FDA has no objections for Aker’s krill oil GRAS status

The Food and Drug Administration has issued a letter of no objection to krill oil supplier Aker BioMarine Antarctic regarding the GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status of its Superba Krill oil.

"The FDA's earlier acknowledgement of our New Dietary Ingredient Notification (NDIN) was important for our existing and future customers to introduce Superba products in all supplement channels, while the new self-affirmed GRAS Notice acceptance solidly opens the door to applications in the food and beverage industries as well," said Matts Johansen, EVP Sales and Marketing.

The application for GRAS status was filed in collaboraiton with Soni & Associates, Vero Beach, FL.

Understanding krill

The shrimp-like Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) is one of the globe’s most abundant species found in densities of up to 30,000 creatures in a cubic-meter of seawater. Rich in phospholipids and omega-3s, they are harvested to make omega-3 products.

There are about 85 species of the deepwater marine planktonic crustacean, or deepwater shrimp, which are the planet's most abundant animal biomass and which when captured and converted to oil, pack 48 times the antioxidant punch of standard fish oils, according to ORAC antioxidant scales.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) recently proclaimed krill as the world's largest under-exploited fishery.