Omega-3s are the darlings of the essential fatty acid (EFA) market, collecting widespread praise and favorable research results on a number of health benefits in almost every part of the body. The growing attention and high demand is making these fats sought-after ingredients for a broad range of products, from combination supplement formulas to functional foods and beverages. Seems the only limit on how ubiquitous omega-3s can become is in the technical difficulties of infusing these ingredients in certain types of products.
The explosion of omega-3 applications is tied to the deluge of research linking improved health to omega-3 intake. While not panaceas, omega-3s affect many areas of the body due to their anti-inflammatory function. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the principal long-chain, polyunsaturated omega-3s, figure prominently in the body’s inflammation cascade, a flow-chart of derivations driven by specialty enzymes, including the COX and LOX enzymes. DHA converts to EPA, which converts to prostaglandins that help keep inflammation in check. On the flip side, other fatty acids, such as certain saturated fats, break down under enzymatic reaction into prostaglandins that promote inflammation.
Without enough EPA and DHA, which are only made in small amounts in the body, the inflammation balance tilts toward increased, even chronic, inflammation, be it in the joints (arthritis), blood vessels (arteriosclerosis) or the brain. Given this role, it becomes easier to accept the breadth of omega-3 health benefits.
Another omega-3, alpha linoleic acid (ALA), has shown similar benefits to EPA and DHA, as ALA converts in the body to EPA/DHA. However, this conversion rate is notoriously low, and it is hard to guarantee a specific amount of ALA will result in a specific amount of EPA or DHA. However, EPA and DHA are most commonly sourced from marine animals, including fish and krill, and many consumers seek out ALA as a plant-based source of omega-3s. Flax is a popular choice for ALA.
An interesting development has opened up the door for a plant-based source of DHA. Fish and other marine life become rich in DHA by eating algae or other marine life that have fed on algae. Martek Biosciences, one of the key global producers of DHA from algae, has partnered with Dow AgroScience to develop a canola oil rich in DHA. Whether it will be accepted as a "natural" product remains to be seen, as the method of creating such a plant source involves DHA gene transfer from algae to canola seed, so theory goes.
Cassie France-Kelly, spokesperson for Martek, explained the DHA-canola project joins other similar efforts globally to find alternative sources for DHA. It is partly a matter of sustainability. She said with the growing awareness of the importance of omega-3s to human health and with the primary source of DHA being fish, it became important to find alternate sources. "If every one in the world or Western society were getting what we needed from dietary sources, there'd be no fish left in the sea," she reasoned.
To be clear, Martek's algae source is viable and has no foreseeable sustainability issue, as it forgoes pond-grown algae for fermented algae in an FDA-approved facility. "It is a more complex process than people realize," she said. "It is expensive, and few people in the world know how to do it and well." Thus, a cheaper alternative could possibly be produced more quickly.
There would be a distinct difference in use of DHA-canola oil compared to algal DHA, which Martek developed for the infant formula and cognitive health markets. The canola oil could be used in baked goods and other foods as a supplemental form of DHA, not so much as a therapeutic dose. In this way, it would be a way to increase the dietary intake of omega-3s in the greater public, similar to fortification. In other terms, DHA from algae or fish is more concentrated and used as a therapeutic ingredient in supplements and specific functional products. But you wouldn't just throw canola oil into a supplement, beverage or therapeutic product. Canola DHA would be primarily used as a food ingredient to boost general omega-3 levels.
Now, the hoopla around genetically modified (GM) foods begs the question: would this DHA-rich canola oil be considered natural, and would people accept it as a safe source of DHA? Opposition to GM foods has been far more controversial in Europe than the United States, but even the European Union (EU) is accepting such GM projects. In fact, the EU Lipogene Project, a consortium of doctors and scientists, is looking at development of GM oils for use in foods. France-Kelly noted these projects from Martek and the EU are long term, and many questions await future revelations. Further, the genetic modification involved in the canola-DHA project might not be as offensive as some think. "While the seed undergoes genetic modification, the finished product will have no genetically modified proteins in it," she explained. Ironically, there is already a canola oil on the market with DHA in it, but it uses algal DHA as a functional ingredient.
Adam Ismail, executive director of the Global Organization for EPA and DHA (GOED), said the canola-DHA project is not a threat to fish oil. "It would represent an interesting alternative, much in the same way algal sources have," he said. "However, all these sources have different value propositions and go after different segments of the omega-3 market." Further, he suggested such development projects are merely another positive example of the success of EPA and DHA, as it means there is sufficient demand to invest in technologies like genetic DHA transfer and expect a return.
