Stay up-to-date on the world of marine Omega-3s and everything Epax.
Epax has reported close to total circularity for its marine biomaterials, thanks to a strict zero-waste policy. In 2022, 96.7% of by-products resulting from the manufacture of Epax’s marine oil ingredients were used to create other valuable resources, including animal feed, fertiliser and biogas. The achievement is announced in the Norwegian marine lipid specialist’s first annual Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, in which it commits to increase the figure to 98% by the end of 2023. To its knowledge, Epax is the first Omega-3 ingredients supplier to set itself biocircularity targets or to report on its progress in the area. The ethos of circularity – also known as the circular economy – is to minimise the use of raw materials, maximise product reuse and recycling, and make new products from waste and by-products. Currently, just 7.2% of all materials input into the entire global economy are used to create new resources at the end of their useful life.
Epax has reinforced its position as a leader in highly concentrated Omega-3 with a major upgrade to its facility and the launch of next-level molecular distillation technology. The upgrade includes the introduction of highly sophisticated quality process technology. Branded EQP+Tech, it allows individual fatty acids to be separated from fish oil and ultra-concentrated without the use of excessive heat or harsh chemicals.
Epax has launched a new product that derives its benefits from cetoleic acid – an ingredient outside the traditional Omega-3 category.
The marine lipid innovator specializes in high-purity, condition-specific EPA and DHA products for nutraceuticals. However, its new Epax® NovusLipid portfolio features less familiar ingredients.
The first product from the range is EPAX® Cetoleic 10, which contains cetoleic acid – an Omega-11 marine lipid – and gondoic acid (Omega-9). Rich in long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids (LC-MUFAs), new Epax research indicates that it may have particular benefits for skin health.
Nutrition Industry Executive/VRM Media provides an overview of opportunities within the heart health category in this very thorough article:
'After months of lockdowns and COVID-driven challenges, GOED Exchange 2022 promises to bring the omega-3 industry back together to learn and network, renew old friendships and forge new ones.' As a founding member of GOED, Epax is proud to, once again, sponsor the event which this time will take place in beautiful Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Marine Ingredients Certifications Ltd has evaluated and renewed Epax's MarinTrust certification for a new 3-year period. MarinTrust, formerly known as IFFO-RS, is described as a 'unique international certification scheme programme for marine ingredient certification', and the company's purpose is to 'to champion best practice in fisheries and production for Marine Ingredients'.
Epax has been awarded a grant worth over $900,000 to research the potential of new fatty acids for human health from the Norwegian Research Council. Epax has already begun collaborations with universities and research institutions, providing test materials for pre-clinical research, with clinical studies to take place at a later stage. The research institute Nofima is a project partner, and the research is linked to an Epax-sponsored PhD, with the first scientific publication due in 2021. Read more here
At Epax, we believe the best approach to great scientific insights is a combination of independent and own studies. In fact, there are more than 100 peer-reviewed clinical studies using Epax products! Recently, new, independent data were published on high-DHA Epax oil and testosterone levels in overweight and obese men. Access the publication here, or read the NutraIngredients USA article coverage here.
NutraIngredient's webinar on Omega-3, co-sponsored by Epax, is now available on-demand. Tune in to hear leading experts discuss the emerging science on Omega-3, it is only available for 3 months! Click here to read the post-event coverage in NutraIngredients.
Join us at Vitafoods Virtual Expo as Professor John Nolan of Nutrition Research Centre Ireland presents the newly published 'The Cognitive impAiRmEnt Study (CARES), and gain unique insights about one of nutrition's power-couples; DHA and carotenoids. Sign up for the Expo here, and head to the Omega-3 Micro-Community for our on-demand webinar!
Whilst several of the strict measures we implemented in March still apply, we are, like the rest of the Norwegian society, gradually returning to the ‘new normal’.
From a business perspective, we have been able to continue to run our facility at full capacity, and also to deliver shipments to customers around the globe without any interruptions or supply issues. Our administrative staff has now returned to working mainly from our offices in Ålesund and Lysaker rather than home office.
We are hopeful that the situation has now stabilized in Norway, but only time will tell, so we continue to take extra care with regards to frequent washing of hands and social distancing. We’re in this together.
Dr. Morten Bryhn, scientific adviser at Epax, discusses how a health diet and supplementation can help fight dementia. Read the full article here
The COVID-19 pandemic situation is affecting all of us, both in business and personal life.
