Researchers find method to extract DHA from algae

Published: October 17, 2008

Source : Taiwan News

Researchers at the Tainan-based National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) have invented a new way to extract pollution-free docosa hexaenoic acid (DHA) from an indigenous species of algae that could revolutionize the way the supplement is produced commercially, academic sources said Wednesday.

Team members said DHA is normally derived from fish and shellfish, but minute quantity of toxins -- such as methyl mercury or dioxins -- may migrate from the fish to the DHA, a common nutritional additive used in food or animal feeds.

Chen I-min, an NCKU assistant professor and the co-leader of the project, said this contamination led the team to search for new avenues to extract DHA, and it decided to further investigate the possibility of deriving DHA from algae.

The researchers first selected an alga species as the subject of their experiment and then induced fermentation among algae to observe their DHA productivity, Chen said.

Yang Huey-lang, a professor at NCKU's Institute of Biotechnology, noted that the results proved the algae can produce DHA in quantity and without man-made pollutants, indicating its potential as a food ingredient.

Yang said several Taiwan-based biotech companies have showed interest in the process and its related technologies and in applying the method to mass production.

DHA is a highly touted food supplement that is said to help reduce the risk of heart disease or mitigate DHA deficiences that may lead to diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Meanwhile, after presenting the results to the 2008 annual meeting of the European Aquaculture Society, the team's achievements were highly praised and an award in the "Best Poster" section was given to the team, according to the university.

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Uchechukwu Enyidi

23 de octubre de 2008

Certainly docosa hexaenoic acid (DHA) could be produced from algae and there are also other organisms that can as well give better results. This is however a step in the right direction. Aquaculture still remains an unexploited avenue for health risk free production of quality DHA for human consumption. We have potentials for this here in Finland.

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