Assessing Trans Fat Levels in Street Foods of Tbilisi: A Public Health Concern (2021)

Background: Industrially produced trans fats (TFA) are associated with significant public health risks, contributing to non-communicable diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends limiting TFA intake to less than 1% of total energy intake. However, street foods often contain high levels of TFA. Street food is widely consumed in Tbilisi, Georgia, but data on its TFA content is limited. This study assesses TFA levels in various street foods, providing detailed insights. Methods: Data were obtained from the 2021 Feed Cities Survey in Tbilisi. A random sample of 80 street food items was collected from 120 different vendors, with 20 food types, each sampled four times. TFA and total fat content were analyzed using gas chromatography. Descriptive statistics were calculated for both trans fat and total fat content per 100 grams and per portion for each street food item. ANOVA, Pearson correlation and regression analyses were used to estimate differences between food categories and explore predictors of TFA levels. Results: The mean TFA content was 0.13 g per 100 grams of food and 0.31 g per typical serving size provided by the street vendor. Khachapuri (Georgian traditional cheese bread) varieties had the highest TFA levels per portion, significantly differed from other food categories (p < 0.001). Total fat content per portion and portion size were positively associated with TFA levels (r = 0.66, p < 0.01 and r = 0.38, p < 0.01, respectively). Regression analysis showed total fat per portion as a significant predictor of TFA (p < 0.001), explaining 43% of the variance in TFA levels. Conclusions: Although Georgia's regulations set a limit of 2 g of TFA per 100 g of fat, our findings show that some traditional street foods, particularly Khachapuri, may still contribute significantly to TFA intake. While TFA levels were below the regulatory limit, larger portion sizes and frequent consumption could exceed the WHO’s daily recommended intake. These results highlight the need for stricter enforcement, continuous monitoring and public health strategies to reduce trans fat intake, total fat content, and portion sizes.