Calanus oil is extracted from the copepods of the same name Calanus finmarchicus. According to Salma et al. (Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids, 2016, Vol. 108, pp. 13-21), Calanus finmarchicus is “the most abundant crustacean in the North Atlantic Ocean with annual production of several hundred million tonnes.
“The total annual harvest amounts to less than 0.01% of the annual growth in accordance with regulations by Norwegian fisheries management.”
Calanus oil contains the omega-3s EPA and DHA predominantly in the wax ester form (the oil is slightly viscous). The oil also contains astaxanthin, which gives its ruby color.
Wax esters are historically associated with penguin, seal, and whale oil, but are being produced by Norwegian company Calanus AS from C. finmarchicus. A commercial product containing wax esters from calanus has been available in the US for several years called Arctic Ruby Oil.
Commenting on the new Health Canada approval, Jan Erik Olsen, head of sales and marketing of Calanus Oil, said: “We are already present in the EU and US with Calanus Oil, and we are excited to also being able to contribute to the public health in Canada.
“We have extensive scientific documentation on Calanus Oil already, and we are now planning focused clinical trials with the objective to apply for health claims within the metabolic health area. We are convinced that Calanus Oil offers additional health benefits compared to other omega-3 products. Calanus Oil also meets the increasing consumer demand for naturally pure and sustainable products.”