Evonik personalizes omega 3 powders for vegans, pregnancy and healthy aging

03 Sep 2020 --- Evonik has expanded its AvailOm high-load omega 3 powder platform for algal and fish oil-based formulations. The new offerings now target vegans, vegetarians, those who are pregnant or parents, as well as people interested in healthy aging. This allows nutraceutical companies to further differentiate their product formulations with highly functional omega 3. AvailOm facilitates tailoring dietary supplements to specific consumer groups and their health concerns, as the supplement market continues to see increased demands for personalization.

“Health-conscious consumer groups are becoming increasingly well-informed about their health care and lifestyle choices. These self-empowered consumers want to understand what’s behind the label to determine the true value and effectiveness of a product,” Dr. Christopher Studte, Director of New Health Ingredients at Evonik Health Care, tells NutritionInsight.

“A growing number of nutraceutical companies are seeking to directly address these consumer demands through the creation of products that are personalized to their specific requirements. With our new AvailOm grades, we are providing companies with the versatility they need to create personalized products to address these target consumer groups,” he outlines.

AvailOm consists of 50 percent eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as a free fatty acid by weight, giving it a bioavailability of more than five times higher than traditional omega 3 fish oil soft-gel capsules, the company states. The omega 3 powders are also directly compressible into hard capsules or film-coated tablets in various sizes and shapes and have an oxidation resistance of more than four years.

Algae is pegged as the “food of the millennium” by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.As such, AvailOm enables the development of pure or multi-product combination supplements with omega 3 that are more convenient and easier to swallow. It can also prevent side-effects associated with fish oil capsules, including undesirable smells, aftertaste and fishy burps.

“Conventional omega 3 powder technologies are either encapsulated oils or oils absorbed onto carbohydrate carriers. However, the amount of oil that can be encapsulated or absorbed is limited, resulting in formulations with low levels of effective EPA and DHA. Powders are also typically unsuitable for use in tablet form, as they are either not directly compressible or have other limitations,” Dr. Studte explains.

The three expansions are:

• AvailOm 50 High DHA Algae: Being derived from algal sources, it is a plant-based omega 3 that is suitable for vegans and vegetarians. DHA is also associated with infant development, especially during the first 1,000 days of life. 
• AvailOm 50 High DHA: Provides an additional fish-oil based DHA grade for use during pregnancy and early motherhood or to support eye function or brain health in later stages of life. 
• AvailOm 50 High EPA: EPA is associated with heart and joint health as well as reduced inflammation, making it ideal for consumers seeking supplements that support healthy aging

Future proof
AvailOm utilizes a proprietary process to combine free fatty acids and essential amino acids to form a solid omega 3 lysine complex. This technology allows EPA and DHA to be readily absorbed without any requirement for the body to break down ethyl ester or triglyceride forms for their uptake. AvailOm is cleared for marketing within Europe and the US.

All grades of AvailOm are environmentally sustainably sourced to protect not only fish and krill, but other marine life that depends upon them, Evonik affirms. Dr. Studte had already teased the launch of AvailOm in vegan form last November, detailing how omega 3 has reached “mainstream” and will continue to trend in the nutraceutical space. 

By Anni Schleicher