EPA and DHA in our Food
In contrast to most other nutrients, EPA and DHA are present in a very few foods only. Plants contain no long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. If fish materials are used in the feed, eggs and poultry can contribute, but only in very small quantities. For a sufficient supply of EPA and DHA fish and seafood are indispensable sources.
Among the varieties of fish and even within one species, the quantity of EPA and DHA are drastically different, depending among other factors on genetic and seasonal influences. The total content of EPA and DHA in salmon can vary from less than 300mg to over 2,500mg per 100g fish.
Not enough Fish on the Dinner Table
All over the world people simply don’t eat enough fish. The recommended daily intake of the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL) is 500mg EPA + DHA, but large parts of the populations of almost all industrialized nations fall well below this figure.
In Germany the average daily consumption is only 84mg of EPA and DHA per day. Also the majority of children consume a daily average of less than 100mg, an alarming low level.
Fish and Health: Contaminants
Saltwater fish rich in fats are a good source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Even if the health benefits of a diet rich in fish are not disputed, the level of contamination of a few types of fish can still be a problem above all for children, pregnant women and people who eat a good deal of fish.
Predatory fish such as tuna can show high levels of mercury and various water species such as herring or salmon may have serious problems with dioxin/PCB contaminations.1
For this reason some years ago the recommended intake levels for fish were partially reduced in some countries.
Maris Omega-3 ingredients are free from contaminants and offer a healthy and safe way to consume EPA and DHA in sufficient quantities. The extensive approval procedures for each batch of Maris Omega-3 ingredients include tests on heavy metals, dioxins, PCBs, PAHs, pesticides and other environmental contaminants
1EFSA: Contaminants in the food chain related to wild and farmed fish (2005)
