Bioavailability of Omega-3 Long-chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (LCPUFA) From Foods Enriched With Vegetable-encapsulated Omega-3 Oils

Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3) (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) is associated with many health benefits including improved brain, heart, joint and eye health. However, <20% of the world's population consume adequate amounts of these fatty acids. Individuals who don't consume fish (major dietary omega-3 source) and particularly vegans/vegetarians are at greatest risk of omega-3 deficiency. Convenient strategies empowering consumers to increase their omega-3 intake have potential to significantly impact health outcomes. CSIRO's Food Program has developed a novel vegetable-based omega-3 encapsulant to be used as ingredient in various food products. Using algal oil as omega-3 source provides vegan/vegetarian options. However, it is unknown whether the vegetable-based carrier matrix will affect omega-3 bioavailability. As these products are intended for global markets, it is also unknown whether ethnic differences may affect omega-3 bioavailability. This project forms part of a larger project aiming to develop sensorially and culturally acceptable food products that incorporate vegetable-encapsulated omega-3 oils to assist Australian and Singaporean consumers to achieve their omega-3 LCPUFA intake. This component of the project aims to compare the bioavailability of omega-3 from two test foods containing vegetable (cauliflower)-encapsulated algal oil (the "ingredient") against a control test product (algal oil gel capsules) across two ethnicities (Australian European vs. Chinese Singaporean). To achieve this, two clinical trials, following the same protocol, will be executed in both Australia (Australian European) and Singapore (Chinese Singaporean).