Low-Sodium Krill Oil May Help Omega-3 Brands Stand Out

Photo © iStockphoto.com/Tenedos

Lately, much of the omega-3 conversation has revolved around high-concentrate ingredients, but could sodium content be another factor in helping manufacturers differentiate their products on the market? Krill oil supplier Enzymotec (Migdal HaEmeq, Israel) seems to think so, with the announcement that its K-REAL krill oil now has a low sodium content that meets the criteria to make a “low sodium” claim in Europe.

Beyond just allowing brands to carry a “low sodium” claim, European supplements containing K-REAL can also carry the message: “Reducing consumption of sodium contributes to the maintenance of normal blood pressure,” according to Enzymotec. The company believes this will give its customers an additional edge on the omega-3 market.

“The omega-3 supplements market is highly competitive and a tough space to operate in,” says Ariel Katz, PhD, president and CEO, Enzymotec. “But with its unique low sodium benefit, K-REAL is an unbeatable choice of ingredient for manufacturers and brands seeking a powerful proposition that will ensure their products stand out on store shelves.”

According to Katz, some krill oils can contain sodium in amounts as high as 5000 ppm. He explains that the EU’s Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation sets a level of 1200 ppm of sodium or less as the criteria for making a “low sodium” claim, and that a third-party test recently found Enzymotec’s low sodium krill oil to contain 566 ppm +/-10. Other krill oil samples tested by the same third-party laboratory offered sodium levels between 1,218 ppm and 3,116 ppm, says Katz.

“This benefit is exclusive to K-REAL,” says Katz. “No other krill oil offers sodium levels as low as our does, creating an opportunity for dietary supplement manufacturers and marketers to give their products a unique selling point that will be compelling to their consumers.”

Enzymotec says it produces K-REAL through its proprietary Multi-Stage Oil (MSO) extraction process, which ensures the krill oil is “virtually free” of unwanted additional substances, including sodium. The process also removes other unwanted ingredient that may cause allergies or give the krill oil and unpleasant fishy smell, adds Katz.

Read more:

Omega-3s: High Times for High Concentrates?

Krill Oil May Boost Immune Function After Acute Exercise

Michael Crane
Associate Editor
Nutritional Outlook Magazine
michael.crane@ubm.com