Pharma techniques deliver high-dose omega-3 form
“We say that Maxomega-90 is like a blank canvas, allowing companies to mix lipid actives in almost any combination they require,” said Equateq chief executive officer, Adam Kelliher. “This will enable companies to define their product rationale and give a more clear, and focused offering.”
Equateq employs industrial-scale chromatography to make its omega-3 concentrates, rather than using more common distillation methods.
“The Maxomega-90 range is geared for the nutritional sector, allowing delivery of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) in any ratio, from 80/10 to 10/80, with each offering always having at least 90 per cent total omega-3,” the company said.
The company said different formulations would target different health areas such as EPA-rich blends and anti-inflammation and DHA-rich blends and brain health, although only brain health claims for infants are as yet approved by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
The company said Maxomega-90 can be blended with other lipids including omega-6 forms like GLA (gamma-linolenic acid).
“We think these can provide much-needed clarity in an increasingly cluttered marketplace,” Kelliher said.
Last year the company launched an omega-3/whey blend that sold for about €30 per kilogram but did not reveal pricing details this time around although it said it would be competitive and vary due to volumes.
The whey-omega-3 blend was aimed at the sports nutrition market.
The company’s Crystalpure separation methods enable saturates and mono-unsaturates to be transformed into crystals, which facilitates, “the physical separation of the polyunsaturated stream.”
Equateq splits its business between pharma and nutraceutical clients, noting its concentrations for pharma are all about being “super pure”, whereas nutra was much more about offering customised blends.
