What are the primary ingredients in Clear Valley Omega-3 ALA oil and does it include any animal products?

To answer your last question first, No, there are no animal products in Clear Valley® Omega-3 ALA oil.  There are no ingredients derived from fish, crustaceans, krill or any other animal.   The primary ingredients in Clear Valley® Omega-3 ALA oil are beneficial trait-enhanced canola and flaxseed oil that distinguish them from less stable oils.

Can you speak a bit about the flavor profiles of Clear Valley® Omega-3 ALA oil? 

Clear Valley® Omega-3 ALA oil has a neutral flavor that does not interfere with established flavor profiles. Unlike typical canola oil, which can develop grassy and painty off-notes when oxidized, our omega-3 oil has a natural resistance to oxidation without going through hydrogenation, fractionation or any other complex process.  It allows food and beverage producers to forego familiar formulation challenges associated with the use of less stable oils to create great tasting cereals, snacks and baked products as well as beverages.

Can you make an Omega-3 ALA nutrient claim in shelf stable products containing Clear Valley® oil? 

Our Clear Valley® Omega-3 ALA oil allows food manufactures to make an ALA omega-3 Nutrient Content Claim in most applications, creating a unique opportunity for companies to capture market share and increase consumer visibility of their products. Clear Valley® Omega-3 ALA oil provides manufacturers with a method to add a source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) omega-3 to shelf stable products without affecting product taste, mouthfeel or shelf life.  Like all of the Clear Valley oil products, our omega-3 oil eliminates common flavor and shelf-life challenges that are often associated with formulating with healthier fats.

Can you talk a little more about the uniqueness of using Clear Valley Omega-3 oil in shelf stable products?

Incorporating omega-3s into shelf stable applications is no easy task.  While other omega-3 oils oxidize quickly and interfere with the established flavor profile of the product, Clear Valley® Omega-3 ALA oil offers food manufacturers the ability to incorporate ALA omega-3 oil into shelf stable, center of the grocery aisle applications that have a 9 – 12 month shelf life for the first time.

What are Omega-3 ALA’s health benefits?

As stated in the Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010; ALA is an essential fatty acid from plant sources.  An ALA intake of 0.6 - 1.2 percent of total calories will meet current recommendations and may lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, but new evidence is insufficient to warrant greater intake beyond this level. Limited but supportive evidence suggests that higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids from plant sources may reduce mortality among persons with existing CVD. Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that ALA is the only essential omega-3 fatty acid.

View the Clear Valley® Omega-3 ALA oil video