While there’s no shortage of positive press for fish oil these days, every few years something new comes along that gets everyone in the industry’s attention. These days Minami fish oils fit that description exactly. While no one denies that fish oil is beneficial for people of all ages, it is worth noting that fish have to be processed quite a bit before they become the oil that ends up in the softgels you take on a daily basis. What sets Minami apart from almost every other fish oil company out there is their Supercritical extraction process.

Molecular Distillation (Note the high temperatures!) Supercritical Technology

Most fish oil companies use molecular distillation to extract their oils. While the end product is generally good quality, there are more steps involved and higher temperatures used than in the Supercritical method. Molecular distillation also achieves a lower concentration of EPA/DHA in the final product. It does happen to be cheaper than Supercritical technology though, which is why most companies decide to use it. Supercritical technology uses liquid CO2 in a low-temperature, high-pressure environment to extract specific compounds from raw materials. It is extremely clean and efficient, resulting in a less damaged, more highly concentrated oil.

Although there is no official documentation on whether molecular distillation is actually harmful for the oils, it’s important to remember that the omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil—EPA and DHA—are extremely sensitive to their environment. The more double bonds an omega 3 fat contains, the more affected it is by high temperatures, which makes DHA with its 6 double bonds the most sensitive fatty acid. In light of such information, it makes sense to opt for a processing method that doesn’t use such high temperatures.

Supercritical technology is most effective when it’s performed in two steps: Supercritical Fluid Extraction and Supercritical Fluid Chromatography. One of the only companies on the market that uses this exact process is Minami Nutrition. Their Supercritical fish oils are processed at temperatures of 35-50 degrees Celsius, which is much lower than the 140-160 degrees Celsius performed during molecular distillation. And since Supercritical technology yields up to 99% concentration, Minami’s products are more potent, sometimes having an EPA/DHA content that’s twice as powerful as some of the highest potency fish oils on the market.

Actually, there are few reasons not to choose Minami. Although the prices are sometimes a little higher, they make up for that with the high concentration of their oils. And many of their formulas have a one-softgel serving size, so you don’t have to swallow so many pills to get your fish oil. If you have any questions about Minami, give us a call here at Peach Vitamins in Atlanta at 404-266-9115 or stop by the store at 2900 Peachtree Rd.