Krill oil – hope or hype for the omega-3 market?

Omega-3 fatty acids are one of the nutrition industry’s big fish, and an emerging presence in the market is omega-3 sourced from krill oil. Stephen Daniells casts his net for opinions on the rise of krill oil.

At the recent FiE trade show in Frankfurt Dr Wael Massrieh, director of R&D at krill player Neptune Technologies & Bioressources, Adam Ismael, executive director of trade group GOED (Global Organisation for EPA and DHA Omega-3), and Robert Orr, CEO of fish oil player Ocean Nutrition Canada all give their views on krill oil.

A considerable number of studies already support the benefits of the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6 n-3) for cardiovascular health, and cognitive health. Other areas of potential for the fatty acids include mood and behaviour, eye health, cancer risk reduction, and improved infant development.