Safety evaluation of DHA canola high-fat meal: A 13-week dietary feeding study in rats

Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are essential omega-3 fatty acids that play crucial roles in human and animal health. EPA and DHA, are mainly sourced from marine species, such as fish, but rising demand and environmental concerns have driven the development of sustainable and environmental friendly alternatives. DHA canola offers a solution by expressing seven transmembrane enzymes that enable long-chain omega-3 production in canola seed. It also contains the pat gene, providing resistance to phosphinothricin and glufosinate ammonium herbicides. A 13-week dietary toxicity study was conducted in CD® IGS [Crl:CD(SD)] rats to evaluate the safety of DHA canola high-fat meal containing 20% oil. Rats received a diet containing approximately 20% DHA Canola high-fat meal, with no test article-related mortality, clinical signs, or significant changes in body weight, food intake, neurological function (via functional observational battery [FOB] evaluation), clinical pathology (clinical chemistry, hematology, coagulation, including thyroid hormones T3, T4, TSH), or organ weights. No ocular, gross, or microscopic abnormalities were observed. These results support the food and feed safety of DHA canola, adding to the existing literature and weight of evidence confirming the safety of DHA Canola.