Contaminants and pollutants are concentrated in the fat of fish, so fish oil may be high in toxins if not properly purified. Although you may see a label stating "pharmaceutical grade fish oil," fish oil is not medicine and there is no single standard for what this term means. When choosing a fish oil supplement, look for a supplement that has been purified through molecular distillation using food grade ethanol rather than hexane, which is less expensive and may not be as safe.
Step 1
Verify what standards were used in the purification of the fish oil. The State of California's Proposition 65 and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency both have strict standards, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the least stringent standards for PCBs -- 2,000 parts per billion, while California's Prop 65 has a tolerance of only 90 parts per billion. When choosing a fish oil supplement, it may not be enough to meet FDA standards.
Step 2
Check to see who certified that purity standards were actually met. The International Fish Oil Standard is a third-party independent laboratory that does not manufacture or sell fish oil. They do accurate testing and have strict requirements, not just for purity, but also for quality of fish oil -- making sure it includes more than 60 percent total long-chain omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA combined, containing less than 45 ppb PCBs. According to Fish Oil Review.com, the highest quality fish oil will be fresh -- with no oxidation or rancidity, will have all impurities removed and have a high EPA and DHA content.
Step 3
Choose a single-species supplement made from wild Pacific salmon, anchovies or sardines. The Conscious Life website says that farmed fish may contain pesticides, antibiotics, GMOs, synthetic coloring agents or growth hormones.
Tips and Warnings
- Choose a supplement manufactured by a company that catches and processes its own fish -- having that much control over the supplement often leads to a higher quality product.
- It's a myth that quality fish oil won't freeze. Do not test the purity of your fish oil supplement by placing it in the freezer.
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