Waitrose Launch Omega 3 Rich Chicken As Alternative To Unpopular Oily Fish

On top of that, UK parents are not so sure which foods contain Omega 3 and how their children can get more of it.

According to a recent Waitrose survey, one in three parents even identified carrots as being naturally high in the essential fatty acid when levels are in fact very low.

 

In contrast, 14 percent of parents surveyed thought salmon is not a good source of Omega 3 when it is one of the best ways to get the polyunsaturated fatty acids.

 

Waitrose says that despite leading health authorities in the UK pushing the consumption of Omega 3 and raising awareness of its benefits as part of a healthy diet to maintain normal heart, brain and vision, some parents seem unaware of its properties.

 

Out of the 2,000 people surveyed, a total of 20 percent polled said they were unaware of the importance of Omega 3, while 23 percent consumed the recommended intake of at least one portion of oily fish per week.

 

"A lot of the focus has been getting children to have five a day and ensuring they have enough calcium. But Omega 3 is also vital for maintaining a healthy heart, brain function and vision, with many parents unaware of its benefits and where to find it in the diet,” says Moira Howie, Waitrose nutrition manager.

 

“Our parents and grandparents might have traumatic memories of being given cod liver oil on a spoon, but they would have been regularly consuming a good source of Omega 3, something which many of today's younger generation appear to be missing out on."

 

The majority of the participants (80 percent) would like to increase their Omega 3 consumption in their own diet and that of their children.

 

The results are connected to a recent launch of a new range of Omega 3 enriched chicken, which gives people who don’t really like oily fish an essential fatty acid alternative.

 

The chicken is enriched by feeding the birds on a algae rich diet, including kelp and seaweed which are both naturally rich in Omega 3. Otherwise the taste and texture of the chicken is exactly the same as birds reared on a conventional diet. 

 

Waitrose began collaborating on the lack of Omega 3 in the population’s diet some time ago when the medical community in Britain were concerned about the low uptake, particularly in children.

 

The high-end grocer conceived the idea of Omega 3 rich chicken as an alternative source and began working with family farm, Moy Park, in Northern Ireland and animal nutrition specialist Devenish Nutrition. The project has taken around a decade to come to market.

 

"We have seen really encouraging sales and consumer feedback on the Omega 3 chicken range so far. This was a first for a British supermarket and customers have really embraced the option of a staple poultry product with such fantastic health benefits,” says Charlotte Craddock, Waitrose poultry buyer.

 

“This is a range with a really bright future, with the best-selling lines being the pack of two fillets, pack of four fillets and the whole bird and we are excited to see strong sales continue.”

 

Waitrose cites research in 2013 which shows people with high levels of Omega 3 had a 40 percent reduction in cardiovascular related deaths compared to people with the lowest levels.