Sustainable Nutraceutical Products
Faced with consumers’ concerns, environmental sustainability has become a relevant issue for the Omega3 industry.
Friend of the Sea is the leading international standard for producers of fish oil, fishmeal and Omega3 supplements.
Friend of the Sea Omega3 producers verify their suppliers are listed as approved and therefore implement sustainable fishing practices. In this way they can provide a third-party assurance to consumers worldwide.
USA, Scandinavia, Central Europe and Australia are the markets with the highest presence of Friend of the Sea labelled Omega3 supplements. Antarctic krill, menhaden and Peruvian anchovy fisheries and fleets are approved according to Friend of the Sea sustainability requirements.
The Standard for sustainable nutraceutical products
Friend of the Sea criteria for sustainable nutraceutical products require:
- well managed sources of fish oil and fishmeal ingredients;
- traceability;
- social accountability.
Technical Documents
Sustainable UV Cream
Not all sunblocks are friends of the sea.
According to both U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and EU regulation, sunscreens marked as “water-resistant” can lose 50 perrcent of their sun protection factor after 40-minute bathing.
Recent studies have shown that Benzophenone-3 (BP-3; Oxybenzone), an ingredient in sunscreen lotions and personal care products, which protects against the damaging effects of ultraviolet light, contributes to the coral bleaching and reef strain, as it disrupts coral reproduction and growth. According to these studies, even small doses of Oxybenzone – about a drop in six and a half Olympic swimming pools – damage coral.
In order to minimise the impact of sunscreens on the marine environment, Friend of the Sea has decided to award as Friend of the Sea certified those sunscreen products releasing less than 20 percent of their chemicals to the water after 80 minutes and thus validating the producers’ long-term commitment towards environmental sustainability.
The Standard for sustainable sunscreens
Friend of the Sea criteria for sustainable sunscreens require:
- releasing less than 20 percent of their chemicals to the water after 80 minutes;
- absence of chemicals that damage corals and marine life;
- evidence of testing from independent laboratories.
- All the information will be kept strictly confidential and implies NO commitment on your company’s part.
- The Friend of the Sea certification is voluntary and NOT mandatory to gain access to markets.
- The application process is NOT discriminatory on size, scale, management and minimum number of operators.
- Friend of the Sea is a NGO and it strives to make participation in the audits affordable for all companies.
- Please, contact us for more information on Government funding which might be available in your Country for sustainability certifications: info@friendofthesea.org
Nutraceuticals Frequently Asked Questions
What are nutraceuticals?
Nutraceuticals or functional food supplements refer to products that are derived from plants. They contain biologically active phytochemicals or chemical compounds that have health-promoting, disease-preventing or medicinal properties.
They represent a rising nutraceutical trend that is becoming increasingly popular for consumers who are looking for ways to improve their health.
What are some examples of nutraceuticals?
Nutraceuticals are usually taken as dietary supplements; a few examples of nutraceutical products are Omega3 fish oil preparations, prebiotics and probiotics.
What are nutraceutical ingredients?
Nutraceutical ingredients can include vitamins, amino acids, prebiotic & probiotic premixes, proteins, and some minerals such as zinc and folic acid.
Are vitamins nutraceuticals?
Many nutraceuticals can contain vitamins that are themselves derived from plants.
What is the difference between nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals?
Nutraceuticals differ from pharmaceuticals in that they are naturally occurring and naturally sourced and avoid side effects.