Cognis Nutrition & Health will unveil its new Omevital™ Omega-3 fatty acid ingredients for foods and beverages at this year’s IFT Food Expo in Chicago. The first ingredient of several to debut under the brand name Omevital™ (o-may-vee-tall), Omevital™1812 TG Gold, is an oil developed for dairy products, spreads and other fat-based applications. Cognis’ Omevital™ contains an optimum ratio of the long-chain fatty acids, EPA and DHA, known to enhance overall vitality. Omevital™1812 TG Gold has excellent stability and typical use levels of 100-250 mg per serving.

“With technical challenges stalling the launch of new retail products containing Omega-3 fatty acids, Cognis is pleased to offer manufacturers an Omega-3 ingredient with an extremely clean sensory profile,” said Dave Eckert, Vice President, Cognis Nutrition & Health. “IFT is the perfect venue to introduce Omevital™ to industry leaders and let them learn firsthand about some of the finest Omega-3 ingredients on the market. Cognis’ Omevital™ raises the bar for quality thanks to its outstanding purity, resulting from state-of-the-art manufacturing processes, with each lot thoroughly analyzed for contaminants.”

Cognis’ unique network of Omega-3 experts is helping distinguish Cognis as a market leader in nutritional ingredients for functional foods. Omevital™ is produced at Napro Pharma, a fully owned member of the Cognis Group. Founded in 1986, Napro is located in Brattvaag on the west coast of Norway. Napro Pharma has extensive experience producing high quality Omega-3 ingredients for the nutrition industry. Cognis’ food technology team in Illiterissen, Germany is developing new Omevital™ ingredients for specific food applications based on its decades of experience and expertise in lipid technology. Recently Cognis announced that Professor Jorn Dyerberg, PhD, MD, a pioneer in the discovery of Omega-3’s in foods and their powerful health benefits, is now Cognis’ exclusive medical and scientific adviser.

In the coming months, Cognis plans to introduce encapsulated Omevital™ products with superior stability that are well-suited for a wide range of new applications. Cognis will also be promoting a series of Omevital™ co-branding programs for customers. “The Omevital™ team will be working in markets around the world to support the launch of Omega-3 retail products with successful marketing strategies and co-promotional opportunities to stimulate consumer demand,” Mr. Eckert said.

Marketable FDA-approved health claims backed by compelling clinical research are fundamental to the growing success of Omega-3 products. Foods and beverages containing Omega-3’s can be labeled with this FDA Qualified Health Claim: “Supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.”

Mr. Eckert explained that while Omega-3’s have a healthy position in the dietary supplement market, future growth is expected from mainstream foods and beverages. “As more popular brands carry products with Omega-3s, consumer awareness will continue to escalate. Consumers recognize that they don’t consume enough Omega-3s in their daily diets to obtain the health benefits they are learning about in the media and from health professionals. This realization will drive consumer demand.” According to Mintel research, by 2006, Omega-3 ingredients were in 260 retail products and experts predict the Omega-3 market will continue to explode.

About Omevital™ Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Cognis’ Omevital™ Omega-3s contain the long-chain fatty acids, EPA and DHA, known to have a variety of health benefits, especially for the heart and brain. The ingredients are non-GMO and self-affirmed GRAS. Derived from high purity, salt water fish, Cognis exclusively uses sustainable sources to ensure adequate fish stocks and maintain environmental balance. Omevital™ Omega-3s’ superior sensory profile allow the ingredients to be easily formulated in a range of food and beverage applications without altering the taste or smell. Omevital™1812 TG Gold is packaged in 190 kg steel drums, with nitrogen flush to further protect sensory quality.

For more information about Omevital™ Omega-3s, please email robert.bailey@cognis.com or call 708-579-6238.

About Cognis:
Cognis (www.cognis.com) is a worldwide supplier of innovative specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients, with a particular focus on the areas of wellness and sustainability. The company employs about 8,000 people, and it operates production sites and service centers in 30 countries. Cognis has dedicated its activities to a high level of sustainability and delivers natural source raw materials and ingredients for food, nutrition and healthcare markets, and the cosmetics, detergents and cleaners industries. Another main focus is on products for a number of other industries, such as coatings and inks, lubricants, textiles, as well as agriculture and mining. The subsidiary Pulcra Chemicals offers specialized chemical products and process expertise to customers in the fiber, textile, and leather industries. Cognis also holds a 50-percent stake in the joint venture Cognis Oleochemicals, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of oleochemicals. Cognis is owned by private equity funds advised by Permira, GS Capital Partners, and SV Life Sciences. In 2006, Cognis recorded sales of 3.37 billion euros and an Adjusted EBITDA (operating result) of 394 million euros.

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