Martek's DHA Oil Approved in Canada for Foods

Canadians may soon find it easier than ever to get healthy omega-3 fatty acids in their diets.

Martek Biosciences Corporation (MATK) DHASCO-T oil has been approved by Health Canada for use as a food ingredient. The approval is for per serving levels of not less than eight mg and not more than 100 mg of DHA, an important omega-3 fatty acid. Martek DHA has been approved for use in infant formula in Canada since 2002.

Martek’s DHASCO-T oil contains the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), the key omega-3 fatty acid for brain and eye development and function. Numerous scientific studies demonstrate that people of all ages, from infants to adults, may benefit from an adequate supply of DHA in the diet. Yet, despite its importance, natural food sources of DHA are limited primarily to fatty fish, making it difficult for many people to get enough DHA in their diets.

Foods fortified with DHA are becoming a growing source of DHA in the diets of people around the world. The recent Health Canada approval of Martek’s DHASCO-T oil for use in food products at significant levels in a variety of foods will make it easier for food companies to offer products in Canada that contain meaningful levels of DHA.

“Government bodies are recognizing the importance of DHA to human nutrition throughout the lifecycle,” said Henry “Pete” Linsert, Jr., Martek’s chairman and CEO. “It is heartening to know that with this approval, more and more people will be able to benefit from Martek’s DHA, a vegetarian source of DHA that can be incorporated into many foods without affecting the taste of the finished product.”

Other DHA products approved at these significant levels for food use in Canada are derived from fish oil. Martek’s DHASCO-T oil is unique in the market because it is a vegetarian DHA from a sustainable, environmentally- friendly source. Made from algae under tightly controlled manufacturing conditions, Martek DHA is free of oceanic contaminants that may be present in certain fish or fish oils. Algae are the only vegetarian source of DHA, the key omega-3 for brain development and function.