Repeated use of cooking oil poses serious heart health risks: BFSA chairman

Repeatedly used or burnt cooking oil poses serious risks to heart health, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) Chairman Md Shafiqul Islam said on Wednesday, urging consumers and food businesses to avoid using it.

“Of all the enemies of the heart, burnt cooking oil is among the most dangerous. We must avoid it both at the individual and business levels,” he said.

He made the remarks at a seminar titled “Harmful Effects of Used Cooking Oil on Human Health and the Environment”, jointly organised by the BFSA and Biotech Energy Ltd at the BFSA headquarters in Dhaka.

The BFSA chairman urged food businesses to prioritise consumer confidence by using fresh cooking oil, even if this means charging slightly higher prices.

“If a businessman fries a singara in fresh oil instead of burnt oil and charges a little more, people will still choose the one made with fresh oil. Businesses need to create that trust,” he said.

On the safe disposal of used cooking oil, Islam said handing it over to specialised companies such as Biotech Energy could offer an effective solution, benefiting both businesses and the environment. He assured that the BFSA would continue to support such initiatives.

BFSA member Dr Mohammad Shoaib presented the keynote paper at the seminar, chaired by fellow member Md Anwarul Islam Sarker.

In his presentation, Shoaib discussed how used cooking oil is generated, its harmful effects on human health and the environment, the importance of safe edible oil consumption, the risks associated with trans-fatty acids and measures to control trans-fat.

He said repeatedly using edible oil increases the risks of high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attacks, fat accumulation in blood vessels, liver damage and cancer.

BFSA members A N M Nazim Uddin and Dr Mohammad Mostafa attended as special guests. They stressed the need to convert used cooking oil into biodiesel rather than dispose of it in ways that harm human health and the environment.

Biotech Energy Managing Director Abdullah Al Hamid said the company currently collects more than 100 tonnes of used cooking oil every month from at least 3,000 food establishments across the country.

“We hope to increase the collection to 1,000 tonnes a month by 2030,” he said, adding that the company produces biodiesel from the collected oil at its plant in Savar.

He also said one litre of used cooking oil could contaminate nearly one million litres of water.

Officials from the BFSA, representatives of Biotech Energy, business representatives, media personnel and other stakeholders attended the seminar.