DHA-Containing Oilseed: A Timely Solution for the Sustainability Issues Surrounding Fish Oil Sources of the Health-Benefitting Long-Chain Omega-3 Oils
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CSIRO Animal, Foods and Health Sciences, P.O. Box 10041, Adelaide BC, SA 5000, Australia
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CSIRO Animal, Foods and Health Sciences, Werribee, Victoria, VIC 3030, Australia
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Food Futures Flagship, Division of Marine and Atmospheric Research, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
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Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Nutrients 2014, 6(5), 2035-2058; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu6052035
Received: 11 April 2014 / Revised: 8 May 2014 / Accepted: 15 May 2014 / Published: 22 May 2014
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Omega-3: Health Benefits, Sources, Products and Bioavailability)
Benefits of long-chain (≥C20) omega-3 oils (LC omega-3 oils) for reduction of the risk of a range of disorders are well documented. The benefits result from eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA); optimal intake levels of these bioactive fatty acids for maintenance of normal health and prevention of diseases have been developed and adopted by national and international health agencies and science bodies. These developments have led to increased consumer demand for LC omega-3 oils and, coupled with increasing global population, will impact on future sustainable supply of fish. Seafood supply from aquaculture has risen over the past decades and it relies on harvest of wild catch fisheries also for its fish oil needs. Alternate sources of LC omega-3 oils are being pursued, including genetically modified soybean rich in shorter-chain stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4ω3). However, neither oils from traditional oilseeds such as linseed, nor the SDA soybean oil have shown efficient conversion to DHA. A recent breakthrough has seen the demonstration of a land plant-based oil enriched in DHA, and with omega-6 PUFA levels close to that occurring in marine sources of EPA and DHA. We review alternative sources of DHA supply with emphasis on the need for land plant oils containing EPA and DHA.
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Keywords:
omega-3 long-chain PUFA; aquaculture; alternate sources
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MDPI and ACS Style
Kitessa, S.M.; Abeywardena, M.; Wijesundera, C.; Nichols, P.D. DHA-Containing Oilseed: A Timely Solution for the Sustainability Issues Surrounding Fish Oil Sources of the Health-Benefitting Long-Chain Omega-3 Oils. Nutrients 2014, 6, 2035-2058.
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