Reduction of Trans Fatty Acid Content
Management information
Relevance to our business
Trans fatty acids (TFA) created during the production of processed foods have been linked to increased risk of coronary heart disease. In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) released an action package to reduce TFA intake. This action recommends national governments and food manufacturers to limit industrially produced TFA to less than 2 g/100 g of total fat or oil. This action should cover all foods by 2023.
The Fuji Oil Group has been working to commercialize products with low- or non-trans fatty acid oils and fats using interesterification and other technologies that do not create TFA in the production process. We plan to reduce TFA in all products to the WHO’s recommended level by 2023.
Basic approach
The Fuji Oil Group has contributed to lowering the general TFA intake levels in various regions in cooperation with our customers. In FY2019, we defined a basic approach and strengthened our in-house system to further enhance our initiatives on this issue. In line with the WHO’s recommendations, we aim by FY2023 to reduce TFA to less than 2 g/100 g of total fat or oil in our products in regions where the estimated TFA intake exceeds 1% of the total daily energy intake. This is based on our vision of “contributing to the society by creating the future of delicious and healthy foods,” declared in the Fuji Oil Group Management Philosophy.
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* Follow the link below to learn more about the Fuji Oil Group Management Philosophy.
Management system
The Chief Technology Officer (CTO) oversaw initiatives in this area in FY2020. To strengthen these initiatives, in FY2021 we changed our organization, appointing the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) to provide oversight. The ESG Committee,*1 an advisory body to the board of directors, has been monitoring the progress and results of initiatives as a material ESG issue.*2 The ESG Committee reports insights to the board of directors for review.
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*1 Follow the link below to learn more about the ESG Committee.
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*2 Follow the link below to learn more about material ESG issues.
https://www.fujioilholdings.com/en/sustainability/materiality/
Goals / Results
At least 90% complete At least 60% complete Less than 60% complete
| FY2020 Goals | FY2020 Results | Self-assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.: Assemble a system that meets the needs of customers for oil and fat products with low- or non-trans fat | Developed a system and designed chocolate product that uses a low-trans fat product that customers approve | |
| Group companies outside Japan: Set a target date for reducing TFA in products to less than 2 g/100 g of oil | Set a target date* for switching entirely to low-trans fat products at 10 overseas Group companies. |
- * For details on the target date, see the “Analysis” section.
Analysis
We made steady progress in reducing TFA in products thanks to legislation in countries around the world, improving customer understanding of the need to reduce TFA intake, and developing a Groupwide system for making reductions. So far, eight out of 16 relevant Group companies outside Japan have completed the switch to low-trans fat products.
| Group companies outside Japan | Target date for switching to low-trans fat products | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 or earlier | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
| FUJI OIL (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD. | ◎ | ||||
| PALMAJU EDIBLE OIL SDN. BHD. (Malaysia) | ◎ | ||||
| FUJI OIL (ZHANG JIA GANG) CO., LTD. (China) | ◎ | ||||
| PT. MUSIM MAS-FUJI (Indonesia) | ◎ | ||||
| SHANGHAI XUYANG FOOD CO., LTD. (China) | ◎ | ||||
| WOODLANDS SUNNY FOODS PTE. LTD. (Singapore) | ◎ | ||||
| PT. FREYABADI INDOTAMA (Indonesia) | ◎ | ||||
| HARALD INDÚSTRIA E COMÉRCIO DE ALIMENTOS LTDA (Brazil) | ◎ | ||||
| FUJI OIL EUROPE (Belgium) | Completed | ||||
| FUJI GLOBAL CHOCOLATE (M) SDN. BHD. (Malaysia) | Completed | ||||
| FREYABADI (THAILAND) CO., LTD. | Completed | ||||
| INDUSTRIAL FOOD SERVICES PTY. LTD. (Australia) | Completed | ||||
| FUJI OIL (THAILAND) CO., LTD. | Completed | ||||
| TIANJIN FUJI PROTEIN CO., LTD. (China) | Completed | ||||
| FUJI VEGETABLE OIL, INC. (America) | Completed | ||||
| BLOMMER CHOCOLATE COMPANY (America) | Completed | ||||
Next step
Maintaining product quality is critical when reducing TFA in products. While keeping this in mind, we set the following goals for FY2021.
- Reduce TFA in all products (to less than 2 g/100 g of oil) at Woodlands Sunny Foods Pte. Ltd. (Singapore), PT. Freyabadi Indotama (Indonesia), and Harald Indústria e Comércio de Alimentos Ltda (Brazil)*
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* To comply with regulations on the use of TFA that will take effect in 2021 in places such as Singapore and Brazil and to respond to a trend toward low trans fats in Southeast Asia.
Specific initiatives
Response to demand for non- and low-trans acid oils and fats
In FY2020, Fuji Oil Europe (Belgium) and Fuji Global Chocolate (M) Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia) completed the reduction of TFA in all products.
In the U.S., we have been building a new site in New Orleans to strengthen our production system and respond to increased demand for interesterified fats. Fuji Oil New Orleans, LLC (U.S.), the new site, is scheduled to begin operating in summer 2021.