Wax Ester Rich Oil From The Marine Crustacean, Calanus finmarchicus, is a Bioavailable Source of EPA and DHA for Human Consumption.

Oil from the marine copepod, Calanus finmarchicus, which contains >86 % of fatty acids present as wax esters, is a novel source of n-3 fatty acids for human consumption. In a randomized, two-period crossover study, 18 healthy adults consumed 8 capsules providing 4 g of Calanus(®) Oil supplying a total of 260 mg EPA and 156 mg DHA primarily as wax esters, or 1 capsule of Lovaza(®) providing 465 mg EPA and 375 mg DHA as ethyl esters, each with an EPA- and DHA-free breakfast. Plasma EPA and DHA were measured over a 72 h period (t = 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h). The positive incremental area under the curve over the 72 h test period (iAUC0-72 h) for both EPA and DHA was significantly different from zero (p < 0.0001) in both test conditions, with similar findings for the iAUC0-24 h and iAUC0-48 h, indicating the fatty acids were absorbed. There was no difference in the plasma iAUC0-72 h for EPA + DHA, or DHA individually, in response to Calanus Oil vs the ethyl ester condition; however, the iAUC0-48 h and iAUC0-72 h for plasma EPA in response to Calanus Oil were both significantly increased relative to the ethyl ester condition (iAUC0-48 h: 381 ± 31 vs 259 ± 39 µg*h/mL, p = 0.026; iAUC0-72 h: 514 ± 47 vs 313 ± 49 µg*h/mL, p = 0.009). These data demonstrate a novel wax ester rich marine oil is a suitable alternative source of EPA and DHA for human consumption.

Clinical safety evaluation of marine oil derived from Calanus finmarchicus.

Marine oils are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acid. These PUFAs are associated with health benefits and additional sustainable sources of marine oils are desirable. One of the source organisms is Calanus finmarchicus, a copepod endemic to the North Atlantic. PUFAs in the lipid fraction of this organism are largely in the form of wax esters. To assess the safety of these wax esters as a source of PUFAs, a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted whereby 64 subjects consumed 2 g Calanus oil in capsule form daily for a period of one year. A group of 53 subjects consumed placebo capsules. At baseline, 6-, and 12-months, series of evaluations were conducted, including: vital signs, clinical chemistry and hematological evaluations, and adverse event reporting. Food intake and physical exercise were controlled by means of a questionnaire. There were no effects on Calanus oil treatment on any of the safety parameters measured. A slight increase in the incidence of eczema was reported in the Calanus oil group, but the response was minor in nature, not statistically significant after controlling for multiple comparisons, and could not be attributed to treatment.

Biovolume spectrum theories applied: spatial patterns of trophic levels within a mesozooplankton community at the polar front.

Three-dimensional data on the mesoscale distribution of hydrography and mesozooplankton were collected at the Polar Front, northwestern Barents Sea, in spring 2008 (29 April-15 May) using a combination of multinet and towed instrument platform equipped with Laser Optical Plankton Counter, fluorometer and CTD. Trophic levels (TLs) within the zooplankton community (whole community and size-separated) were analysed for three consecutive periods using biovolume spectrum theory, which proved to be a powerful tool in the physically and biologically variable frontal system. Trophic structure was highly variable in time and across the Polar Front, but was mostly related to the phytoplankton bloom (as determined by fluorescence). High TLs of 5.5 within the zooplankton community were observed outside bloom situations (mostly in Atlantic Water) and were likely due to increased omnivory of Calanus spp., which dominated the large zooplankton size group that had a lower TL (2.2) during the bloom than outside blooms (max. TL 5.6). A strong input of herbivorous barnacle nauplii (Cirripedia) into the upper layer (35 000 ind. m(-3) in net samples) substantially decreased mean TL in the marginal ice zone. Differences in TL estimates based on biovolume spectrum theory and other methods (stable isotopes, lipid markers, dietary analyses) are discussed.