Omega-3 in food & drink set to ‘boom’, says Packaged Facts

Posted On: June 2, 2011

 

US retail sales of food and drink products making high omega-3 claims shot up 11 percent in 2010 to approach the $4bn mark and are predicted to be worth almost $7bn by 2015, according to new research.

Packaged Facts, which includes products enriched with plant-based omega-3 (alpha linolenic acid) in its analysis as well as the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, predicts 40 percent growth in the US omega-3 ingredient market between 2010 and 2015.

Although some market observers had expected sales of food and drink products containing added omega-3s to start leveling off, the market had in fact “continued to post significant growth”, noted Packaged Facts.

“Moreover, three factors indicate that another boom phase for omega-3-enhanced products is on the horizon:

1) An ongoing release of scientific studies supporting the health benefits of consuming omega-3

2) Innovative product introductions

3) Strong consumer awareness and demand.”

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From Issue 14 • Categories: Tags: Aquapreneur, DHA, EPA, fish oil, functional food, functional ingredients, omega 3 • No Comments

Fish Oil May Have Positive Effects on Mood, Alcohol Craving, New Study Shows

Posted On: June 2, 2011

Research at the Indiana University School of Medicine disclosed at a molecular level a potential therapeutic benefit between these dietary supplements, alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorders.

In a multi-year study, researchers showed conclusive behavioral and molecular benefits for omega 3 fatty acid given to mice models of bipolar disorder. The fatty acid DHA, which is one of the main active ingredients in fish oil, “normalized their behavior,” according to Alexander B. Niculescu, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and the lead author of the study reported online in the Nature Publishing Group journal Translational Psychiatry.

Using a stress-sensitive mouse model of bipolar disorder developed in his lab, Dr. Niculescu and his colleagues studied the influence of dietary DHA. The mice have characteristic bipolar symptoms including being depressed and, when subjected to stress, becoming manic.

“The mice that were given DHA normalized their behavior, they are not depressed and when subjected to stress, they do not become manic,” said Dr. Niculescu. “When we looked into their brains, using comprehensive gene expression studies, we were surprised to see that genes that are known targets of psychiatric medications were modulated and normalized by DHA.”

An unexpected finding of the research was the discovery that the mice given DHA also showed a reduced desire for alcohol.

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From Issue 14 • Categories: Tags: Aquapreneur, DHA, EPA, fish oil, functional ingredients, omega 3, seafood byproducts • No Comments

Dose threshold for omega-3 heart benefits studied

Posted On: June 2, 2011

Daily doses of omega-3s of at least 250 milligrams are required to reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death and other heart conditions, says a new review and meta-analysis.

According to findings published in the British Journal of Nutrition, at least 250 mg of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (LCFA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), was associated with a 35 percent reduction in the risk of sudden cardiac death.

In addition, such doses were associated with a ‘near-significant’ 17 percent decrease in the risk of ‘total fatal coronary events’, according to a team of researchers from academia and industry.

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From Issue 14 • Categories: Tags: Aquapreneur, DHA, EPA, fish oil, marine biotechnology, marine extract, marine ingredient, marine ingredients, nutraceutical, omega 3, seafood byproducts • No Comments

GC Rieber Oils to market fish oil products under new VivoMega brand name

Posted On: May 18, 2011

GC Rieber Oils recently announced that it will sell its fish oil products under the brand name VivoMega™. A recent major initiative by the company to build a new factory that will produce high quality fish oil concentrates of Omega-3 has led to new markets opening up, and thus the company’s desire to be more marketing-driven. Once only selling traditional fish oils,  GC Rieber now has become a total supplier, and has therefore decided to position itself by selling all their products under the brand name VivoMega™

VivoMega™ will be launched on www.vivomega.com.

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From Issue 14 • Categories: Tags: Aquapreneur, DHA, EPA, fish oil, GC Rieber, marine ingredient, marine ingredients, nutraceutical, omega 3, VivoMega • No Comments

Neptune Technologies gains NSF environmental claims “OK”

Posted On: May 13, 2011

NSF International has approved the key environmental claims of krill player Neptune Technologies & Bioressources Inc. following an extensive and rigorous review.

The audit ensured conformance to the International Organization for Standardization (IS0) 14021: Environmental labels and declaration, and the Federal Trade Commission (16 CFR PART 260): Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims.

“The efforts that Neptune put into having their claims verified is laudable,” said Petie Davis, sustainability manager at NSF International. “They demonstrated that they had the systems, processes, documentation, and data to support all of their product and process claims,” she added.

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From Issue 14 • Categories: Tags: Aquapreneur, fish oil, krill oil, Neptune Technologies & Bioresources, NSF • No Comments

Funding awarded to map genome of krill

Posted On: May 13, 2011

A Canadian researcher who completed his PhD at the Australian Antarctic Division has been awarded a $300,000 fellowship to map the genome of the Antarctic Krill.
Geneticist, Dr Bruce Deagle, is the first recipient of the inaugural R J L Hawke Post Doctoral Fellowship in Antarctic Environmental Science.

Minister for the Environment, Tony Burke said Dr Deagle would use modern genetic technologies to sequence the crustacean’s genome, as well as examine gene expression and how it related to temperature and ocean acidification.

