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Professional product
management and control is the answer. We handle our raw ingredients with the utmost care - from the boat to the bottle - ensuring that freshness is maintained throughout the manufacturing process. This is particularly crucial for our hoki oil and we are probably the only company in this industry that has full traceability for our hoki; which is critical as we use it in its natural form.
Unlike most fish which are caught by large factory ships and frozen at sea, our hoki fish are caught by smaller vessels fishing within seven hours travelling from the hoki fishing grounds. The catch is able to be kept fresh in ice and processed immediately upon arrival back on shore. Our hoki are only caught in the height of the season and there is no by-catch mixed into the oil.
At Xtend-Life, we endeavour to give you the freshest products possible. We are very proud of our 'fresh, pure and natural' policy and strive to maintain our exceptionally high standards. The fish oil remains fresh in the
capsule because of a natural rosemary extract which is a very powerful anti-oxidant combined with a broad spectrum natural vitamin E oil.
Put us to the smell test
We are so confident that our fish oil is the freshest in the world, we encourage you to cut open a soft gel of Omega 3 / DHA Fish Oil and smell it. You should only smell a faint oceanic aroma - if anything at all. We don't add masking flavours or fragrances unlike other fish oil companies.
No rancidity = no repeating
Our Omega 3 / DHA Fish Oil is so fresh that we guarantee no repeating or 'burping'. If you don't have any digestive ailments which could compromise your system, we can definitely assure you that no 'fishy' repeats will occur. If you have experienced this rather unpleasant case of 'burping' due to a rancid product, we will be glad to introduce you to ours - the freshest fish oil in the world. We will even give you a refund on the return of the partially opened bottle should you not be entirely convinced.
How to determine the freshness of your fish oil
Freshness is measured by oxidation. Always look out for the total oxidation (TOTOX) value on the supplier's COA - it is made up of two components:
- Anisidine value
- Peroxide value
Some manufacturers in Europe do not publish their anisidine values and although the peroxide values may be reasonable, the overall TOTOX value can be very high.
Interestingly, some of them do their testing just for the peroxide value (conveniently after encapsulation and after an elapsed period of time). The peroxide values in a soft gel actually go down over time but the anisidine values go up, therefore pushing the TOTOX value up as well.
It is a trick of the trade that some manufacturers use. Although the 'N/A' indication on the COA may mean 'Not Available', it should really mean 'Not Acceptable' - don't be fooled.
Freshness facts
- Our Omega 3 / DHA Fish Oil has oxidation specifications that are significantly lower than any international standard (the lower the better). However, the actual results of the oil are always better than the specification. Please refer to the COA for the actual values.
- When compared to the oxidation specifications set by a US-based monograph, our standards are nearly double the freshness levels - from the peroxide to TOTOX values, including the all importantanisidine value.
- Our peroxide specifications are four times better than those set by the European Pharmacopoeia and Norwegian Medicinal Standard, while our anisidine and TOTOX values cannot even be compared to these organisations as they all list their respective values as N/A - and we all know what that means.
As an extra measure to ensure that freshness is maintained across the spectrum, each and every batch of the Omega 3 / DHA Fish Oil is comprehensively tested by independent government certified laboratories. The laboratory used depends on the test being carried out. Xtend-Life uses two labs, namely: Cawthron Laboratories and Agriquality Laboratories.
The following is a table that shows comparative oxidation specifications between acceptable international standards and Xtend-Life standards. All of the indicated values are absolute minimum standards.Oxidation Specifications
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Component
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Xtend-Life
Specifications
|
International
Fish Oil
Standards
(IFOS)
|
Council for
Responsible
Nutrition
(CRN)
|
European
Pharmacopoeia
|
Norwegian
Medicinal
Standard
|
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Peroxide Value
(mEq/kg)
|
2.5
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3.75
|
5
|
10
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10
|
|
Anisidine Value
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12
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15
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20
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N/A
|
N/A
|
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Total Oxidation
(TOTOX)
|
17
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19.5
|
26
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N/A
|
N/A
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Notes:
- * N/A means 'Not Available'
- * IFOS although included in the table is not a recognised entity. It is a private organisation and it is claimed by some 'observers' that it was established for the benefit of a few marketers of fish oil.
SERIOUS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY
Our hoki fishery in New Zealand is controlled by the New Zealand government and is considered to be the best managed and sustainable fish resource in the world. The total allowable catch set for New Zealand is constantly reviewed by scientists at the various New Zealand fisheries every year. The hoki fishery is in such good shape that the government is considering raising the quota levels for the 2009 season.
The raw tuna oil which we use in our Omega 3 / DHA Fish Oil is sourced only from trusted suppliers. The tuna oil does not have any impact on tuna stocks as it is a by-product of the tuna caught for food. We put it through a proprietary purification process in addition to the molecular distillation and concentration system. This results in levels of purity not achieved by other 'normal' purification processes.
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FISH OIL SO UNIQUE 
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