UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 12
A company marketing food products advertises that its items do not contain trans-fats. What does this campaign signify to the customers ?
- The food products are not made out of hydrogenated oils.
- The food products are not made out of animal fats/oils.
- The oils used are not likely to damage the cardiovascular health of the consumers.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Correct Option: C
Explanation: Trans fats, especially industrially produced partially hydrogenated fats, have adverse effects on LDL/HDL cholesterol and cardiovascular risk; “trans-fat-free” does not mean free of every animal fat.
Statement / Item-wise Analysis:
1: Correct - Correct in the intended 2011 context: avoiding industrial trans fats generally implies avoiding partially hydrogenated oils as ingredients.
2: Incorrect - Incorrect: animal fats can be present without the product having industrial trans fats, and ruminant fats can contain natural trans fats.
3: Correct - Correct in relative terms: using oils without harmful industrial trans fats is generally better for cardiovascular health.
Option-wise Analysis:
A: Incorrect - omits supported item 3.
B: Incorrect - includes unsupported item 2; omits supported item 1.
C: Correct - includes the supported statements and excludes the unsupported ones.
D: Incorrect - includes unsupported item 2.
Review Note: “Trans-fat-free” can have labelling thresholds and tiny residual trans fats; absence of industrial trans fat does not prove the product contains no hydrogenated ingredient in all jurisdictions.