Almost 8 weeks ago we took strict measures here at Epax with the aim of:
- Protecting our employees, as far as possible
- Secure production and deliveries to our customers
- Secure supply of various input materials
So far, we seem to have succeeded and, fortunately, we are all fine and in good health. Most of our staff is working from home, all in line with the recommendations from the Norwegian government, and can be reached through the regular channels (phone/email/Teams).
Luckily, we are in a business segment which seems quite robust and our thoughts go out to all those who have lost their jobs and income. Some sectors are really suffering, but we are certain that we as a society will come out stronger on the other side.
As the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak continues to spread, we would like to assure our business partners that we are taking measures to be as prepared as possible in this rapidly evolving situation. As of now, none of our employees have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and our production is still running as normal. However, all personnel not directly involved with production will be working from home the next 14 days in an attempt to limit any potential risk of spread. Further, we are limiting access to the plant, and have implemented even stricter control upon arrival, and we will only accept external personnel which play a crucial role in keeping our production running, such as business partners handling in- and outbound logistics. If you are a customer, and have questions regarding your pending order, please reach out directly to your Epax contact. As of now, we have no shipment delays, but this may change as we see increasing challenges with general logistics world-wide.
GOED - the Global Organization for EPA & DHA Omega-3s - has launched its consumer outreach program 'Omega-3 Insider'. Follow this link to sign up, and receive the latest research-backed news and information on EPA and DHA omega-3s, plus some surprises and discounts from GOED member organizations.
As member of the GOED board - and one of the founding members - Epax is happy to share that the registration for GOED Exchange on February 4-6 2020 is now open! Join us in Barcelona for this biennial event as Omega-3 thought leaders share important information about the Omega-3 industry. For more information, visit the GOED Exchange website by clicking here.
Read leading trade magazine NutraIngredients' article on Epax's USD 35 million investment in Omega-3 innovation here
Epax Norway AS will be exhibiting at Suppply Side West October 17-18 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, NV. Our booth number is 3715, located to the left of the Bayside D entrance (the middle entrance). Stop by to say hello, or contact your Epax or Stauber (exclusive Epax distributor for North America) representative to schedule a meeting in our private, on-stand meeting room!
Epax Norway AS is set to exhibit at Vitafoods Asia September 25-26 at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. Visit us at stand I13 on the GOED Pavilion for a chat about Omega-3!
On June 19, the US Food and Drug Administration decided to allow a qualified health claim (QHC) linking EPA and DHA to a reduction in blood pressure. The QHC came after a thorough evaluation of GOED's August 2014 health claim petition and is a huge leap forward for both the industry and the general population. According to the American Heart Association, more than 100 million American adults have high blood pressure, leading to increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Further, the FDA updated its safety review to examine more recent evidence regarding the effects of consuming EPA and DHA at levels above 3 grams per day on glycemic control, blood cholesterol, and risk of excessive bleeding, and concluded levels up to 5 grams per day as safe.
Read the full reply to GOED's petition here!
The Epax production facility is located relatively close to the city centre of Ålesund, so Epax has a special responsibility to find solutions that benefits the local environment. One of our focus areas is reducing local truck traffic, and the air pollution from that traffic. We have now achieved a dramatic reduction in road transport by shifting the majority of our by-product shipments to sea, and by setting up production of our own biofuel.
Shipment by sea has a significantly lower carbon footprint than that of trucks. So in addition to reduced local pollution and congestion on the roads, we benefit from the efficiency of scale in that ships burn far less fuel per ton of by-products transported. This effort is in line with recommendations made by the UN (UNCTAD: https://unctad.org/meetings/en/SessionalDocuments/cimem7d17_en.pdf).
Our biofuel is made from the by-products of our Omega-3 production, and burns extremely clean, with very little dust resulting from the combustion. And it comes of course from a renewable source.
Molecular distillation is, for many consumers, synonymous with product quality and purity. Most people connect the term with the removal of environmental impurities in fish oils, but molecular distillation also plays a key role in the up-concentration of EPA and DHA content. Due to the mild nature of the technology, Epax considers molecular distillation to be the best way of increasing EPA and DHA content without triggering the oxidation process in the oil, and inadvertently creating unwanted, and potentially harmful, oxidative by-products such as trans fatty acids, oligomers and polymers. We have now made a great technological breakthrough in the quest to increase the maximum achievable concentration levels, reaching concentrations up to 700 mg/g of EPA/DHA. Contact your Epax representative for further details!
