Nutrient Profiles

Vegetable oils are an important ingredient in domestic food preparation, where they can constitute a healthy choice.  In this context it is important for vegetable oil producers to be able to inform consumers about the benefits of individual vegetable oils with different fat compositions so that they may be able to select a balanced diet.

The dietary role and importance of vegetable oils (e.g. main dietary source of unsaturated fatty acids) have been acknowledged by EFSA in its report on the setting of nutrient profiles for food bearing nutrition and health claims (EFSA, 2008).

Consequently, vegetable bottled oils deserve a specific attention in the context of the setting of nutrient profiles, since they are directly linked to the basic raw material composition that cannot be easily changed.

Hence, FEDIOL could support that vegetable bottled oils fall within a ‘vegetable oil and spreadable fat’ category with a cut-off criteria for saturated fats (SAFA) set at 33% (fat basis). This proposed level is indeed in line with the WHO recommendations for SAFA.
This would also enable further innovation and product development in the vegetable oil industry.