WHO Validation Programme for Trans Fat Elimination
The 2025 cycle is now open!
WHO welcomes all interested Member States to examine the criteria and accompanying guidance and to apply for the 2025 Cycle by the 31st of August 2025.
Background
Trans-fatty acids (“TFA”) are one of the main risk factors for noncommunicable diseases, and increased TFA intake (>1% of total energy intake) is associated with coronary heart disease events and mortality. In 2018, WHO released the REPLACE action framework for TFA elimination and subsequently its six modules. These resources help Member States to eliminate industrially produced TFA from their national food supplies and replace it with healthier oils and fats.
The WHO Validation Programme for Trans Fat Elimination officially recognizes Member States that have established a regulatory framework to eliminate industrially produced trans fats from their national food supply.
To date, WHO has recognized
nine countries with this award across the following application cycles, each
recognition followed by a high-level ceremony.
Governance
The WHO Validation Programme will be structured around the following mechanisms.
Trans Fat Elimination Technical Advisory Group (TFATAG)
The TFATAG will be composed of international independent experts with professional experience and technical expertise in areas relevant to TFA elimination, including food and nutrition science, food technology, food laboratory science, food control and regulations, nutrition epidemiology, and food and nutrition policy, considering the principles of adequate geographical representation and gender balance. The TFATAG will meet at least once a year and will be convened by the WHO Secretariat.
The TFATAG will review and assess the applications and the accompanying supporting documentations, considering the evaluation reports prepared by the Trans Fat Evaluation Team (described below).
Based on such review and assessment, the TFATAG will make recommendations on the granting of the WHO Validation certificate to the WHO Director-General.
Trans Fat (TFA) Evaluation Team
The TFA Evaluation Team will be a sub-group of the TFATAG, composed of up to three of the TFATAG members. The TFA Evaluation Team will examine the Member States’ applications including all the supporting documentations. The TFA Evaluation Team may conduct country visits for further examination, if deemed necessary by the WHO Secretariat, following consultation with the TFATAG. The timing of the country visit will be determined by the WHO Secretariat, in consultation with relevant WHO Regional and Country Offices as well as the national authorities of the Member State concerned.
The TFA Evaluation Team will prepare an evaluation report of the Member States’ applications, to be further reviewed and assessed by the TFATAG which will then make recommendations on the granting of the WHO Validation certificate to the WHO Director-General.