Muscat: The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and Water Resources has issued a decision banning the production, import and/or marketing of Partially Hydrogenated Oils (PHOs), and food products in which these oils are used.

Partially hydrogenated oil contains trans fat that can raise cholesterol and result in health complications. In 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that partially hydrogenated oil is not safe, and removing it from food could prevent thousands of heart attacks each year.

This decision shall come into force after 3 months from the date of publication in the official gazette.

Partially hydrogenated oil (PHO) is a solid form of vegetable oil that has undergone hydrogenation. This process adds hydrogen molecules to the liquid vegetable oil and transforms it into a solid at room temperature. During this process, trans fat forms. Trans fat is the worst type of fat to consume because it lowers your body’s “good” cholesterol and raises the “bad” kind.