A turning point for omega 3? Brands branching out with plant-based formats amid environmental challenges

23 Aug 2021 --- Fatty acids are abundant in daily diets, and today, consumers are searching for more accessible ways to achieve holistic health. With this in mind, many people are making more environmentally conscious choices when opting omega 3 supplements.

NutritionInsight speaks to experts from DSM, Evonik Health Care, Biosearch Life and Aker BioMarine about heightening demand for plant-sourced fatty acids.

With pressure on wild fisheries at an all-time high, many consumers are making more environmentally conscious choices – resulting in plant-based lifestyles increasingly becoming mainstream.

“When choosing products like omega 3 supplements, 62 percent of consumers prefer a plant-based source of omega 3,” says Brent MacDonald, global director marketing, Nutritional Lipids at DSM.According to DSM, 71% of consumers are familiar with omega 3 supplements, only 33% currently take a product regularly.

“Algal oils provide a natural, sustainable and vegetarian alternative to fish oil, appealing to a new generation of consumers who are concerned about both their own health and that of the planet,” he continues.

“For example, when it comes to bioavailability, there is no difference between fish oil- and algal-derived omega 3s, and the mechanism of action in the body is exactly the same.”

Furthermore, as algae grows under controlled, purified conditions, algal oils are also free from the pollutants that may be present in fish oil alternatives and have no impact on the marine environment,” he recalls.

Beatriz Botija Ródenas, product manager of probiotics at Biosearch Life, affirms that algal oil is the only vegan/vegetarian source of EPA+DHA omega 3s.

Weighing up the benefits
Consumers following vegan, vegetarian or plant-based diets – or those who are simply trying to limit their environmental impact – do not wish to compromise their nutritional intake when choosing plant-based sources of EPA and DHA.

Animal-derived and plant-based fatty acids alike offer unique benefits, adds MacDonald.

“A challenge many omega 3 supplement producers face today is that consumers often associate omega 3 fatty acids with fish oils. Their plant-based counterparts have long been somewhat lesser-known and, therefore, could be misunderstood in terms of efficacy or appeal.”

“As consumers become more environmentally and socially conscious, now is the time for brands to educate their customers on the benefits offered by plant-based omega 3s,” he stresses.Algal oils provide a natural, sustainable and vegetarian alternative to fish oil.

Although fish are recognized as a major source of omega 3s, they cannot actually produce EPA and DHA omega 3 themselves and instead get their omega 3 by eating microalgae found in the marine environment, reveals MacDonald.

One of the most significant impacts on consumer opinion of fatty acids has been the emerging research into the potential of omega 3s in an increasingly diverse variety of health concerns, he adds.

Maximizing accessibility
Headley at Evonik Health Care remarks that plant-based fatty acids are “a great expansion of the market” because they maximize accessibility for the consumer.

“No matter the consumer’s lifestyle or preferences, there is now a much higher chance that there is a source of fatty acids that is suitable for them. In addition, using plant-based fatty acids relieves pressure on global resources and creates a more sustainable portfolio,” she asserts.

As plant-based fatty acids are still relatively new to the market, Headley believes more work needs to be done in bringing down costs for sourcing, manufacturing and formulation, compared to their equivalent animal-based fatty acids.

But plant-based sources of omega 3s – such as flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, canola oil and soybean oil – tend to have only ALA omega 3s, adds Ródenas at Biosearch Life.

However, she affirms that the health benefits of omega 3s are associated with EPA and DHA, which are found in marine sources.

An evolving market toward sustainability
Consumer demands and preferences are impacting the market and helping to push the sustainability conversation in the omega 3 space toward the right direction.

According to Thomas Repstad, EMELA and ASEAN marketing manager at Aker BioMarine, the COVID-19 pandemic has helped create the demand for brands with a strong sense of purpose, placing society, planetary welfare and industry collaboration “at the heart of recovery.”Algal oils are free from pollutants and have no impact on the marine environment.

“When it comes to the health and wellness market, consumers take supplements, such as krill oil, as part of a healthy lifestyle, but at the same time, they want to know that these products are coming from sustainable sources. Many recognize that the health of the planet is as important as the health of the individual,” he states.

What does the future hold?
The world’s wild capture fisheries have been operating at capacity for decades. Even today, there is not enough fish oil to optimize consumer intake of omega 3s across the globe.

“Furthermore, environmental pressures will likely impact the output of these fisheries negatively in the coming decade and beyond, putting more pressure on the already rising fish oil costs,” comments MacDonald.

“As the algal and plant-based alternatives become more economically accessible and innovations emerge, we will continue to see an accelerated or structural shift toward these plant-based alternatives,” he envisions.

“There will always be a need for multiple sources of EPA and DHA. Still, there is no doubt that, over the next ten years, algal omega 3 options will occupy a much more significant proportion of this market as consumers seek opportunities that support their health as well as that of the planet.”

By Elizabeth Green, with additional reporting from Katherine Durrell