On the supply front, the Peruvian anchovy fishery, the largest source of EPA and DHA omega-3s for the dietary supplement industry, saw a strong rebound from a dismal supply situation in 2023.
The Peruvian fishery has two fishing seasons per year. The quote for the first one in 2024, which took place in the April-June time frame, was 2.475 million metric tons, and almost all of it was landed. In addition, the fat content was very high, leading to production of approximately 90,000 metric tons of fish oil. This is in stark contrast to 2023, when the first fishing season was cancelled completely, and the second had a very low quota and resulting harvest.
This year’s second season in Peru, which is going on as we go to press, also had a very high quota—2.510 million metric tons, the third highest of the second anchovy seasons in the last decade. However, one month into the season, the oil yields have been quite low, and fishing activity has been slower than expected, so it remains to be seen what the actual amount of fish oil available from Peru will be.
The volatile situation in Peru, a key supply source, makes it important for the industry to consider additional sources of EPA and DHA. Algae has garnered a lot of interest over the last several years, and availability of supply has increased, albeit from a much smaller base. There are also specialty offerings—krill oil, calanus oil, herring roe and a canola oil offering—plus legacy oils like tuna oil, salmon oil and cod liver oil.
Importantly, there are also sources of high-quality oil from “newer”-producing regions like Oman, India, Japan and Turkey, which have lower amounts of EPA and DHA than Peruvian oil, but which are solid options as omega-3 demand continues to grow.
GOED’ s message is that it’s important for brands to research and consider these additional options to ensure the ongoing stability of the market.
Impending European regulations
A second important topic that had a crucial development during 2024 was an impending European regulation on mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH), a lubricant sometimes used in the manufacture of soft gels and a potential carcinogen.
While this is currently a European conversation, brands in Asia and North America are also paying attention and requesting documentation on levels of MOAH from suppliers.
The EU initially proposed a maximum limit of 2 mg/kg. The challenges with this limit are that testing capabilities are not sophisticated enough to reliably quantify a level this low, and many natural substances cause interference with the test results. In addition, companies have been receiving inconsistent results, even on the same sample and from the same lab. GOED and its members, along with interested parties in other affected markets, researched the situation, compiled occurrence data and appealed to the European Commission for a more reasonable solution.
The European Commission in June responded with a new draft proposal that raises the limit to 10 mg/kg beginning in 2026 and 5 mg/kg in 2030. The new limit still requires a vote by European Member States and the European Parliament, which is expected to happen early next year, and GOED continues to work with member companies to research mitigation strategies and options for solving the interference issues.
Reviewing DRI in the U.S. and Canada
The last topic of importance in 2024 is the recent potential progress on a U.S. and Canadian DRI (dietary reference intake). GOED has long been interested in seeing a DRI review given the strong body of evidence supporting EPA and DHA intake for improving public health.
Indeed, GOED nominated EPA and DHA for a DRI review to the U.S. and Canadian governments in 2013 and, in 2014, the governments of both countries announced that EPA and DHA were selected as top priorities, “based on public health and/or policy importance.” Yet, 10 years later, no progress has been made on this review.
Earlier this year, the Joint U.S.-Canadian DRI Working Group commissioned a multi-year review of the different macronutrients, and a fat review would logically include EPA and DHA.
Last month, the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), which is contracted by various government agencies to conduct systematic reviews on relevant topics, issued three separate requests for scientific information relevant to the impact of EPA and DHA intake on human health, including one on PUFA’s effects on child growth and development and a second on cardiovascular outcomes. This information will inform a series of systematic reviews which would be used during a DRI review.
While this is positive news, GOED still does not know if the review has been properly funded within the respective governments and given the upcoming change in the U.S. administration, there are still doubts about the likelihood of a review commencing in the near future.
As we close out the year, demand for omega-3s remained solid in 2024 despite the challenging supply situation going into the year, and GOED is optimistic about 2025.
