Omega-3 sources and benefits
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to human health. Because our bodies cannot make them, we get omega-3 fatty acids from the foods we eat. Fish and some plant oils are the best sources.
Fish contains two types of omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Alpha-linolenic acid is found primarily in flaxseed, soybean, and other plant oils.
Omega-3 fatty acids are key components of cell membranes. They are also starting materials for metabolic processes to make hormones that regulate inflammation, blood clotting, and arterial wall contraction and relaxation. Omega-3 fatty acids are linked to a reduced risk of heart disease.
Purification
EPA and DHA are commercially available as individual dietary supplements but purifying two fatty acids from the complex mixture of fats in fish oil concentrate is chemically challenging.
Grace’s DAVISIL® chromatography resins have dependable performance for purifying food oils such as fatty acids. DAVISIL® silica products remove a variety of unwanted materials, including pesticides, heavy metals, cholesterol, and pigments. DAVISIL® unbonded silicas separate fatty acids from triglycerides. Filtering crude fish oil through DAVISIL® Xtract C18 HP silica provides high yields of pure, polyunsaturated fatty esters such as omega-3s.
A leader in silica gel manufacturing for over 55 years, Grace can customize its DAVISIL® chromatography resins based on a given separation’s particle size, porosity, and functionality needs. And, unlike the many chromatography companies that start with procured silica, Grace makes its silica gel products across its global network of facilities. Working with the raw material through to the finished product allows Grace to tightly control key physiochemical properties—and that leads to consistent, predictable results.
Formulation
Our portfolio of excipients creates stability, flow, and bioavailability in omega-3 formulations. Grace’s SYLOID® silica is designed to support the following applications:
- Liquid oils delivery - convert liquid oils into OSDF without use of solvents
- Blend formulations - stabilize flavor retention in chewables and orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs)
- Tablet compression – Maintain porosity and improve compressibility and friability profile
- Tablet coating – Improve suspension and anti-tacking
Featured Products
DAVISIL®
DAVISIL® chromatographic silica is one of the world's most widely used chromatography resins and a standard for purification in a variety of industries.
SYLOID® Silica
SYLOID® mesoporous silicas have been trusted solutions for drug formulations for decades and have a unique combination of properties.
