Industry leaders have warned that a shock new report suggesting the removal of saturated fats from food makes no difference to people’s health risks undermining years of reformulation work.

Researchers by the University of Cambridge on behalf of the British Heart Foundation found that swapping satfats in products such as dairy foods for unsaturated fats had no impact on reducing the risk of heart disease. They have called for “large-scale clinical studies” to further investigate their findings, based on analysis of 72 separate studies.

However, the BHF’s associate medical director Professor Jeremy Pearson said the research “suggests there isn’t enough evidence to say that a diet rich in polyunsaturated fats but low in saturated fats reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.”

Ironically, the findings undermine the BHF’s own work. It has been a key proponent of the move to switch from satfats. Its claim that reducing intake could save 2,600 premature deaths a year was used as the basis for a Responsibility Deal pledge last October to remove 100,000 tonnes of saturated fats from products across the food industry.

Andrew Opie, director of food at the BRC, said he hoped the report would not divert the industry from its efforts to cut satfats. “Even the BHF admits there is no definitive answer and some of the evidence is less than clear,” he said.

“It’s important to realise the work the industry is doing to cut satfats is part of a wider approach, also including a pledge to slash five billion calories from the diet and new pledges on salt.”

The DH said it would be “premature to comment” on the report.

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