Refined Fish Oil 18/12

A refined, deodorized marine triglyceride oil produced from anchovy, sardine, and other pelagic fish, standardized to 18% eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5 omega-3) and 12% docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6 omega-3), the long-established baseline supplement grade.

Pale yellow to light amber oil with a mild characteristic marine note. Molecularly refined through alkali neutralization, bleaching, winterization, and steam deodorization to remove free fatty acids, oxidation products, color bodies, and environmental contaminants.

We supply food-grade and pharmaceutical-grade Refined Fish Oil from manufacturers in China holding ISO, Halal, Kosher, GOED, and IFOS certifications relevant to the product and production. Non-GMO and friend-of-the-sea sustainable-fishery grades are available on request.

Common market grades include 18/12 standard supplement oil, 30/20 concentrate, and pharmacopoeial grades meeting USP, EP, and GB 1.5 fish oil monographs. Encapsulation-ready, emulsion-ready, and re-esterified triglyceride forms are available.

Bulk and reduced-MOQ shipments. Batch-level COA covering fatty acid profile (EPA and DHA by GC), peroxide value, anisidine value, totox, heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic), dioxins, PCBs, and microbiology.

Fish oil has been used as a dietary supplement since the 19th century, originally as a cod liver oil for vitamin D and A delivery. The discovery in the 1970s that Inuit populations with very high marine fat intake showed unusually low rates of cardiovascular disease shifted commercial focus to EPA and DHA as the active components.

Modern commercial fish oil is produced from small pelagic species (Peruvian anchovy, sardines, herring, and menhaden) that occupy a low trophic position and accumulate fewer environmental contaminants than larger predatory fish. Crude fish oil is recovered from the cook water during fishmeal production, then refined through neutralization, bleaching, winterization, and deodorization to remove free fatty acids, peroxides, pigments, and volatiles.

The 18/12 designation reflects the native EPA and DHA ratio of anchovy oil and has become the industry standard for general-purpose omega-3 supplements. Concentrates above this level require additional processing steps such as urea complexation, molecular distillation, or supercritical CO2 fractionation.

Regulatory recognition is broad. The U.S. FDA accepts EPA and DHA at up to 3 g per day as Generally Recognized as Safe and has approved a qualified health claim linking omega-3 intake to reduced risk of coronary heart disease. The EFSA has authorized health claims covering heart function, blood pressure, triglyceride reduction, and visual and brain development. China permits fish oil under GB 1.5 and as a registered health food ingredient.

Quality differentiation in the trade is built on oxidation status (peroxide and anisidine values combined as totox), heavy metal and dioxin compliance, and the integrity of the natural triglyceride structure versus re-esterified or ethyl ester forms.

• Softgel omega-3 supplements; the most widely produced fish oil grade for retail nutrition
• Liquid omega-3 supplements and flavored emulsions
• Functional food applications including fortified spreads, dairy, and beverages
• Infant nutrition products in regulated markets that permit fish-derived DHA
• Pregnancy and lactation supplement blends
• Cardiovascular health products built on the EPA and DHA dietary evidence base
• Joint health and inflammatory-balance softgels
• Pet supplements for skin, coat, and joint support
• Clinical and enteral nutrition formulations