Fish-Oil Quality Characteristics
What are they and why they are so important?
Fish oils have a chemical structure that makes them particularly sensitive to lesions and oxidation. It is important that fish oil products are examined for their stability and purity.
Some studies have suggested that oxidation of fish oil in supplements is common. Fish oils which is rancid or oxidized have an unpleasant odor and taste. An oxidized fish oil becomes unsuitable for consumption because it is ineffective and potentially harmful to health.
When molecules of EPA and DHA are oxidized, their molecular structure changes, resulting in no beneficial benefits to the body.
The five-star rating of the powerful OmegaPlus fish oil formula shows that each batch of the product has been tested to meet the stringent quality standards as defined by the IFOS program to rule out contamination and oxidation by heavy metals, radioactivity and from various organic pollutants such as PCBs and dioxins.
When a company chooses the IFOS program to certify the quality and safety of its fish oil, it shows that it is committed to the science and efficiency of its products.
The International Organization for the Evaluation of Quality Characteristics of Fish Oil (IFOS) is an independent organization that subjects fish oils to various tests to determine their overall safety and quality.
IFOS is the only program that tests fish oil products per batch number for three key things:
• Safety: Testing whether the product is free of heavy metals and other environmental pollutants.
• Stability: the quality of the raw materials in the product and its degree of stability are assessed, ie the shelf life of the product is first oxidized.
• Content: Check whether the concentration of the product is consistent with what is on its label.
The IFOS program was created when companies were looking for a way to demonstrate to the public that their fish oil products were safe for consumption. For this reason, IFOS certification allows consumers to immediately confirm the integrity of an omega-3 product.
Safety is a basic concern for the consumption of fish oil
Environmental pollutants are harmful chemicals that enter the ecosystem as a result of industrial activity. These compounds bioaccumulate in the fatty tissues of the fish, which means that the oil derived from these tissues can contain excess concentrations of contaminants.
Infectious substances commonly detected in fish oil samples include heavy metals (eg mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium), dioxins, furans and dioxin-like PCBs.
Clinical investigations show that contaminants from edible marine sources can have a negative impact on health.
Ensuring that fish oil products are not contaminated with heavy metals or other harmful compounds is of the utmost importance. The IFOS Certification Mark confirms that heavy metals (including mercury and lead) that are potentially contained in the fatty tissue of fish do not exceed certain levels.
Another factor to be considered so that fish oils are safe for consumption are polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). It is now established that PCBs have undesirable effects on human health and the environment. IFOS strictly controls PCB levels, as well as other toxic compounds, in order to verify that fish oils are safe for consumption.
Why stability of fish-oils is important?
Stability, also known as "shelf life", refers to how quickly and easily a product will break down under normal storage conditions. Just like all products high in fat content, fish oil is prone to spoilage and can quickly turn rancid.
When a fish-oil is not formulated correctly or not handled properly during manufacturing or stored in unsuitable conditions such as excessive temperature or humidity, the product's quality characteristics may be impaired, and this can be harmful effects on human health.
The to verify that fish oil products will not become altered before their expiration date is to test it against the IFOS standards for peroxide, anisidine and total oxidation.
The stability of a fish oil product is a key factor that IFOS is testing. Its measurement indicates whether the product has begun to break down and therefore whether is safe to consume.
The verification factors for the stability and safety of fish oil products are as follows:
Peroxides are chemicals produced when fats and oils are altered. Increased levels of peroxides in a fish oil indicate that it is not suitable for consumption. (The upper limit of IFOS for peroxide values is 5 mEq / kg, while in OmegaPlus's strong formula Omega 3 the peroxide value is 1.1 mEq / kg)
Anisidine is another chemical compound that is produced when fats and oils have been damaged. Excessive anisidine levels indicate that the product is no longer 'fresh' and therefore should not be consumed. Anisidine is also responsible for the particular characteristic smell of spoiled fats and oils. (The upper IFOS limit for anisidine values is 20 mEq / kg, while in the Doctor's Formula OmegaPlus strong omega 3 formula this value is 1.97 mEq / kg)
Total oxidation (TOTOX) is calculated by combining the peroxide and anisidine values and represents the total oxidation state of a product. An excessively high TOTOX price means that the product has been degraded to such an extent that it is no longer stable or safe to consume. (The upper limit of IFOS for total TOTOX oxidation values is 19.5 mEq / kg, whereas in the strong formula 3 of Doctor's Formulas OmegaPlus this value is 4.17 mEq / kg)
Freshness is also an important factor. The biggest problem with long-life fish oil products is oxidation. As a product is oxidized, it can quickly become ineffective.
The IFOS mark confirms the expiration date of the product packaging, providing it with confidence that it is effective from the first soft capsule to the last.
The Maritime Management Board is an independent, non-profit making organization that sets sustainable fisheries standards so that it can continue indefinitely with minimal environmental impact.
OmegaPlus is a sophisticated omega-3 supplement, which comes from a sustainable fishing certified by the Maritime Management Board.
OmegaPlus contains certified fish oil VivoMega 3624, incorporating the benefits of both fish oil and olive leaf extracts, red grape berries and sesame seeds in a single formula. Studies have shown that adding these antioxidant extracts results in maximum protection of fish oil from oxidation, making it the most complete omega-3 supplement for cardiac and cognitive support.
The benefits of the powerful Omega 3 OmegaPlus formula:
• Strong cardiovascular and mental health support
• Good source of omega-3 and beneficial polyphenols
• Made with fresh, certified 5-star IFOS ™ fish oil
• Contains extracts of olive leaves and red grape fruit, offering maximum antioxidant protection
• Sesame seed extract enhances the stability and hence the effectiveness of the OmegaPlus formula
• The combination of omega 3 fatty acids and olive leaf extract can support a healthy inflammatory response.
References
http://www.nutrasource.ca/ifos/fish-oil-facts/quality-concerns.aspx
http://www.nutrasource.ca/ifos/post/fish-oil-shelf-life--how-fresh-is-your-fish-oil-