Equateq Crystalpure natural omega oils can be used as APIs for Pharma sector
Customers in the Omega oils sector can now use natural concentrates with the launch of Equateq's Crystalpure fatty acids that have been enriched using low-temperature crystallisation.
Customers in the Omega oils sector can now use natural concentrates with the launch of Equateq's Crystalpure fatty acids that have been enriched using low-temperature crystallisation.
These super-pure lipids can be used as APIs for the pharmaceutical sector, and the company is actively looking at ways to use specific lipid compounds for particular medical conditions.
The method employed by Equateq at its plant in the Western Isles of Scotland is an alternative to other methods of concentration, which typically result in synthetic forms of fatty acid, such as ethyl ester or reconstituted triglyceride. Such forms are forbidden in several countries, including Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Australia, Japan, South Korea.
Equateq's crystallisation method uses selected low temperatures to turn saturates and mono-unsaturates into crystals, allowing the physical separation of the polyunsaturated stream. So if Equateq is splitting fish oils, it can deliver a concentrated stream of more than 50% omega-3 triglyceride, with specific enrichments of fatty acids such as EPA or DHA.
"It is a very elegant method of enrichment, as using low temperatures and gentle processing conditions is very sympathetic to long chain fatty acids, which are usually prone to instability and oxidation," said Adam Kelliher, chief executive of Equateq. "We are essentially extracting the most desirable part of an omega oil, which we believe will maximise the possible health benefits."
Once deodorised, Crystalpure oils are palatable, odourless and very stable, and can be converted into other presentations, such as powders and emulsions. The oils are also suitable for nutraceutical companies that place importance on their natural credentials.
All production at Equateq's facility is cGMP, and the Crystalpure range reflects work in fractionation that has been ongoing since the 1980s. Equateq can also make commercial quantities of up to 99% purity of most of the fatty acids in the omega-3 and -6 cascades.