Determination of Omega-3 and Omega-6

Lifeasible specializes in milk-related testing and offers services to help detect omega-3 (ω - 3) and omega-6 (ω - 6) family polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in milk and milk products.

It is essential to detect ω - 3 and ω - 6 PUFAs in milk. The fatty acid profile of milk, especially the essential fatty acid profile, is an important indicator for assessing the nutritional value of milk. There are two types of essential fatty acids, the ω - 3 family of PUFAs with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) as the parent and the ω - 6 family of PUFAs with linoleic acid (LA) as the parent. The ω - 3 and ω - 6 PUFAs present in the milk of ruminants and non-ruminants are important sources of essential fatty acids. Further, ω - 3 and ω - 6 families are the two main families of PUFAs. They greatly affect human health (Fig. 1) and the ω - 6/ω - 3 ratio affects the prevention and management of obesity.

Fig. 1 Effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and ω - 3/ω - 6 on human wellness (Mollica et al., 2021).

Our Services

We help determine ω -3 and ω - 6 in milk and milk products mainly using gas-liquid chromatography. The method starts with extracting lipids and liposoluble compounds from milk, followed by fatty acid methylation. Then the equipment is used for the qualitative and quantitative determination of fatty acid methyl esters. Finally, the relevant fatty acid content is calculated based on the test results. The method can detect various types of milk, including raw milk, homogenized milk, fermented milk, evaporated milk, and dry milk products.

Test contents：

Operation flow：

Test report：
We provide an experimental report containing all the information required for the complete determination of ω - 3 and ω - 6 PUFAs. The main components are
(1) Experimental reagents
(2) Equipment apparatus
(3) Operational details
(4) Experimental test results
(5) Calculation results
(6) Operation reference standards

Main reference standards：
ISO 23065:2009
ISO 15884:2002
ISO 14156:2001

Note

We also offer transesterification-based gas-liquid chromatography to determine ω -3 and ω - 6 in milk and milk products. The method mainly refers to ISO 16958:2015.

Lifeasible specializes in milk-related testing and offers services to help detect essential fatty acids in milk and milk products, including ω -3 and ω - 6 PUFAs. We have qualified analytical equipment, skilled staff, and extensive analytical experience. We can provide our customers with reliable and comprehensive determination for essential fatty acids in milk and milk products. We also offer other milk fatty acid and fat detection services. Please contact us with your requirements.