US Oilseed Trade Group Backs Seed Oil-Based Omega 3 and Omega 6 Fatty Acids for Infant Formula

US leading trade association for oilseed crushing, the National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA) has backed the use of seed oil-based omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids in infant formula in response to the request from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) for information on infant formula nutrient requirements.  NOPA accounts for over 99 percent of soybean crushing capacity.
NOPA said it was important to note that every infant formula available on the US market contained omega 6 fatty acids from seed oils as they were the most effective and bioavailable sources of essential fatty acids for infant development. Looking at the role of essential fatty acids in infant neural development, NOPA said long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, an omega 3 fatty acid) and arachidonic acid (ARA, an omega 6 fatty acid), could not be produced by the body in sufficient amounts, so needed to be obtained through diet.
Vegetable oils or “seed oils,” as they are sometimes called, such as soyabean, canola and sunflower oil, are the primary sources of essential omega 3 fatty acids and omega 6 fatty acid precursors – linolenic acid (ALA) and linoleic acid (LA) – which are foundational to infant nutrition, according to a study Docosahexaenoic Acid and Arachidonic Acid Nutrition in Early Development, Advances in Pediatrics 
Although infant formulas were supplemented with DHA and ARA to ensure neural and visual development, seed oils remained the most foundational, bioavailable sources of LA and ALA as recognized in the CODEX Alimentarius international standards for infant formula and in EPSA scientific options, NOPA said.  In addition, research consistently demonstrated that infants who received adequate levels of DHA and ARA showed stronger visual and cognitive development.