Omega Protein Corporation has announced that its new Health and Science Center in Reedville, Virginia has been completed.The Health and Science Center includes a new food-grade fish oil processing facility with state-of-the-art equipment that allows the company to refine, bleach, winterize and deodorize 100% of its available menhaden fish oil from the Atlantic coast (as opposed to only 35% under the company's old facility).
The new facility provides automated packaging and refrigerated on- site storage capacity. The new center also has a fully equipped lipids laboratory for research and development projects for Omega-3 enriched foods.
"This new facility -- the only fully-integrated fish oil processing facility in the United States -- completes an important strategic need for Omega Protein because it positions us to be at the forefront of the market for healthy Omega-3 fatty acids," said Joe von Rosenberg, Omega Protein President and Chief Executive Officer. "The Company's future growth will be increasingly driven by markets for Omega-3 fatty acids and other refined fish oils.
"The new facility provides Omega Protein with 100% vertical integration from harvest through the complete multi-step refining process," added von Rosenberg.
At the new facility, Omega Protein will refine and manufacture OmegaPure(R), a taste-free, odorless fish oil containing heart-healthy long- chain Omega-3s rich in EPA and DHA, which has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as direct GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) for inclusion in several food categories. The new facility will also produce several grades of industrial and feed grade oils.
Omega Protein Corporation is the largest manufacturer in the United States of fish oils containing Omega-3 fatty acids for human consumption, as well as specialty fish meals and fish oil used as value-added ingredients in aquaculture, swine and other livestock feeds. Omega Protein makes its products from menhaden.
