Scots debut whey-omega-3 blend

By Shane Starling

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Omega-3 fatty acid Epa

Scottish omega-3 supplier, Equateq, has added to its range by blending a high-dose EPA omega-3 form with whey in a debut targeting the sports market.

The company said it had chosen to employ EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) rather than DHA​ (docosahexaenoic acid) or any other fatty acid, because of the anti-inflammation benefits that EPA has demonstrated.

The company, which was born three years ago and produces pharma-grade, high-dose omega-3 oils from its Scottish base, said the whey-omega-3 blend was capable of delivering 135mg of its sardine-derived EPA powder.

Chief executive officer, Adam Kelliher, told NutraIngredients.com that the new offering would sell for, “just shy of €30 per kilogram” ​depending on volumes.

“There is a strong interest in whey among the sports community,” ​he said this morning. “We’ve begun discussions with sports companies that have been very encouraging.”

Equateq employs its Crystalpure technology to produce high-dose oils that can reach as high as 99 per cent. For this reason its major markets are in the pharma area and the firm is scaling up its operations to meet growing demand in this area.

For the current application, it has produced an enriched triglyceride oil that is 50 per cent omega-3. This enables the lipid fraction in the blend to be reduced to 30 percent which presents formulation advantages as oxidation rates are reduced.

The company is targeting breakfast shakes, as a sprinkle on food, and a cooking ingredient at low heats.

At 135mg per dose, the company said recommended dosages of 500mg could be achieved with three teaspoons of the formulation.

Crystalpure enables 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 were all about being “super pure”​, whereas nutra was much more about offering customised blends.

Frost & Sullivan notes 24 per cent annual growth in the omega-3 sector, projecting a global market worth $1.6bn by 2014.

Related news

Show more

Related products

show more

Krill oil supports six key areas of healthy aging

Krill oil supports six key areas of healthy aging

Content provided by Aker BioMarine | 23-Feb-2024 | White Paper

The global population is getting older—according to WHO by 2050 the world’s population over 60 years will double and the population above 80 years will...

Oats: A Superfood for Sport Nutrition and Health

Oats: A Superfood for Sport Nutrition and Health

Content provided by Fazer Mills | 26-Jan-2024 | White Paper

Oats are a versatile, affordable, and easy to use superfood that can offer many health benefits and a well-balanced nutritional profile for athletes.

Unlock the business potential of the protein trend

Unlock the business potential of the protein trend

Content provided by Valio | 24-Jan-2024 | White Paper

Read our white paper to learn how to overcome taste and texture challenges in protein products — and how to commercialise the protein trend by making delicious...

Related suppliers

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars