Friend of the Sea certifies world’s first non-marine omega-3 source

Friend-of-the-Sea-certifies-world-s-first-non-marine-omega-3-source.jpg
©iStock

International marine certifiers Friend of the Sea (FOS) has accredited the world’s first non-marine source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in a show of confidence for its producers Nuseed Nutritional.

The certification allows Nuseed to display the FOS eco-label on its products, which Benita Boettner, Nuseed Nutritional’s General Manager says, “confirms Nuseed’s commitment to responsible agriculture and solving environmental challenges through the power of plants.

“Aquaterra has the potential to double the world’s supply of DHA without pressuring ocean resources,” she adds.

According to Nuseed, Aquaterra is Friend of the Sea’s first biotechnology certification and is able to deliver the nutritional benefits of microalgae through renewable canola.

The unique fatty-acid profile enhances production performance by elevating total omega-3 levels needed for higher-quality nutritious fish.

Nuseed believes this provides greater agility in response to retailer and consumer demands for salmon with a predictable price.

Tests carried out by the food science research institute, The Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research (Nofima) on Nuseed’s canola oil-derived omega-3 found salmon fed with this oil had the same fillet omega-3 levels as salmon fed with fish oil.

Further analysis by the National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research (NIFES) found this oil free of any DNA traces of genetically modified rape seed. The oil is extracted from rape plants that have been genetically modified to produce DHA.