Gulf Standard                                                                                                                       GSO……/201 3 
 
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GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO)  
 
  
Final  draft 
 
GSO5  / DS ….: 2013  
  
Trans Fatty Acids   
 
 
Prepared by:  
 
 Gulf technical committee for sector standards of  
Food and agriculture products  
 
 
This docum ent is a draft Gulf standard circulated for comments, it is therefore, subject 
to alteration and modification, and may not be referred as a Gulf standard, until 
approved by the Board of Directors.  
 Gulf Standard                                                                                                                       GSO……/201 3 
 
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Foreword  
 
 
GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) is a re gional Organization which consists of the 
National Standards Bodies of GCC member States. One of GSO main functions is to issue 
Gulf Standards/ Technical regulations through specialized technical committees (TCs).  
GSO through the technical program of commi ttee TC No.(5) “Gulf technical committee 
for sector Standards of Foods and Agricultural products” has prepared the Gulf Standard  
for " Trans Fats  "   . The draft Standard has been prepared by Saudi Arabia .  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Gulf Standard                                                                                                                       GSO……/201 3 
 
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1.Scope : 
This standard applies  to the maximum amount allowed for  trans fatty acid and 
declaring the trans fatty acid on the nutrition label per serving  
 
2.Complementary references:  
 
2.1 GSO 15 M ethods of sampling for edible oils and fats  
2.2 GSO (…) Methods of determination of trans fatty acids  
2.3 GSO CAC2 Guidelines on nutritional labeling  
 
 
 
3.Definitions : 
 
Trans fats:  
Are the geometrical isomers of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated 
fatty acids having non -conjugated carbon -carbon double bonds in the 
trans configuration interrupt ed by at least one methylene group . 
 
 
 
 Gulf Standard                                                                                                                       GSO……/201 3 
 
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4. General Requirements:  
The following requirement shall be met:  
Maximum trans fat content  of vegetable oils and soft  spreadable margarines is 2% 
of the total fat, and the trans fat content for all other foods  is 5% of the total fat 
content including ingredients sold to restaurants.  
 
5. Methods of sampling : 
Sampling should be made according to standard mentioned in GSO 2.1  
 
6. Methods  of Test:  
Determining trans fatty acids content should be made according to s tandard 
mentioned in GSO 2.2  
 
7. Labeling : 
Without prejudice to the requirements specified in Gulf st andards mentioned in 2.3  
and the following information shall be declared : 
 
7.1 Net Content : Gulf Standard                                                                                                                       GSO……/201 3 
 
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 The amount of trans fatty acids in a food,  including dietary su pplements shall be 
included in the Nutrition Facts and the content is expressed in grams  and the 
percentage of the Daily Value  is showed  in a column on the right side of the 
Nutrition Facts table.  
 
 
7.2  Trans Fat Declaration : 
“trans fatty acids” and “tra ns fat”  can be used interchangeably. "trans" is shown 
indented underneath the " Fat" declaration, in the same section as the " Saturated 
fatty acid" decl aration, and the word "trans" is italicized.  
 
 7.3. label Exception :  
label declaration of trans fat co ntent information is not required for products that 
contain less than 0.5 gram of total fat in a 100 g  if no claims are made about 
Cholesterol, S aturated, Monounsaturated , Polyunsaturated or T rans fatty acids . 
 
7.4. Trans F at claims:  
Where a claim that a f ood product “trans fat free” is made on the label or in an 
advertisement, the amount of trans fat  shall be less than 0.5 gram of total fat  in 
100g . 
 
 
 
 
 
 Gulf Standard                                                                                                                       GSO……/201 3 
 
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References : 
Food and Drug Regulations  (C.R.C., c. 870)  
GUIDELINES ON NUTRITION LABELLING. CAC/GL 2 - 1985