Search for sustainable fish-oil alternative leads to microalgae

The resulting algal oil supports pet food manufacturers’ innovation and sourcing activities.

Scientists agree that omega-3 fatty acids – and in particular EPA and DHA – offer proven metabolic and health benefits for dogs and cats. However, dogs can only generate limited amounts of EPA and DHA, and neither can be generated in cats. Therefore, dietary supplementation is recommended to ensure the pet’s baseline nutritional requirements are being met.

The challenge

Traditionally, fish oil and fishmeal from wild fish stocks have been the sole source of these essential fatty acids. “But the biggest roadblock with fish oil is that there simply isn’t enough of it,” says Gertjan de Koning, CEO of Veramaris®. “It’s virtually impossible to source enough fish from oceans without unacceptable overfishing. The animal nutrition industry is in dire need of sustainable fish-oil alternatives.”

Veramaris therefore embarked on a challenge: to sustainably increase the world’s access to EPA and DHA. To achieve this, scientists turned to one of the most potent sources of these long-chain omega-3 fatty acids: microalgae.

Research

More than 35 years of research resulted in a unique algal oil that is both safe and sustainable. Veramaris Pets Algal Oil provides staggering amounts of EPA and DHA, allowing the animal nutrition industry to become independent of marine resources. Additionally, the algal oil is rich in arachidonic acid (ARA) – an essential omega-6 fatty acid for cats – making it one of the few rich vegetarian sources of ARA.

Quality assurance

The production process of Veramaris Pets Algal Oil is relatively simple, presenting few critical control points and allowing for superior quality and food safety standards. A closed-vessel fermentation process ensures that the algal oil is free from ocean-borne contaminants such as heavy metals, dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The fully controlled process also allows for minimal variation in the levels of EPA and DHA, giving pet food manufacturers the opportunity to confidently claim these omega-3 fatty acids in their products.

“The regenerative nature of the algal oil brings supply assurance to a volatile market, meeting the needs of a global market hungry for fish-oil alternatives,” states George B. Josef, Global Head of Business Development at Veramaris. “We are pleased to be able to support pet food manufacturers’ innovation and strategic sourcing objectives in this way,” he concludes.