March 16, 2010

You may have heard news reports about fish oil supplements containing the environmental chemical pollutants  PCBs.  Many news reports aired on TV and in the newspapers mentioning NOW Foods salmon oil and cod liver oil.  This is the result of a lawsuit filed by the Mateel Environmental Justice Foundation and two individuals against NOW and 7 other defendants. They claim that we are in violation of a law in the state of California (Proposition 65) that requires manufacturers to provide a warning label on products containing substances that could cause cancer and / or reproductive harm.  A product could be completely safe, comply with all federal requirements, and still be subject to Proposition 65 litigation.  Proposition 65 is a unique law that requires warning labels to be provided on products sold in California even though the chemical substances involved may be far below levels considered to be safe by national and international regulations.

This lawsuit claims that three of our fish oil products (Shark Liver Oil, Salmon Oil, and Double Strength Cod Liver Oil) exceed the limits that require a warning label under California's Proposition 65 law.  The plaintiffs in the lawsuit claim that our products tested for the presence of PCBs in very small amounts.   PCBs are an environmental pollutant that are found virtually everywhere in nature.  The levels of PCBs that were reported in the lawsuit were far less than the limits that are allowed for a serving of fish.  

You can be assured that OUR PRODUCTS MEET ALL FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS.

Many nutrition experts have stated that the considerable health benefits of taking fish oils outweigh the risk of trace amounts of chemical pollutants found in fish.  It is important to note that all of our fish oil products are manufactured using processes that reduce potential contaminants that are common to fish including PCBs, heavy metals, mercury, and dioxins.  Advanced instrumentation, including HPLC, FTIR, ICP-MS and GC are used to measure potency and the presence of contamination.   Two of our fish oil supplements are even listed as a "Best Choice" by the Environmental Defense Fund for purity!

For over 40 years NOW Foods has been committed to our mission of providing value in products that empower people to lead healthier lives.  We continue to stand behind that commitment.

For more information about this lawsuit, please visit www.crnusa.org and www.goedomega3.com.