A discrete culprit

The use of reused oil and fat can be detrimental to public health and cause many diseases, including blood disorders and other ailments that affect the internal organs.

In the Sultanate of Oman, strict rules and regulations govern the use of cooking oil in restaurants and hotels. Still, some small-scale joints need to follow the best practices.

“There are so many risks of reheating frying oil several times, which leads to health complications such as stroke, obesity, chest pain, stomach pain, indigestion, and even heart disease, as high consumption of trans fats increases the levels of harmful cholesterol in the body,” suggests an official from the Muscat Municipality, who submitted a paper on the same. Accordingly, one should ensure the quality of food before going to a hotel.

The working paper entitled “Fats and oils in food processing and its impact on health,” introduced by the Muscat Municipality, represented by the Directorate-General of Health Affairs, as part of the seminar of the Oman Association for Consumer Protection, also included educational and informational aspects of the harms of oils and fats, and their direct relationship to obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and other disorders that harm the body.

Muscat Municipality has proposed several alternative solutions to reduce these damages, which the stakeholders duly acknowledged. Additionally, some precautions need to be taken, such as using olive oil in frying, frying without using oil, dry fried food with paper towels, and not waiting until the food becomes brown.

“It is our responsibility to raise awareness among consumers about the quality of foods and their relationship to consumer health and safety and to guide consumers on ways to ensure the suitability of consumables for use, especially food, which intersects with one of the most important competencies of Muscat Municipality in the field of food,” a representative from the Oman Association for Consumer Protection said.

@kabeeryousef