The safety of a popular fish oil supplement sold by a Houston company is being questioned by Greenpeace, an environmental group that opposes the company's fishing practices.
In a news release today, Greenpeace said an "independent" lab analysis of OmegaPure showed the nutritional supplement contains three toxic chemicals, DDT, Dieldrin and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The three chemicals have been identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as probable carcinogens.
OmegaPure is produced by Houston-based Omega Protein Inc., the largest producer of fish oil in the United States. The nutritional supplement is derived from menhaden, a fish in the herring family.
John Held, executive vice president and general counsel for Omega Protein, said the company had not evaluated the Greenpeace research.
"Our fish oil supplements are regularly tested and they are safe," Held said. "We haven't had time to examine this research or determine its accuracy. We are looking into it. I noticed it purported to be independent, but the letterhead on the press release says 'Greenpeace Labs.' We are going to look at it and research it, and determine whether it's anything for us to be concerned about," Held said.
Greenpeace officials are urging consumers to avoid the product.
"Omega Protein's products should either be cleaned-up or pulled off the market," said John Hocevar, Greenpeace Oceans Specialist. "In the meantime, consumers seeking the benefits of Omega-3 oils should consider safer sources such as flaxseed oil or algae-derived sources of Omega-3s."
The tests on OmegaPure were performed by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) laboratories, an executive agency and research body within the government of the United Kingdom, for the Greenpeace Research Laboratories at the University of Exeter.
Omega Protein's corporate offices are in Houston, and the company has plants in Virginia, Louisiana and Mississippi, Held said.
Demand for Omega-3-fortified products has steadily increased since scientific reports that consumption of fish oils might reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
As demand increased, fishermen and conservation organizations have expressed concern that Omega's operations might be taking food away from striped bass, seabirds, and whales.
Held questioned whether Greenpeace's earlier opposition to his company's fishing practices were now driving the environmental group's concern about its product.
source:www.chron.com
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