A Sustainable Alternative to Fish Oil

Biosus Omega3-PETS brings you DHA straight from the source

Brand Insights from Camlin Fine Sciences

In recent years, pet parents have gained a growing appreciation for the role of DHA omega-3 essential fatty acids in their animals’ health. It supports the heart and blood vessels, liver, nervous and digestive systems, joints, and skin, while also contributing to a shinier coat. More and more, consumers look for DHA in their pet food and treats because they know it brings benefits.

DHA Sustainability Challenges

To meet this demand, pet food and treat manufacturers have increasingly worked to incorporate DHA into their products. Currently, the pet food market derives most of its DHA from fish, which accumulate DHA in their fatty tissues when they consume marine plants that are rich in omega-3s. Common sources include salmon oil and cod liver oil, with tuna and squid also quite popular. These same sources also provide DHA for human consumption in the form of whole fish, supplements, food ingredients, shakes, and more.

The growing demand for fish, fueled partly by the need for DHA in pet food, health supplements, and other products, is quickly outstripping supply. This is putting more strain on our ocean’s ecosystem and making it clear that there is a need for more sustainable options.

Like any product that relies on the weather and other natural cycles for its production, the supply of fish oil depends on many factors that are outside of the control of both suppliers and customers. From blips in the fish-oil supply chain to large-scale issues such as overharvesting and climate change, a variety of considerations can inhibit pet food manufacturers’ ability to acquire the amount and quality of fish oil they need. The price of fish oil can also be quite volatile due to these factors.

Furthermore, the fish oil supply chain comprises numerous transportation steps that add to its carbon footprint, including conveying fish to processors, delivering crude products to production laboratories for extraction and refining, sending the finished oil to brokers or wholesalers, and finally shipping the product to the pet food manufacturer. The constituents that end up being refined into fish oil may circle the globe more than once before finding their way to the pet food manufacturer.

As our oceans have become more polluted, contaminants are showing up in our fish supply. Government agencies advise limited consumption of certain fish due to the presence of heavy metals, PCBs, and other pollutants, From the consumer perspective, pet parents are examining not just their own diets more closely, but also the diets of their furry family members.

Biosus Omega3-PETS: A Sustainable Solution

Thankfully, there is a more sustainable alternative to fish oil: the same marine plants that provide fish with DHA. To bring high-quality plant-based DHA to pet food manufacturers, Camlin Fine Sciences developed Biosus Omega3-PETS, a whole-cell dried Schizochytrium microalgae rich in long-chain polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. “Rather than the fish eating the algae, and then sourcing the fish, we're going straight to the source for DHA,” said Nicholas Howes, technical services specialist with Camlin Fine Sciences.

The microalgae that make up Biosus Omega3-PETS are cultivated in a controlled fermentation process free of contaminants. They are provided with optimal nutrients, light, and growth time to create a consistent product with specific DHA levels tailored to the needs of the pet food manufacturer. Biosus Omega3-PETS can be grown to contain significantly higher levels of DHA compared to unrefined oil from wild fish, which has very low DHA content, and oil from farm-raised fish, which generally contains only moderate amounts.

After the algae reach the ideal concentration, they are dried into a free-flowing powder that’s shelf-stable and easy to handle during food processing. This makes it perfect for direct use in kibble and pet treat recipes. The stability and convenience of Biosus Omega3-PETS provide manufacturers with the flexibility to incorporate it into a wide range of kibble and treat formulations.

Because Biosus Omega3-PETS is grown in a controlled environment, its supply is not subject to the whims of nature in the same way that fish oil supplies are. Biosus Omega3-PETS offers a safe, consistent supply and predictable cost.

Finally, Biosus Omega3-PETS has a reduced transportation footprint thanks to two factors. It is grown and dried in the same location, then shipped right to the pet food manufacturer. In addition, its concentrated nature means that more DHA can be fit into fewer shipping containers, further reducing transportation costs and fuel consumption.

As a sustainable ingredient, Biosus Omega3-PETS truly shines. The microalgae that produce it are lower on the food chain and require fewer inputs and minimal processing to produce a larger amount of DHA than is found in fish oil. Biosus Omega3-PETS can help companies meet their ESG goals with this less energy-intensive and more sustainably sourced ingredient.

About Camlin Fine Sciences

Camlin Fine Sciences (CFS) has been a pioneer since 1931, developing antioxidants, antimicrobials, and other crucial ingredients for human and animal nutrition. Serving over 80 countries, Camlin Fine Sciences has locations around the world and a global team of highly experienced professionals guiding world-class innovation and research.

As a vertically integrated company, Camlin Fine Sciences produces its own ingredients, controlling quality from start to finish and thus reducing risk to both the company and customers. Selling directly to manufacturers, it is able to tailor its products to the market. Its state-of-the-art laboratory in Urbandale, Iowa, provides support to North American customers for shelf-life studies and raw material testing.

Camlin Fine Sciences has built its expertise over time in order to continually develop effective solutions that meet the needs of pet food manufacturers and beyond. It empowers businesses across the globe with expertise and state-of-the-art solutions, contributing to their growth and success.