Fish oil supplements, oxidative status, and compliance behaviour: Regulatory challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Background Fish oil supplements that are rich in omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs). PUFAs are among the most widely-used dietary supplements globally, and millions of people consume them regularly. There have always been public concerns that these products should be guaranteed to be safe and of good quality, especially as these types of fish oil supplements are extremely susceptible to oxidative degradation. Objectives The aim of the current study is to investigate and examine the oxidation status of dietary supplements containing fish oils and to identify important factors related to the oxidation status of such supplements available in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods A total of 44 fish oil supplements were analysed in this study. For each product, the oxidative parameters peroxide value (PV), anisidine value (AV), and total oxidation (TOTOX) were calculated, and comparisons were made with the guidelines supplied by the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED). Median values for each of the above oxidative parameters were tested using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. P values < 0.05 were chosen as the statistically significant boundary. Results The estimate for the average PV value was 6.4 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) [4.2–8.7] compared to the maximum allowable limit of 5 meq/kg. The estimate for the average P-AV was 11 with a 95% CI [7.8–14.2] compared to the maximum allowable limit of 20. The estimate for the average TOTOX value was 23.8 meq/kg with a 95% CI [17.4–30.3] compared to the maximum allowable limit of 26 according to the GOED standards. Conclusion This research shows that most, although not all, of the fish oil supplements tested are compliant with the GOED oxidative quality standards. Nevertheless, it is clear that there should be a high level of inspection and control regarding authenticity, purity, quality, and safety in the processes of production and supply of dietary supplements containing fish oils.

Determination of Oxidized Lipids in Commonly Consumed Foods and a Preliminary Analysis of Their Binding Affinity to PPARγ

“…These higher levels could be attributed to the fact we used store-bought walnuts with an unknown harvest date while in both previous studies, walnuts were freshly harvested. The mean PV of the fish oil estimated in this study, 4.39 meq/kg, is similar to that purchased in Australia (range 2.77-4.63 meq/kg) [25] and the study by Zyoud and colleagues [26], who reported a combined mean PV of 6.4 meq/kg for fish oil capsules purchased in the USA, Canada, India, and the EU. The fact that our study demonstrated that the PV stayed the same after storage for three months and was within the maximum reference limit (5 meq/kg fat) set by the Global Organization of EPA and DHA (GOED) suggests that omega rich fish oil capsules are oxidatively stable in storage.…”

Screening and Determination of Synthetic PDE-5 Inhibitors in Adulterated Sexual Enhancement Supplements

“…The UAE and other national drug regulatory authorities require dietary or herbal supplements to be manufactured in plants that demonstrate that their production follows strict good manufacturing practice guidelines and that any new products are tested in government or approved laboratories. Nevertheless, cases have been reported of dietary supplements being approved and put on the market despite being contaminated with microorganisms (Consumer Products Safety Section [ 11 , 12 , 13 ]). While the ministry responsible for the regulation of these products has warned citizens about the associated risks of consuming the sexual enhancement products, such as serious side effects, they remain widely available, especially through illegal online suppliers.…”

Adulteration of Weight Loss Supplements by the Illegal Addition of Synthetic Pharmaceuticals

“…In the UAE regulatory regime, the manufacturers of dietary supplements must supply evidence that their product manufacturing environment guarantees their products are safe and pure; any new product must be tested in municipal laboratories. Nevertheless, despite these safeguards, there have been cases where microorganism-contaminated dietary supplements have gained approval and been offered for sale [25][26][27].…”