DuPont Launches New Vegetarian Source of Omega-3 Nutritional Supplements

The omega-3 technology developed by DuPont is free of the contaminants lead, mercury and PCBs, and is protected by over 60 U.S. patents and patent applications.

8 Apr 2010 --- As consumers seek to improve their personal health, global demand for nutritional diet options with proven benefits continues to rise. A new alternative nutritional supplement to fish-based omega-3 oils developed using DuPont’s world-class biotechnology capabilities now is being marketed as New Harvest and is available through market partner Futurebiotics at select GNC stores across the United States.

A recent survey has shown most Americans are not consuming the recommended intake of omega-3 fatty acids – a family of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids not naturally produced by the body. The primary sources for obtaining omega-3 are foods such as fatty fish and nutritional supplements, however, only 10 percent of people eat the recommended amount of fish each week, and over 80 percent are not taking omega-3 supplements to meet these recommended nutritional levels.

Three main types of omega-3 fatty acids exist: EPA, DHA and ALA. Each has its own benefits, with EPA – the long-chain fatty acid found in New Harvest – being the type of omega-3 shown to support heart health and help maintain healthy cholesterol levels already in the normal range.

“DuPont is committed to delivering new products that deliver health and wellness to a growing population,” said DuPont Applied BioSciences Vice President John Ranieri. “Consumers are looking to increase their intake of omega-3 for improved health. New Harvest is the first fish-free, vegetarian, high EPA content omega-3 supplement and now available in the United States. We continue to utilize our key science and technology capabilities to commercialize superior performing, sustainable solutions that transform markets spanning energy, materials and health.”

Marine oils, including fish oil and fish oil concentrates, make up 85 percent of the global market volume for omega-3 oils, according to a recent report by Frost & Sullivan. The omega-3 technology developed by DuPont is free of the contaminants lead, mercury and PCBs, and is protected by over 60 U.S. patents and patent applications. New Harvest also contains 600 mg of EPA in every 1,200 mg softgel. The safety of New Harvest was assessed in numerous studies, which were reviewed and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as part of a New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) notification.