AT CAPACITY: HOW INNOVATIONS IN SUSTAINABLE SOYBEAN OIL CAN HELP AN OVERFISHED WORLD MEET OMEGA-3 TARGETSWith nine out of ten global fisheries at or past their sustainable

threshold, averting collapse requires diversification into land-based

sources of essential fatty acids such as soybean oil. by QUALISOY

Fish oil is among the most widely used nutritional supplements on the market today1. As consumers become ever more oriented toward health and wellness, many are increasing their intake of fish oil, which is rich in essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and perceived by many consumers to prevent heart and brain disease. Fish oil supplements are also being taken for weight loss and to reduce inflammation.

The potential for growth in demand is significant, as most people (worldwide) do not meet target intake levels for omega-3. However, this potential public health boon comes with risk.

Rising demand for fish oil places stress on global fisheries to produce larger catches each year. While experts debate the long-term sustainability of fish oil production,

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1Clarke TC, Black LI, Stussman BJ, Barnes PM, Nahin RL. Trends in the use of complementary health approaches among adults: United States, 2002–2012. National health statistics reports; no 79. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2015.

the environmental costs of overfishing are devastating and, potentially, irreversible. The collapse of the Northern Cod fishery off the eastern coast of Canada, or more recently, the disintegration of fishery stocks in the South China Sea, serve as wake-up calls to the industry to reform commercial fishing.

Recent survey data from the United Soybean Board (USB) suggest that there is mounting public concern regarding the sustainability of fish oil and recognition that alternatives are needed. If the world is to prevent

future fishery collapses and also reach recommended intake targets of essential fatty acids, new, sustainable, land-based food sources must become dietary staples.

By formulating with domestic, sustainable soybean oil, food brands can capitalize on demand for sustainable sources of essential fatty acids. In the future, new trait-enhanced soybeans will produce high concentrations of omega-3 and contribute to solving the environmental challenges that occur when rising global demand gives way to unsustainable fishing practices.

OVERFISHED AND COLLAPSINGConservationists warn that pressure from commercial fishing threatens to deplete wild caught fish stocks and prolong a decades-long trend of fishery collapse. In fact, global fisheries may be nearing their output limits. Nearly one-third of commercially available species are overfished, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Almost 60% of global fishery resources are fished at their sustainable, “fully fished” capacity.

That translates to more than 90% of fisheries that are at or past the point of sustainability, a trend that has been building for decades. FAO estimates that in 1974, unsustainable fishing made up only around 10% of the total annual catch. That percentage has since more than tripled as the world consumes more fish and marine products each year. Rising demand for fish and fish products will continue to pressure the industry to increase output from global fisheries at a trajectory that may not be sustainable.

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RISING DEMAND FOR FISH OILHealth agencies throughout the developed world recommend eating oily fish. Recommended targets for preventing heart disease are between 250 and 1,000 mg of fish oils per day and upwards of 4,000 mg per day for moderating blood triglyceride levels2.

The latter would be the equivalent of four servings daily of an oily fish like anchovy or salmon in order to realize the benefits. As such, millions of people fail to reach recommended targets through diet and take supplements to reap the health benefits of fish oil.

In a recent survey of U.S. adults conducted on behalf of USB, participants were asked to read the following statement: Most people in the world do not meet target intake levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Then, they were asked if, having read the statement, they would be more likely to take certain actions to increase their intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Nearly half indicated that, having read the statement, they would likely consider taking an omega-3 supplement (49%), a fish or krill oil supplement (42%), or simply eating more fish (48%).

The confluence of increased demand for fish and fish oil exacerbates pressure on fisheries to produce more output while maintaining sustainable practices. The only lasting solution is for the general public to include in their diets more sustainable, land-based foods that are high in essential fatty acids – like soybean oil.

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2American Heart Association Nutrition Committee, Lichtenstein AH, Appel LJ, Brands M, Carnethon M, Daniels S, Franch HA, Franklin B, Kris-Etherton P, Harris WS, Howard B, Karanja N, Lefevre M, Rudel L, Sacks F, Van Horn L, Winston M, Wylie-Rosett J Circulation. 2006 Jul 4; 114(1):82-96.

32019 USB Consumer Research Survey

73%

U.S. adults who believe omega-3 fatty acids are generally healthy

49%

U.S. adults who agree they do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids

48%

U.S. adults who have eaten foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids in the past six months

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INNOVATIONS IN SOYBEAN OILIf the world is to reach recommended targets for intake of essential fatty acids while keeping environmental damage to a minimum, public awareness and commercial availability of land-based, non-fish sources must grow. While new products such as algal oil show promise, the costs of production are high, making them inaccessible to non-affluent consumers. However, there is a ubiquitous source of essential fatty acids that anyone can afford and farmers nearly anywhere in North America can produce.

Soybean oil is a sustainable, widely available, domestic source of essential fatty acids. It is a versatile oil with a neutral flavor and can replace other oils in nearly any cooking application. According to the Soy Foods Council, soybean oil “accounts for over 40% of the U.S. intake of essential fatty acids for most Americans.” Food manufacturers seeking to tap into rising demand for sustainable sources of essential fatty acids may find opportunities in highlighting soybean oil on product labels for everything from salad dressings and mayonnaise to everyday bottled cooking oil for sautéing and baking.

PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT FISH OILThe USB study surveyed an online panel of U.S. adults to gauge their perceptions of sustainability and common sources of essential fatty acids. Findings from this study suggest that there is strong consumer demand for both fish oil and sustainable ingredients. These data suggest that U.S. consumers will increasingly seek out readily available food sources of essential fatty acids that they already believe to be sustainable. Cooking oils are common sources of omega-3s, and USB data show that most consumers agree that vegetable (56%) and soybean (55%) oils are sustainable.

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agreed that increased global demand for fish oil creates pressure on fisheries

Domestic and Sustainable Ingredients are Important

to Consumers

agreed it is important that the foods they consume

are sustainable

disagree that the sustainability of the food

ingredients they consume is important to them

agreed that increased global demand for fish oil increases the need for alternatives to fish oil

agreed that increased global demand for fish oil creates environmental issues

agreed that increased demand for fish oil is necessary for public health

agreed that the long-term global supply of fish oil is unsustainable

agreed that it is important to them that the foods they consume are grown in the

United States

Data from 2019 USB Consumer Research Survey

Public concern for the sustainability of fish oil creates space for soybean oil to enter into the current conversation about the ecological impact and sustainable management of global fisheries, a priority issue for ocean conservationists. Food brands can allay these concerns by emphasizing to consumers that their products are made with soybean oil, a domestic, sustainable, land-based source of essential fatty acids.

Biotechnology may hold the key to sustainably revolutionizing the cooking oils market and increasing availability of environmentally friendly, non-fish sources of essential fatty acids. There are new trait-enhanced soybean varieties currently in development which grow to produce high concentrations of SDA omega-3 fatty acids, a type of omega-3 that is more easily processed by the body than other plant-based omega-3 fatty acids.

QUALISOY projects these soybeans to produce oil with up to 18 to 20% omega-3 content. SDA soybean oils are generally regarded as safe by the Food and Drug Administration. Approval with the U.S. Department of Agriculture is pending.

Continued growth in worldwide consumption of essential fatty acids depends on long-term sustainable solutions. As the world consumes more omega-3, innovations such as trait-enhanced soybeans, along with rigorous ocean resource management, will be necessary to mitigate future fishery collapses. Food manufacturers have a role to play in meeting global demand for essential fatty acids.

Visit QUALISOY.com to learn more about innovations in soybean oil.

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