Demand for MEG-3 in North American Foods Reaches Tipping Point 

To meet the high consumer demand, food companies are responding by including MEG-3 ingredients to provide consumers with a convenient way to increase their consumption of the important forms of Omega-3 EPA and DHA.

01/02/07 Ocean Nutrition Canada Limited (ONC), supplier of MEG-3 brand Omega-3 EPA/DHA food and dietary supplement ingredients says demand for omega-3 EPA and DHA is at a “tipping point,” according to ONC’s Ian Lucas, Executive Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing.

To meet the high consumer demand, food companies are responding by including MEG-3 ingredients to provide consumers with a convenient way to increase their consumption of the important forms of Omega-3 EPA and DHA. 
 
“We see strong signs from consumers all over the globe and in particular North America, that demand for omega-3 EPA and DHA from fish oil in foods is at the tipping point, said Lucas.  “Food companies are now moving quickly to keep up with innovative market leaders and this is creating a competitive, fatty acid frenzy in the food industry.”
 
Earlier this month, market leader Tropicana, a division of PepsiCo, Inc., launched the first orange juice with MEG-3 brand omega-3 EPA and DHA ingredients in both the United States and Canada.  Tropicana is also the first orange juice product to co-brand with the MEG-3 brand.
 
MEG-3 brand ingredients differ from other sources of omega-3 in a number of ways.  Most importantly consumers get the health benefits of both EPA and DHA, the two important forms of omega-3. A patented technology developed by ONC, allows food companies to increase the nutritional value of their products by adding omega 3s into foods with no effect on the taste or smell of the food. 
 
“Our Tropicana Healthy Heart Orange Juice with Omega 3s hits the boomer trifecta,” said Jim McGinnis, Vice President of Marketing for Tropicana. It delivers the convenience, taste, and meaningful nutrition all in a glass of Tropicana orange juice.  McGinnis adds the high quality, specially encapsulated MEG-3 source, provides consumers with the nutrition they need with the amazing straight-from-the-orange taste they want.
 
In the last year MEG-3 brand has been successfully commercialized in 15 different types of foods. Robert Orr, ONC President stated “Many more of major food brands will be launching products in the days ahead so consumers will soon have the choice to fill their shopping basket with foods containing MEG-3 brand ingredients and contribute to their daily need for omega-3 EPA and DHA conveniently and with the same great taste they expect from products like Tropicana Healthy Heart orange juice”.