Omega-3: Where to buy? Shelf life, storage and preservation

There are many different types of omega-3 supplements with different intake methods and ingredients, with fish oil capsules being the most popular. The choices can be confusing, so there are a few considerations and criteria to keep in mind when making a purchase.

Where can you buy omega-3 fatty acids?

Omega-3 fatty acid preparations are offered as dietary supplements. Pharmacies and health food stores usually offer these products. Alternatively, they can also be bought in drugstores or ordered via online platforms. However, the market for omega-3 fatty acids is overcrowded and it is difficult to find a high-quality product. Many people tend to opt for inexpensive preparations, with prices ranging from €15 per 6-month pack to €40 per month. This raises the question: How can highly concentrated fish oil capsules, for example made from salmon, be up to 10 times cheaper than fresh salmon for 6 months? Therefore, caution is advised with particularly inexpensive preparations.

Which Omega-3 is best?

Capsules are the most common form of Omega-3 fatty acids. Less commonly, the essential fatty acids are also available as tablets. These include both conventional tablets, which are simply swallowed with a glass of water, and chewable tablets. The latter are available in lemon flavor, for example, and are particularly suitable for children. Omega-3 is also available as a powder for athletes to promote muscle building. It consists of oil of marine origin combined with proteins and other nutrients. For several years now, fish oils have also been available in bottles. These contain the same raw material that is otherwise filled into capsules. These liquid products are easy to dose, but can oxidize more easily and become rancid due to contact with oxygen.

Are there Omega-3 products without fish?

Instead of nutritional supplements containing salmon or other fish oils, you can also buy capsules containing krill oil. Antarctic krill is a type of crustacean. It is used as food for many deep-sea fish and also contains a high proportion of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.

If you follow the food chain one step further, you will even come across a vegan alternative: certain microalgae also produce large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids (1). They are therefore the best alternative for people who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. However, many algae oils contain only negligible amounts of the omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). These products cannot therefore simply be equated with classic fish oil. High-quality algae oils therefore contain the two omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA in relevant quantities.

Are there Omega-3 products without gelatin?

Gelatin is obtained by extracting collagen from animal connective tissue. Fish oil is typically filled into gelatin capsules, as these provide optimal protection for the oil against oxidation. Products that are labeled as vegan by the manufacturers usually contain algae oil. These dietary supplements are supposed to be free of animal products and therefore must not contain gelatin. However, it is not that easy to replace them: many manufacturers use capsules with the ingredient carrageenan. Although this is vegan, it is considered to be a health risk (2). Vegan capsules based on tapioca starch are better here. These limit the degree of oxidation to a similar level as with high-quality fish oil in gelatin.

Omega-3 supplements should also generally be stored in a cool, dry place to minimize oxidation.

What should you pay attention to when buying Omega-3?

Regardless of the raw material, quality plays a major role in all omega-3 preparations. Important evaluation criteria include the proportion of omega-3 fatty acids, the ratio of EPA and DHA, type of fish, fishing area and method, purity and degree of oxidation.

The proportion of omega-3 fatty acids should be as high and clearly declared as possible. Some manufacturers try to conceal their low omega-3 content by only talking about fish oil. But this is not the same thing: fish oil is simply the raw material that contains a certain proportion of omega-3 fatty acids. In inferior products, this proportion can be as low as 15%.

The ratio of omega-3 fatty acids can also be relevant: EPA and DHA have different functions. If an algae oil contains only DHA, it cannot have the same effect as a product with EPA. Conversely, pregnant women are recommended to increase their intake of DHA (3).

The use of tiny fish such as anchovies reduces the contamination with heavy metals that accumulate through the food chain. Gentle fishing methods in non-overfished waters protect the ecosystem. Using high-quality algae oil can be even more sustainable: the algae are grown in saltwater tanks on land and do not even have to be taken from the sea.

In order to minimize the intake of harmful substances, it is also important to consider the purity of the oil. In addition, the degree of oxidation should be clearly declared in the form of the so-called TOTOX value: unsaturated fatty acids tend to oxidize when they come into contact with oxygen. A low TOTOX indicates rapid and gentle processing in the absence of oxygen.

