The world is facing a significant shortfall in omega-3 supply. The global population needs a minimum of 650,000 tons of omega-3 oils and fatty acids every year to maintain a healthy diet, but the oceans’ sustainable capacity is only 530,000 tons per year.
Current constraints on the world’s wild fish stocks mean marine supplies just can’t keep up with demand. Finding a high-quality sustainable source of these long-chain omega-3 oils is essential to human and ocean health. Nuseed recognized this need and committed to bringing a solution to the world’s table.
The start of that solution came in the form of a partnership with Dr. Surinder Singh, Chief Research Scientist, and his team at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO). The CSIRO team, in collaboration with the Grains Research and Development Corporate (GRDC) was already working on a solution to the shortage and had developed a process to take the omega-3 producing genetics of microalgae and transfer them into canola. They needed a partner to take their breakthrough from the lab to the field.
Nuseed’s team of canola R&D experts helped the researchers ramp up production and provided a robust selection of world-class canola genetics with strong agronomic performance.
Dr. Surinder Singh said: “People and animals need omega-3 oils and Nuseed developed a sustainable source that greatly benefits consumers around the globe.”
Benita Boettner, Nuseed’s Omega-3 Global General Manager, and the Nuseed Omega-3 team provided the expertise in global regulatory processes, end-use market development, commercial production and environmental sustainability.
With the Nuseed Value Chain in place, Nuseed has accelerated the breeding process and ensured quality and safety testing at every step. Driven by a strategic mission to develop solutions to global challenges through the power of plants, Nuseed is already seeing the impact of its work. Nuseed Omega-3 Canola hybrids, now in commercial production in the US, deliver DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) levels equal to that of fish oil in both quality and quantity.
