Omega-3 fatty acids are firmly entrenched as health promoting agents
that most people consuming a Western style diet will need. Although
algae and such like are emerging as sources for these omega-3s including
DHA and EPA, the dominant sources in the market remain fish oil and, to
an emerging degree, krill oil. Although the benefits of omega-3s are
undoubted, the issue not always spoken about is the quality of the
omega-3 supplements available in the marketplace. A new report has
highlighted the vast diversity in quality and freshness of omega-3
products available.
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The latest report questioning the quality and freshness of some omega-3 supplements has been published in the Cardiovascular Journal of Africa.
The article is based on a survey of 46 omega-3 products on the South
African market. Given the global nature of markets in this field the
research has implications for markets everywhere. The survey found that
half of the products tested contained less than 89 per cent of the
amount of EPA and DHA claimed on the label. The authors suggested that
the reasons for this could include oxidation of the fatty acids,
inappropriate handling of fish at harvest, and ineffective quality
assurance.
Source - Wellbeing
