DHA for Foods and Beverages
DHA, docosahexaenoic acid, is a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid that provides health benefits for people of all ages. DHA omega-3 is found throughout the body. Specifically, it is a major structural fat in the brain and retina accounting for up to 97% of the omega-3 fatty acids in the brain and up to 93% of the omega-3 fatty acids in the retina. DHA is also a key component of the heart.
While it has been shown that DHA is important for health and development, it’s difficult for most people to get enough through diet alone. Unfortunately, you can only get meaningful levels of DHA from food sources by eating fatty fish or organ meats regularly. And, although expert bodies such as the American Heart Association and the USDA (through its Dietary Guidelines for Americans) recommend eating fish regularly, other agencies including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) caution against eating certain types of fish because of potentially high levels of contaminants (See Fish Advisories).
The increased recognition of the importance of DHA in the diet, coupled with its limited availability in natural food sources, makes fortifying foods with DHA a great solution. life'sDHA™, derived from a vegetarian source (algae), is ideal for food and beverage applications. Because it is derived from algae grown outside of the ocean and not from fish, it will not pose the same sensory and formulation challenges that have been associated with fish oil.
Add value for consumers who want healthier foods. According to our market research, consumers who are aware of the health benefits associated with DHA omega-3 are willing to pay extra for it. Consider this: After just four years on the market, premium priced infant formula fortified with life'sDHA™ accounts for over 95% of all infant formula sales in the U.S. If the runaway success of DHA omega-3 fortified formula is any indication, then imagine the incredible marketing opportunity that awaits you. Adding life's DHA™ omega-3 won’t change the taste of your product, but it will certainly enhance its appeal.
life'sDHA™ Adds Tremendous Marketing Value
Millions of new parents have purchased infant formula with life'sDHA™, the only DHA currently used in U.S. infant formulas. DHA is well-known among new parents as an important brain nutrient, but beyond infant formula, dietary sources of DHA for their children are limited. Parents are looking for innovative ways to introduce DHA into their children’s diets.
And, while there is a ready made market of parents who know DHA is important for their children’s brain and eye development, there is also a growing number of adults who are looking for ways to keep their aging brains healthy. In 2000, there were more than 56 million Americans over the age of 55. And, according to the results of a national survey, memory loss (from Alzheimer’s or dementia) was the leading health fear among people aged 55 and older. Foods fortified with DHA are an effective way for adults to get the DHA that may currently be lacking in their diets.
