The International Food Science Centre (IFSC, Lystrup, Denmark) has developed a nutritional oil blend, Nutridan, from vegetable oils that are naturally rich in a-linolenic acid. All the omega-3 fatty acids in Nutridan are a-linolenic acid from vegetable sources. The blend contains less than 30ppm of cholesterol, making it practically cholesterol-free. It is non-hydrogenated, contains no trans fatty acids, and is devoid of pesticides, heavy metals and GMOs.
It is now acknowledged that a-linolenic acid, through its downstream longer-chain homologue DHA, is essential for normal visual functions. Deficiency of a-linolenic acid in diets leads to a lowering of DHA in the brain, which may impact auditory, olfactory, learning and memory functions, appetite control, neuron size and nerve growth factor levels, notes Prof. Vijai Shukla, founder and president of IFSC.