Omega-3 supplier forges Chinese cooking oil partnership
Its Fortune Natural Grains Blended Cooking Oil is currently available fortified with Martek’s vegetarian-sourced omega-3 product, life'sDHA.
A spokesperson for Martek told NutraIngredientsUSA.com: “China, obviously, is a large market, and Chinese consumers are aware of DHA and its benefits. They are concerned with health and nutrition, so we believe this product will be successful. Unfortunately, consumers in most markets do not get enough DHA in their diets.”
Edible oils
The edible cooking oils market in China is worth more than $9bn and continues to grow each year, added the spokesperson. China is the world's largest consumer of edible oils, at 24m tons per year.
David Abramson, Markek president said: "This product launch is a significant milestone as we seek to expand our presence in international markets like China, and as we continue to diversify our product applications, including the large and growing cooking oil category."
Shanghai senior nutritionist Chen Wen said: "This is a very innovative product. DHA is important for brain, eye and heart health throughout life and we believe Fortune Natural Grains Blended Cooking Oil with vegetarian life'sDHA will appeal to the Chinese market."
COFCO's Fortune Natural Grains Blended Cooking Oil with life'sDHA is available at major retailers throughout China and features the life'sDHA logo on the product packaging and in marketing and advertising materials.
Martek’s DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is sourced from microalgae which, the company claims is produced within the US from renewable and sustainable sources. Life’sDHA is the dominant source of DHA used in US infant formula and is included in more than 99 percent of all formulas on the US market and more than 350 infant formula, nutritional supplements, and food and beverage products.
COFCO confirmed that it started producing Fortune DHA Grain Blended Oil last month at its East Ocean Facility, sited at Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province.
