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Fats with Fitness Functionality
By Steve Myers
Natural Products Industry Insider
July 30, 2007

The market grows as experts meet formulation, education challenges

"Love fed fat soon turns to boredom," said the poet Ovid. But what do ancient Roman intellectuals really know about fat? Not too long ago, most people would have agreed with the Latin literary legend. Today, the word on good fats is spreading, and the vehicles for bringing these fats to the people are anything but boring.

Fish has been a good meal as far back as ancient Greece and Rome. These civilizations also turned to Egypt for grains, one of which was flax. They were taking in the good fats, but didn't know about the power of the fatty acids in these foods.

Essential fatty acids (EFAs), especially from fish and flax, have won accolades around the globe, based on the wave of positive research results showing consumption of certain fats are good for health and fighting disease. This first amounted to increased use of EFA supplements derived from fish oil or flaxseed. However, Ovid's modern literary counterpart, Fran Lebowitz, reasoned, "Food is an important part of a balanced diet." The journey of EFAs is coming full circle, as functional foods are becoming a preferred vehicle for EFAs by consumers.

"A recent U.S.-focused report on omega-3 fatty acids by Packaged Facts indicated, for example, that the market for foods and beverages fortified with ALA (alpha linolenic acid) from flax, and fish oil-based EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) had grown from $100 million to $2 billion between 2002 and 2006," reported Linda Pizzey, co-founder and president of Pizzey's Nutritionals. "Sales of $7 billion by 2011 are forecast, which represents a growth rate of 60 percent per year for 10 years." She further noted functional foods fortified with omega-3s are launching at a rapid rate. "According to Productscan Online, 1,241 foods, beverages, pet foods and cosmeceuticals enriched with omega-3s were launched in 2006 worldwide, up from 1,065 in 2005," she said, adding dairy and bakery products were the most popular food categories using omega-3s.

While fish oil has come into considerable favor in both research and product development, flax is making progress. "Mintel's Global New Products Database reported in 2005, 72 new products were launched in the United States that listed flax or flaxseed, which is often marketed as a source of omega-3, as an ingredient," she confirmed, adding 75 new flax-containing products were launched domestically in the first 11 months of 2006. She also reported Datamonitor has found significant growth in the North American introduction of new foods and beverages containing flax from about 220 in 2000 to 630 in 2005.

Manny Sabares, global marketing director with Bioriginal, which supplies EFAs from both plant and animal sources, agreed on the promise of EFAs from vegetarian sources. "Plant-based essential fatty acids are becoming increasingly popular in functional products," he proclaimed. "This can be attributed to two main factors: first, the great health benefits associated with them are becoming more widely publicized—flax is known to be good for promoting a healthy heart; and second, plant-based EFAs are particularly suitable for functional food products due to their mild taste."

What has sparked this surge in EFA popularity? "The strong scientific recognition of the health benefits of omega-3s has lead to tremendous acceptance by consumers and the health community," Pizzey offered. "As such, many countries and international organizations have made formal population-based dietary recommendations for omega-3s."

Sabares cited publicity as a great tool to spread the good word on good fats throughout America and abroad. He suggested studies such as the much publicized Durham Schools Trial (www.DurhamTrial.org), in which children showed significant improvement in attainment after EFA supplementation, play a large role in boosting awareness of, and demand for EFAs on an international level.

Also crediting science, Rob Bailey, marketing manager, Cognis Nutrition & Health, contends fish made its mark through research. "Omega-3 fish oils are leading the [EFA] category based on the compelling science," he quipped. "Omega-3 fish oils are scientifically proven to have a variety of health benefits that resonate with consumers; and, market research shows consumers do not include enough fish in their diets. So, as consumers become educated on the health benefits of omega-3s, especially for the heart and brain, demand will continue to grow."

The Science of EFAs

Love fed fat might not be desirous, but a heart fed the right fats is certainly becoming much coveted. EFA supplementation has been linked to decreased risk of heart attack, stroke, cardiac arrest and reduced CVD mortality—especially sudden cardiac death.1,2,3 Study results have shown reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL), total cholesterol, triglycerides and other blood factors following supplementation with flax4,5 and fish oil,6,7 which has also exhibited suppression of coagulation factors.8 This cardiovascular activity has, by some researchers, been linked back to EFAs' role in inflammation pathways, which relates to EFA metabolism in the body. The ability of EFAs, particularly fish oil-based omega-3s, to inhibit cell adhesion molecules and inflammatory cytokine production is considered the mechanism behind their reduction of fatal arrhythmia.9,10

"No diet will remove all the fat from your body because the brain is entirely fat," quipped Nobel winner George Bernard Shaw. "Without a brain, you might look good, but all you could do is run for public office." Funny as the punch line may be, Shaw is onto something there. The brain is indeed a fatty organ, and cognitive function appears directly related to EFA content, which comprises half the lipid portion of the brain. It is no surprise, then, people with increased EFA intake from fish or EFA supplements perform better on IQ tests and show decreased risk of dementia.11,12 Among EFAs, fish oil's DHA appears particularly effective at protecting brain cells and inhibiting amyloid formation, making it useful against memory decline, Alzheimer's disease and other functional challenges.13,14 Overall, fish oil's inflammation control activities are credited with slowing the effects of aging in the brain.15

