In May, the Jordanian Food and Drug Administration decreed that hydrogenated oils are “the most important dietary source of industrial produced trans-fat” and must be eliminated from dairy products produced or sold in Jordan. Although the oils will still be allowed in some products like chips or chocolate, dairy is treated as a “sensitive product” due to its importance for the Jordanian diet.

To ease the approval process, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said U.S. exporters should label their dairy products as containing “no trans-fats.” Additionally, USDA warns, “If the label or ingredients have any percentage of vegetable oil, Jordanian customs authorities will potentially reject the shipment.”

Companies exporting dairy products to Jordan will have until January 1, 2017, to comply.

For more information, contact Beth Hughes, IDFA director of international affairs, at bhughes@idfa.org.