Pet Food Processing - September 2024 - 39

INGREDIENTS
OMEGA 3
alternatives
Formulators look to alternative sources of Omega 3 fatty acids
to satisfy the ongoing demand for the pet food ingredient.
By Jordan Tyler | petfoodprocessing@sosland.com
H
Health-promoting ingredients have taken center stage
in the pet food space in recent years as pet parents look
to nutrition to assuage ailments and reinforce overall
health and wellness in their four-legged family members.
To this end, today's pet owners are more likely to
conduct research, read ingredient labels, and seek out
products with specific ingredients they recognize as
providing a benefit. In fact, according to Amsterdambased
Corbion, 85% of pet owners in Europe and North
America read ingredient lists as part of their pet food
purchasing decisions.
One of these ingredients is fish oil, commonly known
in the human supplement space to reduce inflammation,
lower blood pressure, manage joint pain and support skin
health through the delivery of Omega 3 fatty acids. And
like many other pet health trends, this sentiment about
fish oil has trickled down to apply to our dogs and cats.
According to a January 2024 report by MarketPlace,
Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids were ranked No. 6 in a list of 19
ingredients pet parents associate with positive health benefits
in 2023, outperforming CBD, glucosamine, collagen,
prebiotics and chondroitin. Additionally, of the 765 pet
parents surveyed, 69% said seeing Omega 3 on an ingredient
list would influence their purchase consideration,
second only to vitamin D with 70% of respondents.
Essential Omega 3 fatty acids include alpha-linolenic
acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA) and stearidonic acid (SDA), among
others. ALA and SDA, along with Omega 6 fatty acid
gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), are commonly found in
plant-based sources, while EPA and DHA are most widely
sourced through fatty fish and other marine ingredients.
ALA and SDA are both precursors of EPA and DHA,
meaning pets can synthesize the two long-chain fatty
acids on their own through the digestion of ALA and
SDA. However, according to Jennifer Adolphe, Ph.D.,
pet technical services manager at ADM, Chicago, these
natural conversion rates are relatively low.
For this reason, pets that need Omega 3s for therapeutic
reasons may be better off getting them from marine sources,
like fish oil or microalgae, as they are more efficient sources
of both EPA and DHA, suggested Patrick Backowski, director
at Anchor Ingredients, Fargo, ND. But for pet owners
simply looking to boost their pets' overall health through
Omega 3 supplementation, alternative sources could prove
to deliver the benefit without straining the environment.
But first, how exactly do Omega 3s support pet health
and wellness?
Pet health benefits
The health benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids range from
supporting skin, coat and joint health to helping balance
www.petfoodprocessing.net | September 2024 | PET FOOD PROCESSING 39
Omega 3 fatty acids
are not only a valuable
functional ingredient
in human food,
but provide a range
of health benefits to
pets as well.
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Pet Food Processing - September 2024

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