Is it critical that we get fermented CLO?

mphatesmpb Fri Jul 08, 2011 4:13 pm

Fermented Cod Liver Oil is pretty expensive. I understand that the main advantage of getting fermented CLO is that conventional cod liver oil supplements are exposed to high heat during the manufacturing process. I found this article about the processing methods used by NOW foods to produce their CLO:

By Nick Rana, CN, Nutrition Education Department, NOW Foods

NOW Foods Virgin Cod Liver Oil is made in Norrway exclusively from liver of genuine Norwegian Cod (Gadus morhua). The production of Virgin Cod Liver Oil is conducted in a manner that ensures the product is carefully processed to concentrate the healthy long chain omega-3 EPA and DHA fatty acids while removing any unwanted environmental chemicals and retaining the naturally occurring Vitamins A and D. The dose ranges of the EPA, DHA and vitamins A and D listed on our label are indicative of the fact that we do not spike nor adulterate this Virgin Cod Liver Oil to artificially standardize or enhance the potency of these key nutrients, unlike some other brands.

Norwegian Virgin Cod Liver Oil production includes winterization, distillation, blending, drumming, and bottling. The following steps illustrate the production process:

Raw Norwegian Cod Livers

Genuine Norwegian Cod are processed to remove the precious raw livers that are cold pressed to yield a virgin raw crude oil.

Winterization

Winterization is done in order to remove solids from oils that would normally cause cloudiness and turbidity in the oil when stored in refrigeration. These solids are high melting point triglycerides that are naturally present in fish oils. In this process, the oil is cooled under controlled conditions and time and then filtered to remove solid substances.

After storing oil in a refrigerator, you may notice white crystals in bottles or capsules. This does not indicate that there is something wrong with the oil. It is simply caused by the precipitation of any remaining high melting point triglycerides.

If you let the oil return to room temperature, the oil will become clear again. This is exactly the same as what happens to olive oil and some other natural oils when stored at low temperatures.

Molecular Distillation

Molecular distillation, also known as short path evaporation, is performed using equipment which is specially designed for the production of very sensitive compounds like the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. This process is performed under high vacuum in order to minimize temperature and exposure to oxygen, and is a purely physical purification achieved without the use of any chemicals.

Among other benefits, molecular distillation is used to reduce and remove already low levels of environmental contaminants such as heavy metals, PCB's, Dioxins, and Pesticides.

The molecular distillation process utilizes a short path evaporator where the actual distillation of the oil takes place. The virgin oil is processed through as a thin film and is quickly run over the surface of a heated column. This highly precise process assures the product receives a carefully controlled and gentle treatment. The oil's exposure to the evaporator column is quick, highly controlled, and takes place within a fraction of a second at a lower temperature than would be possible without the vacuum. The oil is rapidly cooled down to a low temperature.

Blending

A proprietary antioxidant blend consisting of rosemary extract, ascorbyl palmitate, and natural tocopherols is added to the Virgin Cod Liver Oil. Natural lemon oil is added to our liquid formulation to complement the naturally mellow flavor of the fresh fish liver oil.

Drumming

Virgin Cod Liver Oil is transferred into new 55-gallon food-grade steel drums and protected with a nitrogen blanket. The nitrogen blanket inhibits oxidation by ensuring that the product is not exposed to the oxygen in the air.

Bottling

While bottling Virgin Cod Liver Oil, nitrogen is flushed around and into the bottle to ensure that the product is not exposed to air and subject to oxidation. This assures freshness of the oil skillfully packaged in an amber glass bottle with a specially designed air-tight pour spout closure.

Conclusion

NOW makes every effort to produce a fresh, potent, safe Norwegian Cod Liver Oil that is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, as well as naturally occurring vitamins A and D. This oil is processed in Norway at a facility that meets the highest pharmaceutical manufacturing standards.

I don't know much about free radical chemistry, but I've read on Ray Peat's site that the amount of oxidation which occurs is primarily dependent on the amount of time that the fatty acids are exposed to heat/light/oxygen. If the CLO is exposed to the heat for less than a second, I imagine that not much damage would occur. On the other hand, I've read that free radicals are so unstable that they are neutralized instantaneously.

Basically, I'm wondering if it's really worth it to shell out the extra money on fermented CLO? The price margin is pretty huge.

nidhogge Fri Jul 08, 2011 10:47 pm

mpb--

Why bother with Cod Liver Oil when you have Krill?

mphatesmpb Fri Jul 08, 2011 11:03 pm

CLO is a natural source of vitamins A and D3. I'm not trying to start another debate on vitamin D supplementation, but I generally believe that it's better to avoid supplementation as much as possible, especially when there are real food sources of the nutrients in question. I've read online that there are over 3000 different derivatives of vitamin D3, and these can be found in foods like CLO. I assume that synthetic supplements would contain just one isoform. This of course doesn't necessarily mean that supplementation wouldn't be beneficial, but I believe that CLO would be even more effective due to the presence of these derivatives.

Another note on what I mentioned earlier about modern processing techniques for producing CLO...According to a pdf from the Weston Price foundation, the production of most CLO supplements involve keeping the oil at "250 degrees C for up to six hours under vacuum. The process damages the fragile unsaturated fatty acids in cod liver oil and eliminates most of the vitamin D and a considerable amount of the vitamin A."

This description of the heating process sounds like it would definitely cause extensive damage to the cod liver oil, but the manufacturing processed used by NOW foods sounds much gentler (just one second of heating).

nidhogge Fri Jul 08, 2011 11:26 pm

Ah, I see. Personally, I just make sure to get sun every day though if you live in a more clouded area year-round, that can be difficult. But, I do agree that we should obtain our vitamins and minerals naturally whenever possible.

CausticSymmetry Sat Jul 09, 2011 10:32 pm

I've been wondering the same about the oxidation problem. The nutrient yield is better, however one thing I can say is that a fat that naturally contains vitamin A in it does help to help prevent lipid peroxidation.

The lactic acid bacteria probably play a role in its predigestion.

There might be more info here:

http://www.pickl-it.com/blog/162/health-benefits-lactic-acid-bacteria-food/

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