Safety evaluation of odd-chain fatty acid algal oil

In the food industry, most fatty acid-rich oils are primarily composed of saturated even-chain fatty acids. However, saturated odd-chain fatty acids are potentially a beneficial alternative to other saturated fatty acid-containing oils. In this communication, we examine the safety of odd-chain fatty acid (OCFA) algal oil, a microalgal-sourced oil composed primarily of the saturated odd-chain fatty acids pentadecanoic acid and heptadecanoic acid. OCFA algal oil was assessed for toxicity in a 14-day palatability study and comprehensive 13-week dietary study at inclusion levels of 5%, 10%, and 15% in the diet, utilizing a DHA-rich algal oil as a comparator control. No adverse effects attributed to the consumption of OCFA algal oil were observed in either study. Therefore, we report a No Observable Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) of 150,000 ppm (15% in the diet), equivalent to an OCFA algal oil intake of 7553.9 and 8387.7 mg/kg bw/day for male and female rats, respectively. The genotoxic potential of OCFA algal oil was also examined in an in vitro bacterial reverse mutation assay and in vivo mammalian bone marrow chromosome aberration test. OCFA algal oil was non-mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli test strains and did not exhibit clastogenicity in vivo.