Report shows most fish oil supplements
meet purity standards

A new report from the Environmental Defense, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the environment, shows that 37 of 54 companies that manufacture fish oil supplements meet the purity standards for environmental contaminants.

“Fish oil supplements are a great way to reduce your risk of heart disease, but all supplements are not created equal,” said Environmental Defense scientist Dr. Rebecca Goldburg. 

Sales of omega-3 supplements have more than tripled since 1998, reaching $190 million in 2003. However, unpurified fish oil supplements can contain unsafe levels of environmental contaminants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The presence of pollutants is a widespread problem, not just in oils but also in popular fish such as tuna, swordfish and farmed salmon as well, according to the department.

Environmental Defense surveyed 54 major producers and suppliers of fish oil supplements in the United States to see if and how they are addressing health risks from environmental contaminants.

More than two-thirds (37) of the 54 companies contacted verified that they met the strictest U.S. standards for contaminants. These companies use molecular distillation and steam deodorization to separate pollutants from the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.  Nine companies’ responses were incomplete, and eight companies did not respond.

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