{"id":345,"date":"2014-02-14T08:01:14","date_gmt":"2014-02-14T14:01:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulprospector.com\/knowledge\/?p=345"},"modified":"2021-04-01T15:27:00","modified_gmt":"2021-04-01T21:27:00","slug":"omega-3-plant-sources","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ulprospector.ul.com\/345\/omega-3-plant-sources\/","title":{"rendered":"Omega-3 ALA: A Guide to High Quality Formulations"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Flax
Flax seed is an excellent source of omega-3 ALA’s.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Perform a basic search for ALA<\/a> (EU<\/a>) on a food industry news site like FoodNavigator.com, and it\u2019s easy to see why formulating with this omega-3 fatty acid is attractive for those wishing to up the nutritional benefits of their food products. Headlines include everything from alpha-linolenic acid\u2019s benefit to dry eye syndrome when used as eye drops to potential links in lowering brain abnormalities in the elderly. But before jumping into formulating with ALA, it\u2019s important to know the basics and to explore key development considerations that could make or break your next product.<\/p>\n

Omega-3 Basics<\/h3>\n

Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA,18:3n-3) is an 18-carbon chain with three cis double bonds. ALA is the omega-3 fatty acid found in plant sources and is an essential nutrient, which humans are unable to synthesize. In healthy people, ALA is converted into small amounts of DHA and EPA, which the body uses for heart health and brain function. Most nutrition benefit studies have been completed on DHA and EPA, but ALA has shown similar health benefits as the marine sourced omega-3 to a lesser degree. However, there has been some research linking higher levels of ALA as a factor in increased prostate cancer rates.<\/p>\n

The USDA has Adequate Intake (AI) levels set for men at 1.6 g\/day and 1.1g\/day for most women, but American diets are nearly double at an estimated 2-3 g\/day.<\/p>\n

Common sources of ALA include flaxseeds<\/a> (EU<\/a>), flaxseed oil, chia seeds<\/a> (EU<\/a>), soybeans and soybean oil<\/a> (EU<\/a>), canola oil<\/a> (EU<\/a>), pumpkin seeds<\/a> (EU<\/a>), perilla seed<\/a> oil (EU<\/a>), walnuts<\/a> and walnut oil (EU<\/a>). Oils containing stearidonic acid (SDA) derived from ALA are thought to be more bioavailable in the conversion to EPA, and can be found in unique oils like hemp<\/a> (EU<\/a>) and echium seed oil<\/a> (EU<\/a>). Some of these ingredients may impart a nutty flavor to the finished product but there are many ingredients on the market which have been refined to offer ALA with a clean flavor profile.<\/p>\n

Key Development Considerations<\/h3>\n

Formulators should take into account the following considerations to achieve the highest quality finished product when formulating with ALA.<\/p>\n