Hong Kong watchdog finds carcinogens in more than half of fish oil supplements tested
- Cancer-causing substance glycidol detected in 14 samples and excessive amounts of contaminant 3-MCPD found in three products, according to watchdog
- Council also finds product for pregnant women contains carcinogens at an amount that exceeds EU limits
Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog has found contaminants in more than 20 fish oil supplements, with cancer-causing substances detected in over half of the tested samples.
Revealing its findings on Tuesday, the Consumer Council also said the percentage of fatty acids that could increase “bad cholesterol” in the blood varied considerably across the 25 samples it had tested from major brands.
“Some samples had higher contents of bad fatty acids and contaminants that exceeded the limit, not only going against the consumer’s wish for better health, but also increasing the health risks of long-term consumption,” said Nora Tam Fung-yee, chairwoman of the council’s research and testing committee.
Fish oil products generally claim to have high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
The watchdog said it had detected glycidol, a carcinogen, in 14 of the samples. Up to 24 were found with the contaminant 3-MCPD, out of which three had levels that surpassed the 2,500mcg/kg limit set by the European Union (EU).
According to the European Food Safety Authority, the substance is considered safe for most people, but excessive consumption on a daily basis could lead to adverse effects on kidneys and male fertility in the long-run.
The city’s watchdog said Adrien Gagnon’s Omega 3 Highly Concentrated Fish Oil had the highest level of 3-MCPD with 15,000mcg/kg, followed by GNC’s Live Well Fish Body Oil with 6,800mcg/kg and Miracle Life’s Supreme Fish, which contained 2,800mcg/kg.