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• Krill Oil: Health Effects & Sustainability

  Background: Krill oil is used as a food supplement for its high concentration in omega-3 fatty acids. Antarctic krill harvesting is subject to sustainable fisheries and Superba (the main company which is responsible for krill oil production) follows strict risk assessment protocols to ensure green practices. Objectives: The increased demand of krill oil production has created the need to examine a) the health benefits of its use as food supplement b) the sustainability aspects of Antarctic krill fisheries. Methods: This was achieved via a systematic literature review of available publications concerned with among others: krill oil, Antarctic krill, reduction fisheries, health benefits. Results: The literature search resulted in 203 publications that could be used in this report. Overall, more than half of them discuss the health benefits of krill oil and its bioavailability. Krill oil proved to have numerous health benefits including anti-inflammatory action and reduction of cholesterol levels in the blood. The health benefits of this supplement have contributed to the increased demand of its production and distribution. Little information was obtained for the risk assessment, and management of krill fisheries in the Antarctic. The fisheries responsible for the krill harvesting (Superba Area 48) follow practices outlined by the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). Conclusions: Overall, krill oil production increases over the years and it is crucial for Area 48 to adopt more sustainable practices to avoid overfishing and destruction of the food chain in the Antarctic, since krill fish is an important feed of predators there.