HIGH QUALITY OMEGA-3

Choose a purified product for better quality

Fish oil, like many other products, deteriorates over time, especially when exposed to light, heat and oxygen. At modern certified plants, the oil is processed – from fish to oil – in less than 24 hours. It is then stored in closed containers to lock in the freshness and reduce the risk of contamination.

 

In uncertified plants, the oil can sit for days in open vats, exposed to light, heat, oxygen and a myriad of impurities, which can make it unfit for human consumption. As a result, some plants add artificial additives during processing to change the color or flavor or extend the shelf life. For these reasons, it is best to choose an oil that has been purified.

The problem with reduction fisheries

Most of the world’s Omega-3 is produced in Peru, home to the world’s largest fisheries. Most of these are reduction fisheries, which catch midwater fish, such as anchovies, herring and capelin, as well as smaller fish and krill.

 

Reduction fisheries produce very little oil for human consumption. The majority of the fish is reduced to fishmeal, a supplement feed for farm fish and livestock, such as pigs, while the fish oils are mainly used as animal feed in aquaculture. As demand grows for Omega-3 supplements, more oil from reduction fisheries is being produced for human consumption. But, as less than 5% of a fish is converted to oil in a reduction fishery, the vast majority of the fish still goes to animal feed.

How reduction fisheries impact ecosystems

Reduction fisheries often target species at the bottom of the marine food chain, known as low trophic level species. These are essential to sustaining marine ecosystems, and overfishing can have a significant impact higher up the food chain.

 

The MSC has specific requirements for fisheries targeting low trophic species. MSC-certified fisheries must fish at a very low rate to ensure stocks can sustain a healthy ecosystem. They must also provide evidence that their catches don’t have any detrimental effects further up the food chain. However, some reduction fisheries still fish to dangerously high levels, threatening the long-term sustainability of the local marine ecosystem.

Sustainable sources of Omega-3

To ensure sustainability, it is essential that the fish used to produce Omega-3 is caught by a certified fishery. The best fisheries, like most in Alaska, have carefully controlled fish quotas and prepare the whole fish for human consumption. The fillets are carefully cut and prepared for ovens, BBQs and grills; the left-over fish is then pressed for oil. Both the fillets and oil are properly handled, with love and care, and processed quickly to keep the fish and oil fresh and pure – and maintain a fresh taste.