comparison of fish oil with modified seed oil
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Does consuming modified plant seed oil (Camelina sativa) containing fish oil-type fatty acids act in the same way as consuming fish oil?
IRAS ID
181654
Contact name
Graham C Burdge
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Southampton
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Fish oil and oily fish contain special omega 3 fatty acids known to be beneficial to health. Many people consume little, despite UK government recommendations to eat at least one portion of oily fish per week. Furthermore, despite modest consumption, fish stocks are declining due to over fishing. Therefore, there is a need for an alternative, sustainable and cost efficiently produced dietary source. A seed oil source of these fish oil-type fatty acids has been achieved by adding genes from other plant sources to the oil seed plant Camelina sativa. Camelina sativa, related to mustard and cabbage, has provided seed oil for human consumption for thousands of years. It was the most important oil seed plant in Europe until the 1900’s. This research is being done to see if consuming fish oil fatty acids in Camelina seed oil allows the body to take up the fish oil fatty acids in the same way as it does from fish oil.
In the first study (A) the Camelina oil will be used in a meal. The volunteers (healthy men and women) will be asked to consume the meal and provide blood samples in the following 6 hours to look at immediate uptake of the fish oil fatty acids. This will be repeated (for comparison) with fish oil.
The second study (B) will look at consumption over a longer period. Volunteers will be asked to consume the Camelina oil daily for 8 weeks and provide blood samples at the visits at the start and end of that period. This will be repeated (for comparison) with fish oil.
If the Camelina oil acts similarly to fish oil, this research will demonstrate that the Camelina oil could be used to provide fish oil-type omega 3 fatty acids in the diet, without impacting on fish populations.REC name
South Central - Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/SC/0627
Date of REC Opinion
16 Feb 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion