Omega-3 through the years

ALL OVER the world, consumers are adopting healthier lifestyles and constantly looking for the new food, beverage or supplement to help them achieve better health and improve their quality of life. One such product that has experienced substantial growth in the global market is the Omega-3 supplement.

Brief history of Omega-3s

Before modern society was taking fish oil capsules, many older societies, with claims dating back to the Vikings, were consuming fish liver oil for their curative properties. Even the commercial production of fish oil dates back almost 180 years, including the Epax® Omega-3 concentrates brand, which began commercially manufacturing fish liver oil on the west coast of Norway in 1838.

Fish liver oils used to be the primary natural source of vitamins A and D. Today, we know that the benefits of fish oil derive also from the Omega-3 fatty acids, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), but the industry is constantly working to learn more. Currently, there are more than 30,000 scientific articles on Omega-3s. This fascination has enabled scientists and product manufacturers to continue their efforts to better understand how to utilize these nutrients to improve health.

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Supporting science

Various human clinical trials support that Omega-3s both maintain and optimize heart and pre- / post-natal health. These studies also demonstrate the positive effects these nutrients have on brain, cognition and eye health. These research developments enable innovations within the industry, such as fortified infant formula, and lead many national organizations to issue recommendations for consumption of Omega-3s to support heart health. Further, new areas of opportunity are emerging as science explores the role of Omega-3s on inflammation and inflammatory conditions and its efficacy in preventing cardiovascular disease.

As we continue to uncover the range of Omega-3 benefits through research, we see a direct correlation with the demand for the product worldwide. But as we’ve discovered, acceptance of Omega-3s, both at the consumer and regulatory levels, happens at different rates and therefore even trends within the same region can fluctuate.

Market demands in the ASEAN

In any business, the challenge is understanding the needs of each region and developing products based on what consumers want. This is probably most true in the ASEAN market, where regulatory standards and customer demands vary significantly from country to country. As a global supplier of Omega-3 concentrates, FMC can use extensive consumer insights and market research to deliver the products most desired in markets around the world – a necessary ability in regions with varying regulatory environments like ASEAN, where FMC utilizes its vast supply chain and ability to innovate to cater to each country, ultimately enabling sustained compliance and customer success.

Purity, quality, and innovation

Recently, FMC has launched three new concentrations of Omega-3s; EPAX 4535 TGN, EPAX 2050 TGN and EPAX 2525 TG. Each product offers a varied concentration, and therefore, requires a different level of technical expertise to develop. However, the ASEAN region possesses less of a demand for the ultra-high concentrations and more for country-specific product documentation – something that we at FMC deliver.

For the purity and overall quality of the ingredient, compliance to established regulatory standards is paramount, and in regions like ASEAN, a complex understanding of the regulatory environment is critical to providing the most effective products that meet the needs of the consumers.

With the focus on purity and efficacy being such strong drivers in the region, FMC offers the transparency needed to cater to this demand. Our Epax product line clearly demonstrates our commitment to purity, quality and innovation, ensuring our products meet the highest industry standards for safety, traceability and sustainability. We also support our products with clinical trials, some of these performed in the ASEAN region. The clinical trials using Epax as study medication are typically designed and performed by independent third parties, FMC only sponsors the actual study medication. To further support the consumers’ demand for transparency, FMC offers customers Epax co-branding to help highlight and document the origin of the Omega-3 oil.

We’ve also seen regions like ASEAN finding inspiration in the current trends of Western markets, and suppliers like FMC that have footholds around the world can easily draw upon global insights and analyses to inform offerings in countries looking to compete. While exact concentration and application demands vary considerably, the constant is a consistently pure, high-quality Omega-3 product.

Conclusion

As scientific research continues to support the health claims of Omega-3s, we predict the popularity of these supplements will continue to grow around the world. While the Western nations will most likely remain early adopters, specifically for ultra-high concentrated products, we expect the ASEAN region will not be far behind. According to estimates from Euromonitor and The World Bank, the vitamin and dietary supplements category is growing at more than twice the speed of the overall economy in countries like Indonesia and Thailand. 

*Sarah Christianslund is Associate Product Marketing Manager - Omega-3, FMC Corporation