15 May 2025
Can fish oil finally taste good and do more?
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for human health, but their unpleasant taste, poor shelf stability and low absorption in the body have limited their impact and acceptance.
To address this, Teagasc has launched the PerfectO-3 (Personalised emulsions with encapsulated fish oil for targeted and controlled delivery of omega-3 fatty acids and removal of off-flavour) project.
This new Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) project aims to make omega-3s more palatable, personal and powerful. Led by Dr. Marina Stramarkou, MSCA fellow at Teagasc, and supervised by Prof. Brijesh Tiwari, the two-year, EU-funded project aims to develop stable, custom-designed emulsions for the effective delivery of omega-3 fatty acids, tackling longstanding challenges in food science and health nutrition.
Despite their wide use in supplements and functional foods, conventional processing techniques fall short in producing emulsions that are both stable and tailored to individual needs. PerfectO-3 will engineer personalised emulsions using novel techniques such as ultrasound cavitation to encapsulate fish oil extracted from sustainable sources.
“PerfectO-3 combines advanced food processing with real health benefits. We are excited to move personalised nutrition from idea to real application,” said Dr. Marina Stramarkou, MSCA Fellow, Teagasc.
The project will map critical process parameters to emulsion quality attributes. Conducted at Teagasc and seconded at Institute of Food Science Research CIAL, Spain, the project combines expertise in food processing, nanotechnology and health science. Over 24 months, the team will optimise emulsion production, study nutrient release using in vitro digestion models and characterise product performance in both sensory and stability terms.
Figure 1: Ultrasound assisted extraction as part of the PerfectO-3 emulsification process
Project supervisor, Prof. Brijesh Tiwari commented: “This project brings together innovation and sustainability to tackle key nutritional challenges.”
Dr. Mar Villamiel Guerra, Director, CIAL, added: “This project will help us better understand how formulation affects absorption, a critical step in next-generation functional foods.”
Figure 2: Process flowchart and Work Packages of PerfectO-3 project
PerfectO-3 directly responds to current agri-food challenges: reducing waste by using fish side-streams; improving consumer experience by masking fishy taste; and supporting personalised dietary strategies. Farmers and producers gain new value from underused resources, consumers benefit from improved nutrition and the food sector gets closer to sustainable innovation. With omega-3 demand soaring and raw materials limited, PerfectO-3 presents a timely, eco-conscious solution.
Over the next year, follow PerfectO-3 for lab updates, product prototypes and scientific breakthroughs via public seminars, social media updates and conference presentations.
