New Omega-3 fish oil with better taste and odor developed

The novel process using a new tool called a vortex fluidic device (VFD) is successful in lifting the quality of active ingredients of the PUFAs in fish oil alongwith better taste and odor.

The study now appears in Nature Papers Journals Science of Food.

Omega-3 fish oil contains both docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) which are essential nutrients that are important in preventing and managing cardiovascular diseases.

Capsules of fish oil protect omega-3 PUFAs from oxidation, but their large size limits their utility as nutritional supplements. Encapsulating fish oil in nanoparticles also protects omega-3 PUFAs from oxidation, and has exciting possibilities in food processing. 

Researchers applied the VFD-mediated encapsulated fish oil to enrich the omega-3 fatty acid content of apple juice.

"This novel process enriches the omega-3 fatty acid content of apple juice remarkably without changing its taste," says Kumari, adding that two common consumer complaints regarding fish oil supplements is the taste and odor. Liquid omega-3 oils can also break down over time when exposed to oxygen which leads to degradation.

Compared to regular homogenization processing, Kumari says the device can raise PUFA levels and purity by lowering oxidation and dramatically improving shelf life. Natural bioactive molecules, also used in processing, reveal that the fish oil medium can absorb flavonoids and other health supplements.

This study not only presents a new alternative approach as an affordable one process but also for directly scaling up any fish oil process, for a variety of applications in food processing.