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What is IVO?
International Verified Omega-3 is an independent not-for-profit organization whose goal is to: 1) increase consumer confidence in the quality of marine oils (including fish oils) rich in omega-3s, 2) help consumers identify and select the best omega-3 products for their health, 3) to advocate for and support responsible marine stewardship and the long term sustainability of fish populations and habitat around the world.
IVO also provides a certification program for marine oils that adheres to the world’s highest standards for purity and potency verification. Now you can simply look for the IVO seal to ensure you are getting the purest, safest and most environmentally friendly omega-3 products available.
The IVO Seal: Your Guarantee of Purity, Potency and Sustainability.
IVO Articles & Twitter Feed
Establishing A New Standard
Purity.
The IVO seal means all fish (and other sources of marine oils such as krill) used in a product comes from pristine, cold-water habitats. The oils must then be purified via molecular distillation or other advanced methods to remove already low levels of contaminants. Furthermore, both the oils and the softgels must be manufactured without harmful chemicals. IVO certified oils must pass all quality checks at the source, during manufacturing and labeling.
Potency.
To earn the coveted IVO seal, the raw product must test to the highest quality standards for omega-3 EPA/DHA possible, and the product found in the bottle must be re-tested to verify that the concentration of EPA/DHA is of equal or greater potency than what is stated on the label.
Sustainability.
IVO advocates sustainability by ensuring that source material comes from wild–caught and responsibly managed harvests. To ensure biodiversity, every catch must use fishing techniques that are internationally approved as environmentally responsible to ensure that no endangered species are put at further risk.
The Importance of IVO Certification for Omega-3 Products
There are numerous elements that effect the quality of omega-3s derived from marine oils. For example, where the fish or krill are caught, how they are processed at the fish plant, how the oil is then manufactured into finished products, and so forth—they all influence the quality of the omega-3 you consume.
IVO certification requires a comprehensive set of quality checks, including tests for some 400 potential contaminants. It also certifies compliance with all applicable regulatory fishing and harvesting standards, internationally approved processing and manufacturing best practices, as well as consumer demands for purity, potency and safety. And you can rest assured that the concentration of the omega-3 matches label claims. IVO certification is a new and comprehensive standard that only products of the highest quality can achieve. Welcome to IVO.
As a consumer, you can simply look for the IVO Seal to ensure you are getting:
- A Higher Level of Clean
- A Greater Measure of Protection
- A Superior Degree of Confidence
How Products Meet the IVO Certification Standards.
Quality starts by requiring the best source material. To achieve IVO certification, all fish or krill must be sourced only from pristine, cold-water fisheries and sustainable harvests. Then the omega-3s (EPA/DHA) in the bottle must also test at equal or greater levels of potency to the claims made on the label.
To achieve this standard, the oils, and even the softgel capsules, must be manufactured without harmful chemicals and tested to validate purity. In addition, the use of excessive heat or exposure to oxygen is prohibited to ensure the natural benefits of the oil remain intact and potent. Plus, the manufacturing processes to reach the highest concentration levels of EPA/DHA must be such that these levels are maintained until the expiration date.
IVO Articles & Industry News
New Meta-analysis Published re Omega-3s and CVD Outcomes
A newly published GOED meta-analysis study presents strong evidence that omega-3 (EPA and DHA) supplementation provides an effective strategy for the prevention of certain cardiovascular outcomes.
New Survey Results re Use of Omega-3 and Dietary Supplements During COVID-19 Pandemic
Omega-3 advocacy group GOED has shared the findings of a series of surveys conducted by Toluna, a consumer research company, with respect to consumer attitude and lifestyle changes in Europe, the Americas and Asia related to COVID-19.
Fish Oil Supplementation Linked to Lower Risks of CVD
Findings from a recently published research study in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) links habitual fish oil supplementation to lower risk of mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD). The China and US-funded study utilized data from the United Kingdom based – UK Biobank Study that…