Sn-2 DHA Algal Oil

A structured triglyceride algal oil in which docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is preferentially esterified at the sn-2 position of the glycerol backbone, replicating the structural arrangement of DHA in human breast milk fat for improved bioavailability in infants.

Pale yellow to orange-yellow oil with a mild characteristic marine aroma. DHA content typically 35% to 40% of total fatty acids, with sn-2 DHA representing 50% to 70% of total DHA. Produced through enzymatic restructuring of conventional algal triglyceride oil from Schizochytrium or Crypthecodinium species.

We supply infant-formula-grade and clinical-grade Sn-2 DHA Algal Oil from manufacturers in China holding ISO, Halal, Kosher and other certifications relevant to the product and production.

Common market grades include Sn-2 DHA-40 (40% DHA total, standard infant formula grade), Sn-2 DHA-35 (35% DHA, blend-grade for cost-sensitive applications), and high-sn-2 grades with ≥ 60% of DHA at the sn-2 position for premium positioning.

Bulk and reduced-MOQ shipments. Batch-level COA covering DHA content, sn-2 DHA percentage, fatty acid profile, peroxide value, anisidine value, heavy metals, and microbiology.

DHA is the dominant omega-3 fatty acid in the human brain and retina, accumulated principally during the third trimester of pregnancy and the first two years of life. The structural arrangement of DHA in human breast milk fat (predominantly at the sn-2 position of triglycerides and in phospholipids) influences how efficiently the fatty acid is absorbed and incorporated into developing nervous tissue.

Conventional algal DHA oils carry DHA distributed across all three positions of the triglyceride, with sn-2 DHA typically representing 25% to 35% of total DHA. Sn-2 DHA Algal Oil is produced by enzymatic interesterification using a sn-1,3 regiospecific lipase that exchanges fatty acids at the outer positions while preserving DHA at sn-2, then concentrating the sn-2-DHA fraction by molecular distillation.

The biological rationale is established: sn-2 monoglyceride is the primary form in which fatty acids are absorbed from the small intestine, and the sn-2 fatty acid is preferentially retained through chylomicron assembly and lipoprotein metabolism. Sn-2 DHA shows higher placental transfer and faster brain accumulation in animal models and human clinical studies.

Regulatory status follows the parent algal DHA oil: approved under EU Novel Food Regulation, listed in U.S. FDA GRAS notifications, and permitted under Chinese GB 30604 for infant formula. Commercial production is concentrated among a small number of qualified manufacturers in China and Europe.

Commercial positioning in the infant formula market sits one tier above conventional algal DHA, often paired with OPO structured lipid to build a complete breast-milk-fat-mimetic claim across both the DHA and the saturated fatty acid components.

• Premium infant formula (Stage 1, 2, and 3); positioned as nutritionally closer to breast milk than conventional algal DHA oils
• Premature and low-birth-weight infant clinical nutrition formulas
• Toddler nutrition and follow-on formulas
• Pregnancy and lactation supplements; the sn-2 form is more efficiently transferred across the placenta
• Clinical nutrition products for elderly cognitive support
• Premium adult brain-health and cognitive-function supplements
• Functional food applications where bioavailability differentiation supports premium pricing
• Specialty pharmaceutical formulations targeting neurological and ophthalmological indications