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Assessment of Trans Fatty Acid Level in French Fries from Various Fast Food Outlets in Karachi, Pakistan

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the trans fat level in French fries sold in different fast food outlets in Karachi. In the present study, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy was used for the quantification of trans fatty acid (TFA). A number of studies have been reported on trans fat in different regions of the world, but no categorical study has yet discussed the trans fat in fast food products in Karachi. Amongst the samples examined, the total trans fatty acid content was in the range of 0.11 ± 0.01–24.00 ± 0.25 %. Most of the samples contain a high percentage of TFA. There is an urgent need to monitor and regulate the level of trans fat in order to reduce the health risk to the consumers of fast food items in Karachi, Pakistan.

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Acknowledgments

The Dean Faculty of Science, University of Karachi, is gratefully acknowledged for providing research funding for this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan

    Zahida Karim

  2. H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan

    Khalid Mohammed Khan, Shakeel Ahmed & Aneela Karim

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  1. Zahida Karim
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  2. Khalid Mohammed Khan
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  3. Shakeel Ahmed
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  4. Aneela Karim
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Correspondence to Zahida Karim.

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Karim, Z., Khan, K.M., Ahmed, S. et al. Assessment of Trans Fatty Acid Level in French Fries from Various Fast Food Outlets in Karachi, Pakistan. J Am Oil Chem Soc 91, 1831–1836 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-014-2530-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11746-014-2530-2

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