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IFOS
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The individual measures upon which fish oil is rated are as follows:
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Confirmation of
Label Claim for All Active Ingredients
This test guarantees that each serving
has the amounts of all active ingredients that are listed on the label.
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Product Passes All CRN/WHO Testing Categories
The Council for Responsible Nutrition and the World Health Organization have devised
standards to minimize levels of contaminants, like PCB's, dioxins, furans, mercury,
etc. These purity guidelines ensure consumer safety and set the standards for the
international fish oil industry.
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Oxidation Level Less Than 75% of CRN
Standard
The oxidation
test is a measurement of the fish oil freshness. Oxidation is the interaction between
oxygen molecules and other substances (for example, notice that the color of a freshly-cut
apple turns brown after exposure to oxygen). Oxidation tests peroxide levels and
total oxidation to assess the product’s stability and freshness. |
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PCB Levels Less Than 50% of CRN Standard
PCB's are a group of manufactured organic chemicals, which have been used widely
as coolants and for other electrical equipment. Because PCB's build up in the
environment and cause harmful health effects, the manufacture of PCB's stopped
in the U.S. in 1977. Since PCB's do not break down easily, they are now found
throughout our environment. As a consequence, PCB's can be highly concentrated
in the fish found in waters contaminated with even low levels of these carcinogens.
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Dioxin and Furan Levels Less Than 50%
of WHO Standard
Dioxin and furans are environmental contaminants that are formed as a result of
the combustion process, like waste incineration and from burning fossil fuels. These
chemicals are released into the atmosphere, and as a result they can be found in
the plants, animals and fish that we eat. Dioxin is the most toxic man-made chemical,
and furans are about a tenth as toxic. These contaminants are human carcinogens,
which can also cause non-cancer health effects.
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