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From Issue 14 • Categories: Tags: Aquapreneur, fish oil, functional ingredients, genome mapping, krill, krill oil, marine bioprospecting, marine natural product • No Comments

Omega-3 may slash levels of heart disease risk factor

Posted On: May 6, 2011

Supplements of omega-3 fatty acids are associated with lower levels of an amino acid called homocysteine, an amino acid linked to increased risks of heart disease and dementia, says a new meta-analysis of the scientific evidence.

Data from 11 trials including 720 people with doses of omega-3 ranging from 0.2 to 6 grams per day concluded that supplementation with omega-3s was associated with lower blood levels of homocysteine.

“Our systematic review provides, to our knowledge, the most comprehensive assessment to date of the effects of omega-3 PUFAs on plasma homocysteine,” wrote the researchers in Nutrition.

Researchers from China, Taiwan, and Australia added that a more comprehensive analysis would benefit from additional rigorous and long term trials. They also noted that such trials should also seek to measure whether the reduction in homocysteine levels actually produces an important health effect, such as a reduction in heart disease.

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From Issue 14 • Categories: Tags: Aquapreneur, DHA, EPA, fish oil, marine biotechnology, marine ingredient, marine ingredients, marine natural product, nutraceutical, omega 3, PUFA, seafood byproducts • No Comments

Bayer Healthcare’s Arctic Wonder market test succeeds with Neptune Krill Oil, leading to launch

Posted On: April 15, 2011

Neptune Technologies & Bioressources Inc.  announced recently that Bayer Healthcare, LLC Consumer Care Division has formally launched its Arctic Wonder proprietary Neptune Krill Oil (“NKO”) in the United States in March 2011 after a succesful market test.

Bayer’s market test conducted over the last year with NKO® under its Arctic Wonder brand was performed in the US internet direct response e-commerce channel of trade.

“Acasti management team, is delighted by the relationship Neptune has developed with Bayer. This is yet another significant milestone for Neptune’s strategic planning which will help NKO® achieve extensive consumer awareness and appreciation. We are looking forward to a successful long-term collaboration with Bayer”, stated Dr. Tina Sampalis, President of Acasti Pharma.

“The agreement with Bayer, the market test results and the marketing approach for Arctic Wonder NKO® not only create broad consumer awareness, confidence and appreciation but also distinguish NKO® as the superior and prime choice amongst competitor krill oil products”, said Mr. Henri Harland, President and CEO of Neptune.“Arctic Wonder is entering the rapidly growing omega-3 market which has shown a sustained annual growth of 12% according to the Frost and Sullivan Report 2010. The omega-3 category is valued at $1.7 billion and expected to reach $3.5 billion in 2015. We believe the full launch by Bayer of Arctic Wonder will achieve immediate success which will in turn positively influence our growth and increase Neptune’s krill oil market share, reinforcing Neptune’s position as the industry leader and Neptune Krill Oil as the gold standard of quality and efficacy for krill oil products in the market.” he added.

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From Issue 14 • Categories: Tags: Acasti Pharma, Aquapreneur, Arctic Wonder, commercialize, DHA, EPA, fish oil, functional ingredients, krill oil, marine biotechnology, marine ingredients, Neptune Technologies & Bioresources, NKO, nutraceutical, omega 3, pharmaceutical, seafood byproducts • No Comments

Aurora Algae has announced the launch of new A2 product portfolio, including omega-3 products

Posted On: April 15, 2011

Aurora Algae recently introduced the A2 product portfolio, a series of natural products derived from its proprietary algae platform. The A2 product portfolio is uniquely sustainable, scalable, and flexible to address growing demand in the explosive nutrition, aquaculture, pharmaceutical, and energy markets

 

A2 Omega-3™ is a family of Omega-3 oils aimed at the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical markets with the goal of providing a natural, sustainable and cost-effective alternative to fish oil and fermented products. The first offering in this family, A2 EPA Pure™ will make the benefits of EPA available to a broader market since it is derived from an allergen-free, vegetarian source.

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From Issue 14 • Categories: Tags: A2, A2 EPA Pure, A2 Omega-3, algae, aquaculture, Aquapreneur, Aurora Algae, bioprocessing, DHA, EPA, fish oil, fish protein, functional food, functional ingredients, marine ingredients, omega 3, sustainable • No Comments

New algae-derived EPA to target pharma omega-3 market

Posted On: April 15, 2011

New Zealand-based Photonz Corporation has signed an agreement with Separex to develop a pharma-grade EPA omega-3 manufacturing process from fermented microalgal biomass.

Under the agreement, Separex, under a license of Stanipharm, will develop a manufacturing process, scalable to industrial volumes, to concentrate the Omega-3 fatty acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which Photonz extracts from fermented microalgal biomass.

Photonz’s proprietary processes produce the EPA by fermenting a marine microalgal clone (improved by strain selection not genetic engineering) to produce a biomass rich in lipids from which it extracts the Omega-3.

The agreement follows two other significant achievements, announced last year, in which Photonz proved the feasibility of its continuous fermentation system and then harvested the first batch of algal biomass from its prototype industrial plant. The plant is now producing on a small industrial scale and has the potential to produce tonnes of algal material per year. The lipids it produces will be used by Separex to produce concentrated EPA. Photonz is, in parallel, targetting the development of downstream purification processes to produce high purity EPA, suitable for pharmaceutical applications, including novel therapeutics.

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From Issue 14 • Categories: Tags: algae, Aquapreneur, bioprocessing, DHA, EPA, fish oil, functional ingredients, marine drugs, marine ingredient, marine ingredients, microalgae, microalgal biomass, omega 3, Photonz, Separex • No Comments

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