With Vitafoods Europe fast approaching, we would like to remind all customers and friends of Epax of the annual stand event taking place on Wednesday May 8th from 16:00-17:30 (4-5:30 pm), stand nr. I92 (on the main aisle). The whole Epax team is looking forward to it!
As part of an increased focus on organoleptic values, Epax has been an active participant in and contributor to the research project ‘QOMEGA-3 – Sensory Industry Standard for Marine Oils’, a project run by Norwegian research service company Møreforsking, funded by the Norwegian Research Fund (FHF).
After a 2-year process of actively testing and mapping fish oil samples from Norwegian manufacturers, Møreforsking suggests three quality categories; Gold, Silver, and Regular.
Our premium TGN concentrates have repeatedly received high scores and Gold Standard in the testing, and we are now initiating capital investments in our production facility to be able to eventually include sensory standards as part of our product specifications.
Read more about the project (Norwegian text) here!
Leading trade magazine Natural Products Merchandiser report, based on market data from Accenture, that 'businesses that show commitment to a greater mission are more likely to influence and attract consumers'. Further, they state that the majority of consumers value companies that use good quality ingredients, treat employees well, and believe in reducing plastics and improving the environment. Read the full article here
Interesting analysis by Aldo Bernasconi at The Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED). According to the data from the Global Burden of Disease Study, in 2016, in Western, Central and Eastern Europe, and Central Asia, an estimated 227,000 CVD deaths were caused by seafood omega-3 intakes under 250 mg/day!! Watch Aldo's video for full analysis!
At Epax, we have a long and proud tradition of supporting the scientific community with study medication. We do this to help develop new and independent science on the wonderful effects of Omega-3. We're excited and grateful that the latest study to publish, by Howe et. al., has been picked up by leading trade magazine NutraIngredients! Read the article here!
Ellen Schutt, Executive Director of GOED, sums up the year of EPA and DHA Omega-3s in this guest article published in NutraIngredients USA!
On February 20-22 2019, NutraIngredients will host the first ever NutraIngredients Omega-3 Summit (in association with GOED). The event will take place in Singapore, promising to 'bring the international omega-3 community to Asia-Pacific, and take the insights from the region to the world'. At Epax, we are excited to support what we are certain will be a top-notch Omega-3 event, and we are looking forward to 3 educational and fun days!
Read more about the Summit here
Epax' owner company Pelagia, a leading producer of pelagic fish products for human consumption, and an important supplier of essential ingredients in all kinds of fish- and animal feed; protein concentrate, fishmeal, and fish oil, recently published its Q3 results. Visit Pelagia's website for more information!
The Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED) recently released an industry advisory on the correct way of measuring EPA and DHA. Whilst Area % historically was the standard measurement of the Omega-3 fatty acid content, Epax chose to replace this for the far more accurate weight measurement (mg/g) several years ago. In fact, all new products launched by Epax the past 5 years solely use mg/g unless where an addition of A% has been specifically required by the customer. We support GOED's effort to establish mg/g as the standard form of measurement. The new industry advisory can be found here.
The members of GOED recently voted to reduce the maximum limit on lead from 0.1 to 0.05 mg/kg in the GOED Voluntary Monograph. In order to furter support a positive development for the Omega-3 industry, Epax was one of the members voting for this change. The new limit will be valid from March 1, 2019.
For Epax’ products and customers there will be no specification change required, as we already implemented a maximum limit of 0.025 mg/kg back in 2009-2010.
The Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED) has relaunched its Omega-3 science hub 'Fats of Life'. This site is specifically designed for healthcare professionals, offering an easy way of accessing high-quality scientific data on the use of EPA and DHA Omega-3 for various health conditions/concerns.
Check it out here: www.fatsoflife.com
Epax is proud to be a founding member of GOED!
Pelagia - Epax' owner - recently released its results for Q2 2018.
Visit Pelagia's webpage for more information!
UPDATE: Application deadline has now passed.
We currently have 2 positions open at our facility in Ålesund, Norway. Join one of the best teams in the Omega-3 industry!
Epax Norway AS is set to exhibit at Vitafoods Asia September 11-12 at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. Visit us at stand J30 on the GOED Pavilion for a chat about Omega-3!
