Page 30 - Summer 2019 Journal

HOW INDUSTRIAL COD LIVER OIL IS MADE
GRINDING AND PRESSING is the first step in industrial cod liver oil production; the liver mass is then often heated to further separate the oil from the solids.
FILTRATION through carbon begins the refining process. This removes environmental pollutants like dioxins, furans and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This treatment is important for farmed fish and fish caught in highly polluted waters near industrial areas but is not considered necessary for wild fish.
DEGUMMING involves heating the crude oil to 212 degrees F and treating it with phosphoric acid. This removes the “gunk”—compounds like phospholipids, resins, proteins, minerals and other matter in the oil.
ALKALI REFINING or neutralization removes the free fatty acids that have formed during the earlier processing steps. This process produces soapy material that must be removed with water or steam washing, followed by centrifuging.
DRYING removes the moisture from the water washing. Drying involves heat, oxygen and light, which can cause further rancidity.
BLEACHING returns the now-darkened oil to a pale color. This step also removes the dangerous aldehydes that have formed during earlier steps.
WINTERIZATION involves cooling the oil to sub-zero temperature in order to remove the saturated fatty acids, result- ing in an oil that has a higher concentration of fragile omega-3 fatty acids. In effect, winterization brings the levels of DHA and EPA back to normal levels since quite a bit of omega-3 has already broken down and been removed.
DEODORIZATION is the most damaging step. Temperatures reach 374 degrees F or higher as steam passes through the oil. This removes aldehydes, ketones, more pigments and compounds that give the oil a fishy smell or taste. This step causes the formation of some trans fatty acids in the EPA and DHA. Most seriously, deodorization destroys most of the vitamin D and a large part of the vitamin A naturally occurring in the oil.
MOLECULAR DISTILLATION, often used in place of deodorization, involves even higher temperatures, which can reach 392 degrees F. It removes environmental pollutants and destroys even more of vitamins A and D.
ADDITION OF SYNTHETIC VITAMINS is the next step. Most cod liver oil producers add synthetic vitamin A and vitamin D3 to replace the range of natural fat-soluble vitamins contained in unprocessed cod liver oil.
ANTIOXIDANTS are always added to conventionally processed cod liver oil for human consumption to protect the oil from further oxidation. These include “natural” antioxidants such as vitamin E tocopherols made from soy and spice oil extracts. The most common synthetic antioxidants are BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), TBHQ (tert-butylhydroquinone) and propyl gallate.
ADDITION OF FLAVORINGS to cod liver oil is common, especially citrus flavorings, derived from the peel of lemons or oranges and often containing other proprietary ingredients.
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12. Masterjohn C. Precious yet perilous: understanding the essential fatty acids. Wise Traditions; Fall 2010. https://www.westonaprice.org/health- topics/know-your-fats/precious-yet-perilous/.
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14. https://www.greenpasture.org/blog/scientific-analysis-of-oxidation-test- reports-by-dr-subramaniam-sathivel/index.cfm?&ssl=set.
Wise Traditions SUMMER2019