Analysis of Fatty Acid Compositions and Acid Values of Krill Oil Supplementary Products from the Korean Market

In order to provide the qualitative data for the 20 commercially available krill oil supplementary products, the levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), fatty acid compositions, and chemical indices, including acid values, of the supplements, were determined. The acid values ranged from 7.4 to 43.7 mg of potassium hydroxide (KOH)/ g of oil. The relative percentages of EPA and DHA in the oils ranged from 14.2 to 34.8 % (w/w). Although all 20 krill oil supplements used 100% krill oil as raw material, the fatty acid composition of 4 samples differed from typical krill oil in terms of the content of myristic acid (C14:0), palmitic acid (C16:0), palmitoleic acid (C16:1), linoleic acid (C18:2, n-6), and eicosenoic acid (C20:1, n-9). Accordingly, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety recently standardized linoleic acid (3% or less) and myristic acid (5-13%) as part of the fatty acid components of krill oil. This study provides a reference for analyzing the chemical and nutritional properties and evaluating the adulteration of krill oil supplements in the Korean market.