10 funky new ways you'll one day get your omega-3s
January 19, 2015
![10 funky new ways you'll one day get your omega-3s 10 funky new ways you'll one day get your omega-3s](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt09e5e63517a16184/bltafc06db067aebac6/64cbf83cdb0bcc7a8de33eaa/NewHopeNetwork_Horizontal_RGB.png?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
In 2013, U.S. biotech firm Monsanto partnered with DSM to commercialize a genetically engineered soybean oil rich in stearidonic acid (SDA), which offers a cost-effective way of bolstering the omega-3 content of foods without the flavor, stability and shelf-life issues involved with fish oil. The human body is believed to more easily convert SDA into EPA compared to the conversion of flaxseed’s ALA (which does not convert easily into EPA). The SDA-rich beans were made by inserting genes from the flower Primula juliae and a red bread mold Neurospora crassa. Oil from the new beans performs in dressings, sauces, margarines, spreads, bakery products, soups, snack bars and dairy products. As of August 28 2014, the St.-Louis based company was in the final phase of getting regulatory approval for the two new ingredient products, which were expected to be released in 12 to 18 months. The bean has been branded Soymega and the transfat-free soybean is branded Vistive Gold.
In June 2014, Cargill launched a low-cost omega-3 oil blend that claims to be the first omega-3 without negative impact on cost and taste. Called IngreVita, the ingredient is a blend of high oleic canola oil, fish oil and proprietary antioxidants. Said Kristine Sanschagrin, marketing manager of Specialty Seeds and Oil Cargill, "IngreVita is perfect for manufacturers looking to include long-chain omega-3s in their food and beverage formulations. Consumers tell us they are looking for added nutrition in the foods they buy, and there is a growing awareness of the benefits of omega-3s.” Because handling of the product is similar to canola oil, IngreVita is easy to use. It offers good shelf stability and does not introduce off-flavors, Cargill explains.
In November 2012, food science researchers at Virginia Tech reeled milk into the omega-3 delivery system, showing it is possible to incorporate fish oil into dairy-based beverages without destroying the product’s taste or lifespan. Even better, the milk passed the sniff test. Twenty-five volunteers evaluated 1oz cups of standard 2% milk alongside samples of skim milk containing 78 parts butter oil to 22 parts fish oil in institutionally approved study conditions. Now that manufacturers can add fish oil to dairy, the challenge may now be how to package it. A report issued by New Nutrition Business, called Failures in Functional Foods and Beverages, highlights the thin line between success and failure in the healthy foods market. One example of a failed product was Unilever’s fortified daily-dose dairy drink, which was a variant of its Pro-activ range with omega-3s. Nice try, but no go. The omega-3 was soon removed from the formula in most countries because customers couldn’t seem to justify the additional cost, said report author Jullian Mellentin. There may have also been a perceived mismatch between the product and the benefit – such as a fish oil in a yoghurt, he said. Another dairy-fish product that came and went was Boulder Brands' Smart Balance® Oil Blend butter sticks. Launched in April 2013, the sticks contained real butter with a blend of palm fruit, canola and purified fish oils, plus plant sterols to “help block cholesterol in the butter,” according to the product’s packaging. The product contained 28% less saturated fat than traditional butter, with 32mg of EPA/DHA and 170mg ALA. It was taken off the market by summer 2014.
The company Omega3Beef is getting closer to market with a beef fortified with DHA and EPA omega-3 fatty acids. The company has crowd-funded 60 percent of what it needs to pursue the next steps in its business plan: a larger study and gaining approval for commercial sale from FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. Omega3Beef says it has nearly completed the research and development phase of achieving high DHA and EPA omega-3 levels in beef by feeding cattle omega-3 rich algae. In collaboration with Oklahoma State University, the company has performed two studies so far confirming that one serving of the company’s omega-3 steak contains as much as 140 mg of DHA and EPA combined—similar to the levels found in fish species like mahi mahi. The company says its Omega3Beef HeartBurger contains even higher omega-3 levels—as much as 280 mg of DHA and EPA per serving—thanks to hamburger’s higher fat content.
