Many brands of salmon oil claim that their products require no purification because they are naturally pure. However, heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and particularly arsenic pose problems in all wild salmon stocks, since they naturally occur in the riverbeds and oceans where salmon spawn and live. In fact, wild salmon (and other seafood) is one of the main ways that humans are exposed to arsenic.

Understanding Arsenic: Organic & Inorganic

Inorganic arsenic is the most studied and toxic form of arsenic. However, organic arsenic (sometimes called “fish arsenic”) is also associated with potential health hazards by a growing body of evidence. Moreover, data suggests that the metabolism of organic arsenic is not consistent among all people—some of us are able to excrete organic arsenic, while others cannot. Based on this evidence, we feel a responsibility to test our salmon oil for both of these potentially harmful types of arsenic.

The Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3 (GOED) and The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) have set strict standards for purity from heavy metals such as arsenic, mandating less than 0.10 ppm in each 1000 mg soft gel. In addition to these industry standards, California Proposition 65 (Prop 65) has established ingestion limits to protect consumers against the overconsumption of heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury, and other contaminants such as PCBs. (See chart.)

Purer, Fresher Salmon Oil

Because we’ve always made it our responsibility to deliver the purest and freshest source of omega-3s available, we use our gentle, patented purification process to carefully remove contaminants such as arsenic from our Kenai Wild^TM Alaskan Salmon Oil. The result is the first salmon oil surpassing all international standards for purity—every batch is third-party tested to guarantee it.

We have never found another salmon oil able to match our test results. In fact, our arsenic levels are up to 40x lower than other leading salmon oil brands. Get the proof for yourself—request a certificate of analysis at 800.662.2544.

Nordic Naturals Kenai Wild^TM Alaskan Salmon Oil

Before undergoing our gentle, patented purification process, our Kenai Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil starts with the highest-quality, exclusive raw material available—Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified Kenai Wild^TMAlaskan salmon. Originally certified in 2000, and recertified in 2007, the Alaska salmon wild fishery was one of the first to join the MSC. To qualify as Kenai Wild, salmon must meet comprehensive standards for all stages of harvesting and processing, as certified by independent inspections. The goals of the Kenai Wild Program include ensuring premium quality, supporting fair compensation, and protecting long-term sustainability. Like all salmon oil, our Kenai Wild Alaskan salmon Oil is a rich source of omega fatty acids, containing omega-3s, 5s, 6s, 7s, 9s, 11s, as well as the powerful antioxidant astaxanthin. Unlike all salmon oil, however, each serving provides over 500 mg of the omega-3s EPA+DHA—the expert-recommended daily dose of the most important, health-promoting omega fatty acids.