What is the average cost of Omega-3?

The prices of Omega-3 supplements vary greatly. If you compare the offers on the Internet, you will find prices ranging from €0.03 to €0.57 per capsule. On average, 60 fish oil capsules cost €20-35, and there is hardly any upper limit. However, the low-priced products must be questioned in terms of their quality. High-quality raw materials, highly concentrated DHA and EPA values, as well as complex filtering of the harmful substances from the fish oil all come at a price.

Good preparations with algae oil are also significantly more expensive. For 60 capsules, you will hardly find any products for less than 30 euros. Food supplements with krill oil are also more expensive than fish oil capsules. Fish oil preparations therefore still offer the best price-performance ratio. The alternatives with krill oil or algae are unfortunately significantly more expensive.

How long do Omega-3 products last?

The shelf life of Omega-3 products depends on the preparations and how they are stored. Cool storage and blistering of fish oil significantly reduce oxidation. Annual packs should be avoided, as the storage period and repeated opening expose the capsules to too much oxygen.

Algae oil is usually given a shelf life of 2 years, while linseed oils only last up to 5 months. Fish oil capsules usually have a shelf life of 2 years. Since fish products are perishable and can go rancid, special care must be taken with them. They should be kept in the refrigerator after opening.

How should you store omega-3 fatty acids?

A cool (+4.0° / +7.0°) and dry storage in the refrigerator is recommended for krill oil and fish oil capsules. It is important to protect the capsules from direct sunlight, as omega-3 fatty acids are also sensitive to light. They should also be stored in an airtight manner. Even if the manufacturer stores them incorrectly, there is a risk that the oil will spoil and become rancid. So quality is crucial here too.

The shelf life of algae oil is also negatively affected by light, heat and humidity. Although it can be stored at room temperature, storage in the refrigerator is recommended in summer or in hot countries. Here, too, a dark place is advantageous to avoid direct sunlight.

Test reports

A product test from 2023 shows: The most expensive product does not have to be the best

A study by Health Comparison Germany tested various products containing omega-3 fatty acids for their composition, freedom from pollutants, labeling and price.

The cheapest dietary supplement in the test costs 0.36 euros per gram of EPA/DHA for 120 capsules and contains “Friends of the Sea” certified raw materials. It impressed with its specific quality features, the price-performance ratio and previous customer experiences.

A product that costs almost three times as much (0.92 euros per gram of EPA/DHA) was rated significantly worse. It contains the lowest amount of EPA/DHA in the test comparison, there are no laboratory analyses and it has a disproportionate price level (4).

Conclusion: Omega-3 is not the same as Omega-3

Omega-3 supplements vary considerably in terms of quality, health benefits and ultimately value for money. High-quality supplements are characterized by a high omega-3 content, a reasonable EPA/DHA ratio, purity, sustainability and a low degree of oxidation. Products that meet these quality standards are available from both animal and plant sources. However, you should be cautious, especially with products in the lowest price category. However, if you pay attention to clear communication of important quality features, it is possible to find a good supplement at a reasonable price.

Sources

1. Lenihan-Geels, G., Bishop, KS, & Ferguson, LR (2013). Alternative sources of omega-3 fats: can we find a sustainable substitute for fish? Nutrients, 5(4), 1301-1315. https://doi.org/10.3390/NU5041301
2. Martino, J.V., Van Limbergen, J., & Cahill, L.E. (2017). The Role of Carrageenan and Carboxymethylcellulose in the Development of Intestinal Inflammation. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 5, 96. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2017.00096
3. German Nutrition Society (DGE). https://www.dge.de/gesunde-ernaehrung/gezielte-ernaehrung/ernaehrung-in-schwangerschaft-und-stillzeit/handlungsempfehlungen-ernaehrung-in-der-schwangerschaft/#c3156 (accessed online: December 27, 2023)
4. Omega-3 capsules in the product test 2023 - Health comparison Germany. (nd). https://gesundheitsvergleich-deutschland.de/blogs/kaufratgeber/omega3 (accessed online: November 28, 2023)