ONC report US rise in Omega 3 fortification

Three major US bread manufacturers launches of Omega-3 breads containing the company's MEG-3 fish oil ingredient.

17/03/05 Ocean Nutrition Canada Limited (ONC), supplier of MEG-3 Brand Omega-3 EPA/DHA food and dietary supplement ingredients, announced today three major US bread manufacturers launches of Omega-3 breads containing the MEG-3 fish oil ingredient. In January 2005 New York based Wegmans Food Markets Inc. introduced three breads containing MEG-3 ingredients. On February 18, 2005, The Baker, based in New Jersey, launched healthy whole grain bread containing MEG-3 ingredients and in late April, Arnold Foods Company will launch Arnold Smart & Healthy 100% whole wheat bread containing the same Omega-3 fish oil ingredient.

These product introductions are important for Americans’ health because there is a major dietary deficiency in the heart healthy physiologically essential nutrients Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) found in fish oil. Dr. Colin Barrow, Vice President of Research and Development at ONC stated, “Experts agree that people should be consuming between 500 mg and 1000 mg per day of EPA and DHA, and currently Americans consume less than 100 mg per day.” In September 2004, the Food and Drug Association (FDA) approved a qualified heart health claim for food products containing EPA/DHA, as found in fish oil, confirming that these are the important forms of Omega-3 fatty acids for heart health.

Getting enough EPA/DHA in the diet is difficult. For example 25% of Americans do not eat fish at all and even fish lovers find it hard to maintain a consistent diet including two meals of oily fish every week as recommended by the American Heart Association and the United States Department of Agriculture. People are also slow to change eating patterns. Nine of the top ten food choice preferences in 2003 were the same in 1985 and these top ten preferences did not include fish. If consumers do not normally eat oily fish, it is very hard to make it a twice a week food preference to get the recommended amounts of heart healthy EPA/DHA in their diets.

Ian Lucas, Vice President of Marketing at ONC stated, “Our patented Omega-3 EPA/DHA powder is a breakthough ingredient. People can now get the health benefits of EPA/DHA from fish in breads they love to eat, without the taste or smell of fish.” Ian Lucas also noted, “The idea is revolutionary in that people get the important forms of Omega-3’s, (EPA/DHA) from fish, conveniently. We are experiencing huge interest from many food companies and expect many more product introductions in the very near future.”