its consumption to increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

The event – a training session aimed at supporting local industry in this regard – was organised by KU’s department of food science and technology in collaboration with Nutrition International (NI), a non-profit organisation.

Speaking at the programme, Sindh Food Secretary Ghulam Abbas Naich emphasised that Pakistan must align with globally recognised food standards by reducing industrial trans-fat to a maximum of two percent.

He called for collaboration among industry, research institutions and the food department, stressing that only joint efforts could help implement these standards.

Industries will be supported in reducing trans-fatty acids in products, participants told

“Healthy and balanced nutrition is the fundamental right of every citizen. Enforcement alone is not effective without a genuine partnership between the government and the industry.”

Mr Naich highlighted the need for a strong foundation to ensure supply of nutritious food. He noted that regulatory authorities were striving to manage these issues, but collective action was required.

KU Vice Chancellor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi talked about how poor quality food contributed to disease.

He urged society to trust science and facts rather than myths, pointing out that timely and accurate diagnosis was the only effective way to control illnesses.

“Many of us remain unaware of their heart condition until it is too late,” he regretted, rejecting the common belief that heart disease only affected the elderly.

“Today, young people are increasingly falling victim to heart disease due to poor dietary habits and lack of physical activity,” he noted, while emphasising that universities had a vital role in addressing sensitive societal issues and analysing them from multiple perspectives.

Sharing local data, Associate Prof Syed Muhammad Ghufran Saeed revealed that three out of every 10 deaths in Pakistan had been linked to heart disease.

“It’s deeply alarming. The country has also been seeing a serious surge in cases of diabetes. This disease imposes an annual management cost of nearly $7bn, placing a heavy burden on the national economy.”

He identified industrial trans-fatty acids as the key contributor to these dangerous diseases, stressing that without public awareness and promotion of healthy diets, controlling them would remain impossible.

He informed participants that the KU-NI training programme focused on developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for reducing industrial trans-fat in edible oil and ghee.

“These SOPs aim to encourage product reformulation at the industrial level to align with public health goals and regulatory requirements,” he said.

Dr Abdul Haq presented an innovative solution based on Oleogel technology, which offers healthier alternatives to trans-fat-based products while maintaining desired structural and sensory qualities in food.

In his remarks, SFA technical director Dr Ahmed Ali Sheikh stressed the urgency of effective measures to prevent heart disease. He held out the assurance that the SFA would play its full role in addressing the issue seriously and announced that all edible oil industries would be brought on board to implement mitigation strategies against industrial trans fatty acids.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2026