N°66 - Ingrédients / Oméga 3 Polaris' industrial heart It is in the heart of Brittany, in Forêt-Fouesnant, that Polaris has established its production facility. Dedicated to re ning crude oils, whether of marine, vegetable or algal origin, this production facility is also equipped to produce concentrated oils, stabilized and protected against oxidation by the patented technology Quality Silver. Following is a step-by-step® tour of a production facility focused on nutritional lipids and quality. 092 At the production facility that ope-rates in 3x8 shifts with thirty peopleout of fifty in total, “we carry outproduction tool focused on qualittion of this quality approach: the fresh tunaoils is supplied by a subsidiary established iny.” Illustra- two separate activities: on the one hand, Mauritius Island. The reason is simple: “The we refine raw oils, on the otherhandw, e oxidative legacy of oil may have an impact concentrate them,” Gildas Breton, Scientificon the heartburn it can cause”. To make Director of Polaris, explains. Commissioned it clear, the less oxidized the oil, the more since the end of 2011, the facility is dedi-diminished the risk of heartburn is. cated to the manufacture of fish, vegetable Refining relies on a succession of opera- and algal oils. “Polaris adds values to thetions: degumming (removal of phospholi- entire production chain in order to produce pids and certain contaminants); bleaching specialityoils,” Gildas Breton says. and decontamination (vacuum-controlled The raw oils are delivered and stored in heated tank containing a blend of active nitrogen environment - Polaris has a raw carbon and clay in order to obtain a clearer oil storage capacity of 350 tonnes (EPA oil free of contaminants); crystallization (very extracted from sardines and sardinella, low temperature crystallization of saturated DHA extracted from tuna and microalgae). fatty acids trapped in filters). The solid phase They are submitted to a first raw oil pro- of the oil - this latter becomes clearer - is cessing stage: refining. As raw oils may removed and will be used in animal feed. contain water traces, unsaponifiables, or Bleached oils are then deodorized via a even proteins, but also contaminants and vacuum-controlled continuous system into solid components. In fact, the process of which water vapour is injected. “The most refining is one of “purification” of the oil solightweight, hydrophilic molecules, which as to eliminate its undesirable components. are responsible for undesirable odour, are “We have drastic technical specifications thus eliminated.” By limiting thermal stress for the purchase of raw oils,Gildas Breton during the manufacturing processes, “we explains. This is why we have developed a preserve the oxidative qualities of oils, ■ / Janvier - Février - Mars 2019 / N°66 / L’Actualité des Ingrédients Fonctionnels & Santé