Cargill says, ‘This next generation canola oil containing EPA/DHA will enable food, pharmaceutical and nutritional supplement manufacturers to deliver the potential health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in a wide variety of new, cost-effective consumer products available by the end of the decade’.
Although research is ongoing, a growing body of scientific evidence links dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids with benefits for heart and brain health. However, humans on average are not consuming enough of these healthy fatty acids. In fact, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), EPA/DHA consumption in the US is less than 185mg per day.
Health experts in various countries recommend intake of 250-500mg per day for positive health benefits from EPA/DHA.
Growing consumer awareness of the health benefits of omega-3 is fuelling double-digit growth for omega-3 products. According to a recent report by Prepared Foods, the global market for foods, beverages and supplements incorporating omega-3s was worth nearly $7.5bn in 2010, and is predicted to grow 15-20% annually through 2015.
The products generated through the Cargill/BASF Plant Science collaboration will address two key issues facing companies seeking to broadly deliver omega-3s to global consumers: shelf stability and cost.
Source: Cargill
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