The latest proposed changes to the GOED Bylaws have officially been approved by the GOED membership, with 86% of members who voted voting in favor of the updates (54% of membership participated in the vote). Click here or the button below or visit our "Governance" page to read the updates.
Under the newly adopted bylaws, a few changes are worth pointing out:
The Bylaws add a new provision for companies with divisions or subsidiaries in the omega-3 industry. Provided these entities are controlled (50%+ ownership) by a GOED member, they are now eligible for membership as an affiliated company at no charge. These companies will be considered Base-level members and will need to go through the membership application process required for new members.
As a result of the above provision, the current Affiliate level membership will be renamed to Associate members.
Now that the Bylaws update is complete, and as part of our ongoing infrastructure improvements, GOED will require all members to sign a membership agreement noting adherence to our Voluntary Monograph, Bylaws and Code of Ethics. Primary contacts at each member company will receive an email with details.
GOED Launches Third Year of Clinical Study Database Research Award Program
Applications are now open for the 2025/2026 Clinical Study Database (CSD) Research Award Program. Three successful recipients will gain experience as a research assistant, contributing to a global database of scientific studies about EPA and DHA, and being able to use the database for an ongoing or a new research project. The benefits to GOED include increased person-power to add studies to the database, and global recognition of the GOED CSD when cited in research papers and presented at scientific conferences. The program is open to Masters, PhD and Postdoctoral students studying omega-3 fatty acids. Deadline is May 16, 2025. Please share this information with anyone who might be a good fit.
Please note that GOED does not analyze or make any representation of accuracy for the Omega-3 News items. This is simply a compilation of news articles found on the internet that are relevant to the EPA and DHA business.
Highlights
China Releases Draft Fish Oil Standard for Comments
GOED compared the specifications that came into effect on 1 March 2021 to those in the draft National Standard and found three differences. Only the specification that limits the EPA+DHA concentration to 70g/100g is of concern since GOED members are selling higher concentrations of fish oil in China. GOED is planning to submit comments by the 11 May 2025 deadline.
The other two differences are of no concern because the limits are less strict than those found in the GOED Voluntary Monograph.
The limit for lead was decreased from ≤ 0.1 mg/kg to ≤ 0.08 mg/kg, while the limit in the GOED Voluntary Monograph is < 0.05 mg/kg.
A limit (≤ 0.2 mg/kg) for PCBs (congeners 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, and 180) was added, but the limit for all 209 congeners in the GOED Voluntary Monograph is a maximum of 0.09 mg/kg.
GOED last reported on this issue in the 8 February 2021 GOED Current. At the time, the industry believed that adding fish oil to the Health Food Raw Materials Catalogue/Positive List would result in faster and less expensive registrations. While this has been true for China’s domestic fish oil products, it has provided no benefit to companies registering fish oil products outside of China.
Reminder: Upcoming Webinar on Foreign Trade Zones
Just a reminder that on April 9 (click the registration link for your local time zone), GOED will host a webinar with GOED partner UNPA's Asia President & Director of Strategic Markets Daniel Mabey on the subject of Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs). The presentation will include practical strategies for using FTZs to navigate international trade challenges, particularly tariff fluctuations and regulatory complexities.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the launch of “Operation Stork Speed,” an effort to better ensure the ongoing quality, safety, nutritional adequacy and resilience of the US infant formula supply. Operation Stork Speed will include the first comprehensive update and review of infant formula nutrients by FDA since 1998, starting with the issuance of a request for information in the coming months. It’s unclear if the request will be general or specific, but it could include DHA-rich microalgal oil. GOED will monitor the situation and keep members informed.
Taiwan-based supplement company Daiken Biomedical celebrated its entry into the Japanese market (including an omega-3 offering) by sharing the results of a 1,000-person survey of Japanese omega-3 users. 36% of respondents said the composition and concentration of EPA and DHA and the presence of additives were the most important considerations when buying omega-3 supplements. The second most common concern (at 27%) was price and affordability. Brand reputation was the respondents' third most common factor of choice at 16%. Half of the respondents were in their 20s and 30s.
GOED partner Pattern will host its annual Accelerate conference May 21-22 in Salt Lake City, UT. The conference will bring together high-profile keynoters, industry thought leaders, and brand and e-commerce experts to discuss key online marketing topics.
GOED member Golden Omega received the Seal of Organization Carbon Footprint Quantification via the Chilean Ministry of Environment's HuellaChile program.
Contract manufacturer Lonza Capsules & Health Ingredients has opened a Center of Applied Sustainability. The new center will mitigate the company's environmental impact through Science Based Targets initiative-validated (SBTi) carbon footprint reduction, energy efficiency, waste reduction and resources optimization initiatives.
Health and Happiness Group, the parent company of Swisse and Biostime supplement brands, saw its 2024 full-year supplement sales increase by 4.9% to RMB8.8 billion (US$1.2 billion, €1.1 billion).
India fish meal and fish oil producer Mukka Proteins has acquired a 51% stake in international trader GSM Marine Export to shore up its raw material supply and production capacities.
Dr. Marty Makary, a pro-supplement industry surgeon and author of the 2024 book, Blind Spots: When Medicine Gets It Wrong, and What It Means for Our Health, was confirmed as the new commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Sustainability Committee, April 16, 14:00 UTC [Click for your time zone] April Presentation: Katrina Benedicto from GOED member Nuseed will offer a sustainability-focused look at the company's canola oilseed omega-3 ingredient, Nutriterra.
Science Committee, April 30, (Alternate time) 7:00 UTC [Click for your time zone] April Presentation: GOED's Dr. Kaitlin Roke will present on the effects of EPA+DHA on headache and migraines.
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