EPAX AS says the specifications for oxidation products in its oils are consistently maintained at industry minimum levels and are significantly less than international regulatory limits.
It says these standards guarantee a complete purity of the fish oil profile and add to consumer confidence in the safety of the products for long-term human consumption.
Low oxidative parameters also ensure a longer shelf life and prevent undesirable smell and taste in the omega-3 supplements, it said.
Announcing the completion of its new 16,000sq ft building, OmegaHus, at the company’s base in Aalesund, Norway, president and CEO Bjorn Refsum, said that significant growth during the past decade had fuelled the need for a larger administrative facility and "further enhances our customer commitment to top-quality fish oils.
“We look forward to it providing our employees and visiting customers a brick-and-mortar representative of our commitment to purity, quality and innovation."
EPAX AS produces marine-sourced omega-3s in varying concentrations and ratios of EPA/DHA fatty acids that address specific health concerns including heart health, mood and mind health, joint health, pre- and post natal health and eye health. These are supplied under the brand name Epax to manufacturers of capsules and functional foods.
It claims that as a vertically integrated company, it has quality control from ocean to finished omega-3 ingredient, with control over every phase of the manufacturing process. As part of the Austevoll Seafood ASA group, a pelagic fishery specialist with operations in Chile, Norway and Peru, it primarily uses raw fish oil produced in Peru which it believes have higher purity and omega-3 content than North Sea fish oils.
These, it says, have a higher content of environmental toxins such as dioxin and PCB, and lower Omega-3.
The European market for omega-3 fatty acids was valued at $296m (€187.8m) in 2007, and is expected to be worth $1.3 billion (€0.82bn) by 2014. Analyst Frost & Sullivan says cardiovascular health continues to dominate the market, with 80 per cent of all omega-3 fatty acids currently targeted towards heart health.
About 80 per cent of the oils are used in dietary supplements, with 13 per cent being used in functional foods, and nine per cent finding use in other applications.
The company was unable to be contacted for further comment before publication.