PHO Market Mapping

The consumption of trans-fatty acids (TFA) has been linked to heart disease, causing avoidable death and disease in all regions of the world. Most TFA in the food supply are industrially produced and created through the process of partially hydrogenating oils. Such oil – referred to as PHO – contains dangerous levels of TFA; yet is used in a wide variety of products.

Food supply chains – and how PHO enters and moves through such supply chains – can vary significantly from country to country. Mapping the PHO market can help to determine which type of measure is a good fit for a country working to eliminate industrially produced TFA from its food supply. PHO mapping can also help to determine what types of monitoring and enforcement schemes may be most effective and should be written into the measure and implemented.

GHAI’s “Partially Hydrogenated Oil (PHO) Market Mapping: Identifying Sources of Industrially Produced Trans-Fatty Acids in the Food Supply” provides guidance for developing PHO market research, including a recommended methodology and key questions to answer. Click below to access and download the report.

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We suggest using the report in conjunction with a GHAI tool called “Key Considerations for Regulating Trans Fat: How to Design a Measure to Fit Your Country’s Legal and Food System,” which contains more detail on ways to use PHO market data to inform the development of strong TFA measures. Other useful resources include two sampling protocols GHAI developed with Resolve to Save Lives for the rapid assessment of TFA in fats, oils and foods.