The Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s expands its board of directors as the increasing use of fish oil across the food and drug industries spurs membership growth.

"There's all these new sources of omega-3s coming out on the market, there's different applications being used now," said GOED Executive Director Adam Ismail.

Food producers are adding omega-3 oils to a growing number of products, from milk to juice to shelf-stable cereals. In addition to branded products, Ismail said he has noticed a number of private-label milk products fortified with omega-3s.

"That's a pretty good sign that there's some staying power there when the grocery stores actually start investing in that technology," he added in an interview.

Beyond foods, however, lie the sizable returns of the pharmaceutical industry. GlaxoSmithKline promotes its prescription Lovaza (omega-3-acid ethyl esters) indicated for high triglyceride levels as "the only FDA-approved medication made from omega-3 fish oil."

GSK's aggressive marketing of Lovaza is a boon to the larger market.

"It's educating people about omega-3s and exposing them a little more," Ismail said.

Aside from fish oil, pharmaceutical firms are turning to botanical supplement ingredients with hopes of developing future drug products (¹ Also see "Dietary Supplements Blossom As Revenue Growth Ingredients For Big Pharma" - Pink Sheet, 2 June, 2008. and ² Also see "Technical Hurdles, Commercial Limits Complicate Supplement-To-Drug Moves" - Pink Sheet, 28 June, 2010.).

Ismail said he is aware that omega-3-based drugs for periodontal diseases and inflammatory conditions are under development.

Hooking New Members

Salt Lake City-based GOED formed in October 2006 with 12 members, comprising largely dietary supplement and nutritional ingredient companies such as Martek Biosciences, Ocean Nutrition Canada and Norwegian firm Napro Pharma (³ 'The Tan Sheet' Oct. 9, 2006, In Brief).

The trade group now has 85 members, including food industry giants DuPont, Monsanto, Unilever and Hormel Health Technologies. Ismail said the organization aims to reach 100 members in the next 12 months.

GOED has added 10 companies to its ranks in 2010, including Nordic Naturals, oil ingredient supplier Arista Industries and supplement firm Iceland Health.

To accommodate larger members, GOED recently revised its membership structure to allow firms to pay higher dues to have a seat on the group's board of directors. Active members with annual revenues of less than $20 million can have a GOED board seat for annual dues of $6,000; those with higher revenues pay $12,000.

GOED announced June 24 it expanded the board from eight to 14 directors, each serving a one-year term. The added directors are from DuPont, Monsanto, Solae, Cognis, Marvesa, FINA and Omega Natural Science.

Additionally, GOED soon will launch a logo program allowing member companies to market their involvement with the group, since membership requires firms to sign an affidavit that their omega-3 ingredients and products adhere to minimum quality standards. The organization plans a campaign to educate consumers on the significance of those standards.

"It does kind of differentiate GOED members," Ismail said. "What we're trying to do with it is to continue to stay on top of quality issues and create an incentive for companies to follow the strict quality standards."

An environmental advocacy group recently questioned the purity and safety of fish oil supplements, with a lawsuit filed in California in February alleging several firms did not warn consumers about contaminants in their products. GOED members NBTY and Omega Protein are among the defendant companies (⁴ Also see "Fish Oil Firms Float Toxicology Work, Plot Media Blitz To Fight PCB Suit" - Pink Sheet, 22 March, 2010.).

Ismail said industry is working with the plaintiffs, including the Mateel Environmental Justice Foundation, to reach an agreement on reasonable standards for polychlorinated biphenyl compounds in fish oil to ensure consumer safety. He added he expects an update on the case by August.

- Dan Schiff ( ⁵ d.schiff@elsevier.com )

GOED Casts Wider Membership Net As Omega-3 Applications Broaden

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