title: Recent advances in omega-3: Health Benefits, Sources, Products and Bioavailability.
abstract: The joint symposium of The Omega-3 Centre and the Australasian Section American Oil Chemists Society; Recent Advances in Omega-3: Health Benefits, Sources, Products and Bioavailability, was held November 7, 2013 in Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Over 115 attendees received new information on a range of health benefits, aquaculture as a sustainable source of supply, and current and potential new and novel sources of these essential omega-3 long-chain (LC, ≥ C20) polyunsaturated fatty acid nutrients (also termed LC omega-3). The theme of "Food versus Fuel" was an inspired way to present a vast array of emerging and ground breaking Omega-3 research that has application across many disciplines. Eleven papers submitted following from the Omega-3 Symposium are published in this Special Issue volume, with topics covered including: an update on the use of the Omega-3 Index (O3I), the effects of dosage and concurrent intake of vitamins/minerals on omega-3 incorporation into red blood cells, the possible use of the O3I as a measure of risk for adiposity, the need for and progress with new land plant sources of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6ω3), the current status of farmed Australian and New Zealand fish, and also supplements, in terms of their LC omega-3 and persistent organic pollutants (POP) content, progress with cheap carbon sources in the culture of DHA-producing single cell organisms, a detailed examination of the lipids of the New Zealand Greenshell mussel, and a pilot investigation of the purification of New Zealand hoki liver oil by short path distillation. The selection of papers in this Special Issue collectively highlights a range of forward looking and also new and including positive scientific outcomes occurring in the omega-3 field.
authors.affiliation: Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organization, Food and Nutrition Flagship, Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship, GPO Box 1538, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia. Peter.Nichols@csiro.au.
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence Science Seafood and Health, Curtin University, 7 Parker Place, Technology Park, WA 6102, Australia. A.McManus@curtin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McManus
authors.affiliation: The Omega-3 Centre, 32A Owen Street, North Bondi, NSW 2026. Australia. kkrail@omega-3centre.com.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krail
authors.affiliation: Deakin University, School of Medicine, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3217, Australia. andrew.sinclair@deakin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Sinclair
authors.affiliation: The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, P.O. Box 5114, Nelson 7010, New Zealand. matt.miller@plantandfood.co.nz.
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D001682:Biological Availability; D049872:Bivalvia; D003226:Congresses as Topic; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D033201:Euphausiacea; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology; D005399:Fishes; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D010944:Plants
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3