Food Additives
Nutritional supplement
Our product is high - value marine microalgae containing omega - 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA). Microalgae can be used to produce the long chain fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexanoic (DHA) that are not present in higher plants. EPA and DHA together with other fatty acids constitute a group called omega-3.
At the first stage, certain algae of the class Eustigmatophyceae and diatoms would be cultured to produce algal powder containing high levels of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.
Omege 3 Oil
The first and immediate area is the cultivation of microalgae, which are rich with omega 3 fatty acids. Marketing of the omega 3 oil extracted from microalgae is expected to be highly profitable due to its relatively low production costs. Although microalgae cultivation is a complicated procedure, Seambiotic's know-how gives the Company a significant competitive advantage in the short/medium term.
Medical Uses
Scientists believe polyunsaturated fats (EPA & DHA) are important in preventing a number of diseases, including heart diseases, inflammatory disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, mental disorders, such as bipolar disorder and attention deficit disorder, and certain types of cancer.
The medical use of omega-3 fatty acid is increasing. The American Heart Association strongly encourages increased consumption of fish oil, singles out EPA and DHA from fish as the best for heart health and sets out recommended daily intake of 2-3 grams of EPA/DHA for lowering plasma levels of triglycerides. Currently, the source of omega-3 is fish oil, however, the fishes are not the primary producers of omega-3. The fish extracts the fatty acids from the microalgae found in their natural environment.
The EPA & DHA extracted directly from microalgae has several benefits:
- Vegetarian resources
- The product is "pure" - NO heavy metals and PCB's.
- Does not have the "off" flavor of fish oil.
- Has no cholesterol content.
- Can be used directly as feed for agriculture, which will then introduce omega-3 fatty acids to eggs, milk and other.
- It can be used directly as feed for aquaculture
It is important to note that the decline in fish stocks and in the catch from wild fisheries in recent years has lead to increasing focus on aquaculture.
Omega 3
Seambiotic has developed a technology that will also harness Omega-3 oils from Sea-Algae. The market for Omega-3 that Seambiotic will target is outlined below.
The science behind Omega-3 oil and its ability to impact one's health is extremely strong and positive.
Numerous blind placebo-controlled clinical trials affirm that adequate intake of Omega-3 oil lowers triglycerides, reduces overall mortality (including mortality due to myocardial infarction), and sudden death in people with coronary heart disease.3 The strength of scientific data is compelling: the FDA in the United States has issued a conditional health claim for Omega-3 oil and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Significant clinical research and data also indicates that Omega-3 oils improve both retinal and brain development in infants, and improves patient prognosis in a variety of inflammatory and mental disorders such as arthritis, Crohn disease, lupus, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, depression and schizophrenia.
Omega-3 Industry
With the United States market value swelling from approximately $100 million to more than $2 billion in four years, Omega-3 enriched foods make up the strongest sector of the functional foods market - and there is still room for significant growth.
A relatively recent report from Packaged Facts (a division of MarketResearch.com), Omega-3 Fatty Acids and the US Food and Beverage Market, predicts that foods with added Omega-3 will reach $7 billion in sales by 2011. In 2006, this figure stood at $2 billion, and the boom over the past four years has followed the lipid ingredient's move into the mainstream.
According to the above report, the Omega-3 market is still very much dominated by small entrepreneurial companies - meaning there is opportunities for small and large formulators to get a piece of the market, such as Seambiotic.
The report selected two different groups that are targeted by Omega-3 marketers: very young children (six month old) and aging adults. These products have been tailored especially around the cognitive benefits associated with the lipids. Below is an analysis on the baby food market, followed by the various other market segments Seambiotic intends to target.
