International Fish Oil Standards

The benefits of fish oil are slowly becoming recognized by more and more people all over the world. The omega-3 fatty acids that are abundant in fish oil have already been tested as possible cures for many diseases, and at present, there are still researches underway to further develop the healing potential of fish oil and omega-3 fatty acids.

Fish oil and the omega-3 fatty acids found in them can be beneficial to patients with cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, even depression and other mental conditions. At the current time, patients are still advised to seek the help of a doctor or medical practitioner before incorporating fish oil or fish oil supplements in their diet.

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Since it is known that fish oil supplements are obtained from real fish products, much concern has grown around the possibility of contamination and negative side effects of fish oil to human health. Because a lot of water bodies in the world are contaminated with one or more forms of pollutant, the fish that are caught can also be tainted with toxic substances, such as heavy metals, PCB’s, dioxins, and many more.

It was after 2006 when the International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS) was established in Guelph, Canada, as a means of addressing the concern for the quality of fish oil that is being sold and taken in by consumers. Basically, the aim of the International Fish Oil Standards is to test the quality of the fish oil and fish oil supplements in order to determine if such brands and products are totally safe for humans to take.

What are the aspects of fish oil and fish oil supplements that are being examined? One of them is the levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which is quantified and analyzed by means of gas chromatography. It is important that the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the product correspond with what is put on the label, as excessive dosages of omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil can cause further health complications.

Another test that the IFOS conducts on fish oil brands is for the presence of contaminants, such as mercury, PCB, furans, and dioxins, which may be present in the water and in the fish that thrived in those bodies of water. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry are the methods employed by the IFOS for analyzing the samples for PCB, furan, and dioxin content.

Heavy metals such as lead, nickel, cadmium, and arsenic are also important elements which the people from the International Fish Oil Standards test on a regular basis. Even the trace amount of such heavy metals, when ingested by humans through food fish or fish oil supplements, can be highly toxic. Spectrometry and microwaves are used to be able to detect the amounts of heavy metals present.

The IFOS website has already archived quality assessment reports of dozens of fish oils and fish oil supplement brands. The public can readily view the graphs and reports of the products in question from the website. This helps buyers assess the quality of the fish oil that they are planning to consume.