School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Warrnambool, VIC, Australia.
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2012;52(9):795-803. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2010.509553.
Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) are almost unanimously recognized for their health benefits, while only limited evidence of any health benefit is currently available specifically for the main precursor of these fatty acids, namely α-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3n-3). However, both the n-3 LC-PUFA and the short-chain C₁₈ PUFA (i.e., ALA) are commonly referred to as "omega-3" fatty acids, and it is difficult for consumers to recognize this difference. A current gap of many food labelling legislations worldwide allow products containing only ALA and without n-3 LC-PUFA to be marketed as "omega-3 source" and this misleading information can negatively impact the ability of consumers to choose more healthy diets. Within the context of the documented nutritional and health promoting roles of omega-3 fatty acids, we briefly review the different metabolic fates of dietary ALA and n-3 LC-PUFA. We also review food sources rich in n-3 LC-PUFA, some characteristics of LC-PUFA and current industry and regulatory trends. A further objective is to present a case for regulatory bodies to clearly distinguish food products containing only ALA from foods containing n-3 LC-PUFA. Such information, when available, would then avoid misleading information and empower consumers to make a more informed choice in their food purchasing behavior.
ω-3 长链多不饱和脂肪酸（n-3 LC-PUFA）几乎被一致认为对健康有益，而目前仅有限的证据表明其主要前体 α-亚麻酸（ALA，18:3n-3）对健康有任何益处。然而，n-3 LC-PUFA 和短链 C₁₈ PUFA（即 ALA）通常都被称为“ω-3”脂肪酸，消费者很难识别这种差异。目前，许多国家的食品标签法规都存在差距，允许仅含有 ALA 而不含 n-3 LC-PUFA 的产品被宣传为“ω-3 来源”，这种误导性信息会对消费者选择更健康饮食的能力产生负面影响。在记录的ω-3 脂肪酸的营养和促进健康作用的背景下，我们简要回顾了膳食 ALA 和 n-3 LC-PUFA 的不同代谢命运。我们还回顾了富含 n-3 LC-PUFA 的食物来源、LC-PUFA 的一些特性以及当前的行业和监管趋势。另一个目标是为监管机构提出一个案例，明确区分仅含有 ALA 的食品和含有 n-3 LC-PUFA 的食品。如果有这样的信息，就可以避免误导性信息，使消费者在购买食品时能够做出更明智的选择。