The inflammatory pathway affects numerous other areas and functions of the body, placing EFAs in a prime position to benefit consumers' health. As DHA levels in the rod outer membrane of the eye rise, inflammatory activity declines and risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) wanes.16 Most recently, an increase in omega-3 intake protected against blindness that can occur from abnormal ocular blood vessel growth, by suppressing inflammatory compounds and increasing production of anti-inflammatory compounds in the eye.17

Inflammation in the joints leads to pain and rheumatoid arthritis, but EFAs from fish oil and from plant seed oils have helped curb inflammation and restore comfortable mobility in arthritis research.18,19,20,21 Fish oil has even compared favorably to conventional treatments,22 and omega-3 from krill oil (as Neptune Krill Oil™, from Neptune Technologies Inc.) has been shown to work on inflammation and arthritic symptoms within a short treatment period.23

The scope of EFA benefits is far and wide. Recent study results have shown increased omega-3s from food or supplements can improve mood and mental health, boost the immune system,24,25 help combat cancer,26 enhance infant development27 and decrease risk of childhood asthma and allergies.28

Rising to the Challenge

Scientific advancement isn't tied to research on health benefits. Innovative technology and formulation is often necessary for ingredients like EFAs to overcome challenges limiting their use in functional food and beverage applications.

Taste is a major factor when dealing with EFAs, especially when formulating products with fish oils. "Sophisticated processing techniques enable the creation of bland tasting oils that have a neutral odor, which means they have a minimal impact on the taste of the end product," Sabares said. "In addition, products can be enhanced with flavored oils to mask any unwanted notes."

Bailey agreed taste is the major challenge facing EFAs. He added, "Perhaps more so than with other functional food ingredients, fish oils can impact the smell, taste and mouth feel of a product."

One of the key factors in limiting taste issues is stability. Pizzey confirmed stability issues limit the use of EPA and DHA in fortified foods, especially in toasted breads or products such as cereals and some prepared foods with longer shelf lives. "These omega-3s have, to date, been most successfully incorporated into chilled food applications with short shelf life such as milks, juices, yogurts, margarines and spreads," she said, noting microencapsulation of omega-3s, especially EPA and DHA, has been an instrumental technology in delaying or inhibiting oxidation and, thus, helping to mask undesirable fishy odors and flavors in the final product.

She further reported new patents are being filed regularly, and more food ingredient companies are introducing new omega-3 products, usually in the form of emulsions or powders. "[These new products] are marketed on the basis of an ability to deliver taste and odor neutrality in addition to other properties such as heat stability, shelf-life longevity, and all at relatively high dosages," she said, adding microencapsulated omega-3 products have greater success rates in simple food applications such as low shelf-life products (bakery and certain dairy products).

For example, technology has brought together whole flaxseed (omega-3, lignans, antioxidants and fiber) with EPA and DHA from fish oil. Pizzey explained a powerful antioxidant system present naturally within flax seed provides an increase in the stability and shelf-life of EPA and DHA as the omega-3s are encapsulated in the milled flaxseed.

Stability and freshness issues go beyond simply sourcing high-quality microencapsulated omega-3 ingredients. "When it comes to the freshness of EFAs, creating the right processing and packaging conditions are key steps," Sabares cautioned. "Manufacturers must ensure their EFAs are processed and packaged with minimum exposure to oxygen and light."

Incorporating even high-technology and high-quality omega-3 ingredients is still no simple feat. Common reasons for the failure of encapsulated products in food applications are pH, shear, and presence of minerals, according to Pizzey. "Most omega-3 suppliers now invest time and effort to work with the customer throughout the product development process to overcome processing obstacles, including choosing the right antioxidants and potentially flavor-masking agents for the final product," she advised.

Beyond the science of producing EFAs that work well with a variety of functional foods, infusing the final product with enough omega-3, especially in the case of EPA and DHA, to meet the requirement for a researched benefit is an increasing concern. "This presents a major challenge on several fronts, including the price of final products, market positioning, and, importantly, the taste and flavor of the food product," Pizzey said.

In the end, it is not easy to incorporate EFAs into functional foods and beverages, but it can be done with the proper technology and care. "That's why it's critical for formulators to work with suppliers who have extensive experience and can deliver a successful product," Bailey said.

EFAs have made their way into many different foods and beverages. Liquid EFAs such as newer fish oil emulsions are being used in orange juice, milk and even yogurt; powdered EFAs are popular ingredients in cereals and breads. Feeding an EFA-rich diet to certain farm animals has led to high omega-3 content in staple foods such as eggs.

Flax has been a popular ingredient in the bread and cereal sectors for decades. Pizzey reported flax is now increasingly being found in prepared foods such as pastas and pizza crusts; smoothie beverages; dairy applications such as yogurt; nutrition and weight management bars; salad dressings; and breading systems.

As the hottest ingredient category in the dietary supplement market, EFAs have long been poised to take the functional food and beverage market by storm. Consumer demand is sparked by continuous positive research results showing both general and targeted health benefits to various body functions and systems. While there are formulation and manufacturing challenges in producing high quality, stable EFA-fortified functional products, suppliers are meeting these challenges with refined ingredient production processes and patented technologies that address stability, taste and shelf-life issues. This increased demand and improved supply will continue to add up to some interesting innovations in omega-3 functional foods and beverages.