In May 2014, Archer Daniels Midland Co. entered the omega-3 space by partnering with Synthetic Genomics to develop an algal DHA ingredient. The pair is targeting the animal feed market first, with the human food market to be developed later. Although algae production is expensive, the costs are fairly predictable, making sales projections more reliable than ADM’s main ingredient portfolio, which is based on volatile corn prices.
In March 2014, Enzymotec Ltd. launched Omega PC, a “premium” wild fish cold extract containing omega-3s bound to phospholipids and triglycerides, to better preserve the natural nutrients found in fish. Historically, this has been one of krill oil’s selling points – the fact the fatty acids are naturally bound to phospholipids (rather than triglycerides) make krill oil more bio-available to the human body than fish oil, scientists have argued.
In June 2014, Jerusalem-based Qualitas Health earned a New Dietary Ingredient notification for its EPA-containing ingredient. Regulations require that an NDI be filed 75 days before going to market with a new dietary supplement ingredient. Almega PL is new, vegetarian EPA-rich omega-3 from microalgae, which the company has been working on for more than a decade. Produced in West Texas, where inexpensive land and ample sunlight are conducive to algae growth, the algae is a photosynthetic strain is called Nannochloropsis oculata. Almega PL has a unique polar lipid structure with both phospholipids and glycolipids, which the company says enables superior absorption and digestibility. In this way, it is similar to krill oil. Almega PL contains a high EPA to DHA ratio, with 25% EPA; other beneficial compounds include carotenoids, omega-7, co-enzyme Q10 and chlorophyll. Qualitas Health’s Almega PL hit the finished products shelves for the first time in summer 2014 in the United States. President Francis Foley, of Qualitas’ distributor partner Xsto Solutions, calls Almega PL “one of the most exciting ingredients we’ve seen in the omega 3 category.”
There is perhaps no greater indicator of the future potential of the omega-3 market than to watch the rich amount of activity going on in today’s ingredient space. The majority of the world’s omega-3s are harvested from anchovy fisheries, primarily in Peru and Morocco. But in the past decade, the supply landscape has changed. Krill oil from Antarctica has gained momentum. Several producers have recently entered the algal-ingredient space. And new compacts are bringing omega-3 ingredients to areas of the world where they previously were hard to find. Check out some of the latest events in the omega-3 ingredient space in just the past year.
In June 2014, Roquette of France opened a microalgae production unit to launch a new range of food ingredients using chlorella. Algility™ HL, whole algal flour, was recognized as the most innovative ingredient of the year at the FIE Innovation Awards 2013. This whole food ingredient significantly improves the nutritional qualities of recipes (reduces fat, optimizes lipid profile) while preserving taste and texture, the company says. Algility™ HP, whole algal protein, is a whole-food ingredient still under development. It combines plant-based proteins (as an alternative to animal proteins), fibers and unsaturated lipids. Algility™ chlorella, a nutrient-rich whole food ingredient, is a whole-food ingredient rich in proteins, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. It is designed for food supplements and aquaculture.
Another new ingredient on the market is from squid. In November 2011, Norwegian Pharma Marine set up a new business to sell long-chain omega-3s from the trimmings of food grade calamari. “Calamarine” is significantly higher DHA than EPA (2:1), similar to tuna, but more sustainable. By May 2013, Norwegian Pharma Marine announced approval of its calamarine product by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration. The approval came as a result of an 18-month process in conjunction with Pharma Marine’s Australian distributor, Pathway International.
Finally, Valensa International of Florida, an early pioneer in the production of chia omega-3 oil and chia flour, has been granted a series of patents on its chia production technology and proprietary chia-based products. The patents cover methods of manufacturing chia seed oil, as well as the extraction of chia seed oil with a number of other ingredients, including but not limited to fish oil, krill oil, borage oil, olive oil and the addition of astaxanthin. The announcement of these patents coincided with the FDA’s food recall warnings for a variety of products containing sprouted chia seeds and sprouted chia seed powder. Such risks are “not possible” with Valensa's approach to seed selection and processing, the company reported.
Like what you read? Learn more about the omega-3 sector in the new Nutrition Business Journal / Engredea monograph report.
Like what you read? Learn more about the omega-3 sector in the new Nutrition Business Journal / Engredea monograph report.
10 funky new ways you'll one day get your omega-3s
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like