Ocean Nutrition Canada Limited (ONC), supplier of MEG-3®brand Omega-3 EPA/DHA food and dietary supplement ingredients, is pleased to announce the introduction of the Powder-loc™ brand for its revolutionary micro-encapsulation technology used in MEG-3® food ingredients.

Health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids have been known for years and sales of Omega-3 in the dietary supplement market have been growing exponentially. Consumers recognize the nutritional value of the physiologically essential Omega-3 fatty acids EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) from fish oil. Both EPA and DHA are important for normal growth and development, even mothers' breast milk has a DHA to EPA ratio of 4:1 demonstrating the importance for these two physiologically essential nutrients.

Market opportunities caused food and ingredient companies to research technologies to enable inclusion of Omega-3 fatty acids into foods and a major research race for this goal has been ongoing for the last fifteen years. The problem has been that adding Omega-3 oils directly into foods can cause off flavors because all forms of Omega-3 fatty acids are prone to oxidation.

Ocean Nutrition Canada Limited has developed a revolutionary form of micro-encapsulation technology and branded it as Powder-loc™. Powder-loc™ is a patented process that microencapsulates the oil in a gelatin matrix with double shell protection for inclusion in foods. Older technologies use single shell protection, which can break and expose the oils during food processing. Powder-loc™ is a superior technology because the oil is protected within a multi-shell inner matrix and a protective outer shell surrounding it. Powder-loc™ creates double protection for the oil from both oxidation and the stress of food processing. It can withstand high temperatures even during pasteurization. Powder-loc� has double the nutritional density of competitive technologies because of the loading capacity of the double shell matrix, making it the most cost effective ingredient of its kind.

Powder-loc™ has contributed to the successful commercialization of seven different food types with the MEG-3® brand food ingredient. These include: breads, milk, yogurt, tortillas, orange juice, nutrition bars, and confectionary products like candy chews. The MEG-3® brand food ingredient has now been commercialized in twelve countries. Robert Orr, President and CEO with ONC, said, "MEG-3® food ingredients have been incorporated into so many food types because of the versatility of the Powder-loc™ technology, its superior process tolerance and the cost effectiveness of our MEG-3® brand food ingredient."

Ian Lucas, EVP of Global Marketing with ONC, said, "We feel it is important for our customers to know that there is a difference in our micro-encapsulation technology so we created the Powder-loc™ brand to tell them that MEG-3® food ingredients are protected with a patented double shell." Lucas continued, "This year over two billion servings of food products will be consumed globally containing the MEG-3® food ingredient creating nutritional value for consumers who would prefer to get their omega-3s conveniently in their favorite foods with the great taste they expect. "