Photo: Colourbox.com

Development of omega-3-containing ingredients wins innovation award

Food, fish and agriculture Fish and shellfish Food production Health-promoting compounds

A business idea where by-products from the fishing industry are transformed into valuable ingredients full of omega-3 fish oils, has won the innovation competition at Europe's largest agricultural fair. The project idea is based on a cooperation between Professor Charlotte Jacobsen at the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark and the Danish company inOmega3.

When fish are filleted tons of by-products are generated, which are full of fish oils that are beneficial to health. If the oils are extracted, they can be used as an ingredient in health-promoting foods.

Professor Charlotte Jacobsen at the National Food Institute and the Danish company inOmega3 have jointly developed a project idea where omega-3 is extracted from fish by-products and incorporated into valuable omega-3-containing ingredients.

Ingredients destined for overseas markets

The new ingredients will be targeted towards Asia and the Middle East, where consumers are well aware of omega-3 oils’ positive health and nutritional properties. HoweverIn this part of the world, consumers prefer to get these oils from eating fish or fortified foods and not through dietary supplements.

The Danish project idea is therefore to design omega-3 ingredients with the unique functional, taste and nutritional properties that the markets demand for use in health-promoting foods. The ingredients will make it possible for food manufacturers to enrich existing foods or develop new foods with a beneficial health profile.

On November 25th year at the annual Agromek exhibition in Herning, Denmark, the project idea was named winner of the Agro Business Park Innovation Competition. Agromek is Northern Europe's largest agricultural fair. The competition aims to turn the spotlight on new, relevant, achievable and commercial business ideas.

The project idea has received funding from the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark.

Read more

Read more about the National Food Institute’s research into enriching foods with omega-3 on the institute’s website.