Products & Ingredients
Epax Launches First Very Long Chain PUFA Product
VLC-PUFAS offer healthy aging benefits, such as improved sight, bone density, and muscle strength, according to the company.
By: Mike Montemarano
Photo courtesy Epax
Epax has launched what it reports is the world’s first commercially available very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (VLC-PUFA) product.
VLC-PUFAS are a family of omega-3 fatty acids identified as potentially beneficial for eye health in an animal study, while another preclinical study found that depletion of VLC-PUFAS may be linked to reduced bone density and muscle strength.
Epax has led research on VLC-PUFAS from fish oil, after discovering ten years ago that fish oil contains these fatty acids in trace amounts and developing methods for concentrating them. The company now holds several patent families in the field, which led to the development of Epax Evolve 05, a unique new marine concentrate and the world’s first VLC-PUFA product.
The ingredient contains about ten times the amount of VLC-PUFAS as found in crude fish oil, and the patent-protected concentrate is part of the company’s NovusLipid range, which features up-and-coming marine ingredients.
Acting on behalf of EFSA, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority has concluded it is not a novel food, allowing it to be marketed in the EU. In the US, the ingredient was self-determined to be GRAS following an expert panel assessment. To achieve this, the company performed genotoxicity and repeat-dose toxicology studies, leading to two peer-reviewed papers.
“VLC-PUFAs offer enormous potential in areas like vision and healthy ageing,” said Bjørn Refsum, CEO. “However, research into their benefits was previously hindered by a lack of material containing VLC-fatty acids in significant amounts. We’re proud to have been able to develop a VLC-concentrate that opens the door for further research and brings a new family of valuable fatty acids to the marketplace. The stage is set for a new era for Omega-3.”
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