Efficient product development and optimization of dairy products fortified with Marine Omega 3

By Espen Thomassen, Sales & Marketing Director Omega 3, TINE BA

When developing a new product or improving an existing product enriched with marine Omega 3, there are two important considerations; the first is the quality of the marine Omega 3 ingredient, and the second is how to apply the ingredient in to your dairy product. TINE, Norway’s largest dairy, is one of a few companies controlling the whole value chain, from fishing to retail sales. They have faced the challenge of being a pioneer in developing dairy products fortified with marine Omega 3. Most product developers and scientists are aware of the importance of the considerations highlighted below when creating a good tasting dairy product containing a meaningful level of marine Omega 3.

Level of Omega 3 per serving

Which level of marine Omega 3 will be offered to the customers? When deciding the level of marine Omega 3 to be added in the final product, local regulations and consumers’ awareness must be evaluated. The documented effects of marine Omega 3 is strong, but there have been uncertainties concerning labeling of dairy products containing marine Omega 3. In Europe, EFSA has made guidelines for labeling of EPA and DHA per serving and this will be of great help for the industry, despite low levels of Omega 3 compared to the alternatives (fish, supplements etc). Looking outside the dairy industry, we see that the manufacturer within food and beverages consider the levels of EPA and DHA offered by their competitors. In the bread industry for instance, marine Omega 3 has become a common ingredient. We observe that bakeries position themselves by the level of EPA and DHA per serving and price of bread on the market. The bakery industry considers that the consumer has a high awareness about the health benefits of marine Omega 3.

Formulations

Marine Omega 3 is due to its high level of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (EPA and DHA) easily exposed to oxidation, and therefore considered difficult to work with. Many have memories of consuming a spoon of bad cod liver oil or heard stories from somebody who was forced to take cod liver oil in their youth. When working with marine Omega 3, as with most other ingredients, it is important to consider how the ingredient will interfere with other ingredients in the process under the given conditions. Some ingredients may display protecting properties, while others may promote oxidation of the Omega 3 fatty acids. In addition, some ingredients may display protective properties under certain conditions and display undesirable properties under other properties (e. g. level added, temperature, pressure, time). Thus, a detailed study of the formulations and process conditions is very important in order to achieve high quality products.

Oxidation

Preventing oxidation is very important when working with marine Omega 3 and it is therefore important to know the history of the marine ingredients, from fish harvesting to retail product presentation. In order to have a good ingredient the oxidation must be controlled as early in the process as possible. In the fish, biochemical processes start when the fish dies. It is therefore important to start the processing of the raw material directly after slaughtering of the fish. After producing the oil under controlled conditions, a good antioxidant system is required to stabilize the fresh produced oil. There are various methods to analyze oxidations, but the best is sensory analysis. If the marine Omega 3 ingredients have a fishy or rancid taste when they are added into the product, it must be considered how the end product will taste. In other words, the best starting point when developing high quality Omega 3 enriched products is to use a sensory neutral marine ingredient.

Taste

Reflecting on the past, the Omega 3 industry was quite happy if the end product had just a slight fishy taste. We trusted that the consumers were more health conscious than taste conscious. It is not rocket science to understand that this is wrong. The reason for these thoughts was based on the fact that most of the suppliers of marine Omega 3 came from the dietary supplement industry, where bad taste was accepted or hidden in capsules. Today, manufacturers cannot compromise on taste. They have to define the taste of the end products according to consumers’ preferences, and it should not be necessary to play the masking game.

Production optimization

One of the most important steps is when the marine Omega 3 ingredient is going to be added to the product. Marine Omega 3 is sensitive to air, heat, and light. It is therefore important to consider where in the production process it would be best to incorporate the ingredient in order to avoid oxidation. How can exposure to the elements that might provoke oxidation be avoided? Will it be in the beginning of the production process, “in-line” or at the end? Is it possible to use other carriers?

Packaging

It is not always necessary to adapt the packaging or the filling line to a new dairy product fortified with marine Omega 3. It will always depend on the product and the packaging normally used for that particular product. It is important to consider shelf life and storage conditions for your product. Products with long shelf life and storage at ambient temperature often require different hand long than products with shorter shelf life following chilled line. To be efficient in developing of new dairy products enriched with EPA and DHA, or in the improving an existing product enriched with EPA and DHA, the origin of the marine ingredient has to be considered. What is the history of the ingredient added to the product? Is it natural, fresh, unoxidized, and capable of being used in the product? It is important to find fish oil that is designed to be used in food and beverages. There are too many fish oils on the market, which are not designed for use in food and beverages. If it is necessary to hide fishy taste, it means that the fish oil is already oxidized. In some cases it might be more efficient to use marine ingredients in the form of powders or emulsions, but in most cases it is more cost-effective to use oil. One should at least know the history of the marine ingredient.

About

Espen Thomassen
Sales & Marketing Director Omega 3, TINE BA
E: espen.thomassen@tine.no
T: +47.94.14.53.80