Page 34 - Spring2009

WHAT ABOUT FISH AND KRILL OILS?

Fish oil and krill oil, sold as supplements to provide omega-3 fatty acids, are by-products of the fish and krill meal
industries. They are produced in large factories humming with the noise of conveyer belts, grinders, separators, extrac-
tors and dryers. We provide two descriptions of fish oil manufacture and one of krill oil manufacture, and let our readers
decide whether or not they want to consume these products. Remember that omega-3 fatty acids are very fragile and
highly subject to damage when exposed to heat and oxygen.

FISH OIL MANUFACTURE, METHOD ONE: “The bulk of the world’s fish meal and oil is today manufactured by the wet
pressing method. The main steps of the process are cooking for coagulation of the protein thereby liberating bound water
and oil, separation by pressing of the coagulate yielding a solid phase (presscake) containing 60-80% of the oil-free dry
matter (protein, bones) and oil, and a liquid phase (press liquor) containing water and the rest of the solids (oil, dissolved
and suspended protein, vitamins and minerals). The main part of the sludge in the press liquor is removed by centrifugation
in a decanter and the oil is subsequently removed by centrifuge. The stickwater is concentrated in multi-effect evaporators
and the concentrate is thoroughly mixed with the presscake, which is then dehydrated usually by two-stage drying. The
dried material is milled and stored in bags or in bulk. The oil is stored in tanks. . . . An important prerequisite for efficient
[oil] separation is high temperature, implying that the press liquor should be reheated to 90°-95°C before entering the
centrifuges. This applies to sludge removal as well as to separation of oil and water. . . Oil polishing, carried out in special
separators, is the final refining step done at the factory before the oil is pumped into storage. Polishing is facilitated by using
hot water, which extracts impurities from the oil and thus ensures stability during storage. . . . good temperature control
is required; the temperature of the feed should be maintained at about 95°C, but not less than 90°C” (The Production of
Fish Meal and Oil, http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/003/X6899E/X6899E00.HTM).

FISH OIL MANUFACTURE, METHOD TWO (We are not making this up!): “Phospholipid-deprived fish oil is obtained
by mixing fish oil with water and a monosodium glutamate (MSG) by-product with stirring, fermenting the mixture in the
presence of urea, processing the mixture with steam, and centrifuging the mixture to separate water and phospholipids
from the fish oil. Further steps are neutralizing the separated fish oil with NaOH [caustic lye], washing and drying the
washed fish oil in vacuum; mixing the dehydrated fish oil with powders of earthworm excrement, subjecting the mixture
to reaction at least 30 °C or higher for 0.5-1 hour, bleaching the fish oil absorbed into the earthworm excrement powders
by use of activated clay, and filtering the bleached fish oil through a filter, and deodorizing the bleached and filtered fish
oil under a steam atmosphere in a high vacuum, deodorizing apparatus, cooling and filtering the fish oil and packaging it
into a closed vessel. The refined fish oil is significantly improved in acid value and peroxide value” (Method for Manufac-
turing Refined Fish Oil, http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?wo=2001042403).

KRILL OIL MANUFACTURE: Frozen Antarctic krill are crushed and the lipids and proteins are extracted using acetone.
Following extraction, the krill proteins and lipids are filtered through an organic solvent-resistant filter under reduced
pressure to enable physical separation of lipids and proteins. Excess acetone is evaporated and water is separated from
the oil. The oil is subjected to additional filtration and purification to remove impurities and is packaged in a modified
nitrogen-containing atmosphere and stored. The notifier provides product specifications for krill oil, including specifica-
tions for fatty acids, total phospholipids, esterified astaxanthin, saturated fatty acids, and trans-fat (<0.1 percent). Speci-
fications also include limits on residual acetone (<10 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg), lead (<0.1 mg/kg), mercury (<0.1
mg/kg), arsenic (<0.1 mg/kg), cadmium (<0.1 mg/kg), pesticides, and microbiological contaminants” (http://www.cfsan.
fda.gov/~rdb/opa-g242.html).

oregano, pepper oil and unrefined salt), salty cod Finally, we will be offering skate liver oil in capsules and possibly
(unrefined salt) as well as a gel product in several liquid. Our Russian supplier swears by the many benefits of skate oil.
flavors that can be eaten off a spoon. We will also We are also exploring different types of packaging. Currently the
offer a cod liver oil-butter oil combo in gel as products are packaged in green glass from China. We are looking into
well as capsules. The products will be available recycled PETE plastic products that do not leach oils, and which are made
through Green Pasture Products and also through in the U.S. This keeps our product completely domestic and also cuts down
several distributors, including Radiant Life, Dr. on shipping costs.
Ron’s UltraPure and others in the U.S., as well Other products in the works: dried fish eggs and an all-natural fish
as in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK sauce. It’s been quite an adventure. Stay tuned!
and the European Union.
32 Wise Traditions SPRING 2009