Omega does NOT just use "whole" raw ingredients. That is nothing more than a brilliant marketing spiel, from a guy who came from a marketing background. (Tetra) This is very old news for anyone that has done their homework on this subject. I have posted about this numerous times over the years, including here on MFK. Not saying they don't make some decent products, just sayin .....
Dennis et al will never deny this, for years their manufacturing plant has been located in OH, on the shores of Lake Erie. The following was originally posted on another well known forum, a decade ago.
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?49439
Hello guys at OmegaSea, I have a question regarding ingredients that go into your line of products.
At your web-site you state that "A large amount of the marine proteins used by Omega One in their flake foods come in the form of whole beautiful Salmon" and
"The salmon, herring, shrimp, and other seafood ingredients we use are food grade".
At the same time this document
http://www.dced.state.ak.us/astf/adm...annual2000.pdf from Alaska Science and Technology Foundation states that:
"Crews supplies the processors with totes so they can dispose of the fish heads and carcasses as they clean and gut the fish. The processors, Crews said, are more than happy to get rid of the byproduct because it saves them the time and cost of grinding and dumping the waste. Once back in his plant, Crews grinds the remains of salmon, cod and other species into a slurry with vitamins and other ingredients to produce one of the fastest selling flake fish food on the market today"
Could you please explain exactly what constitutes the bulk of your seafood ingredients, whole fish and shrimp or heads and carcasses and other byproducts of fish and shrimp?
Hello,
Exact compositions of products and ratio's are confidential information as it pertains to proprietary amounts of fats, amino acids, and Omega 3&6 fatty acid profiles.
However, we use all of the items you mentioned. The halibut and cod frames that come from the processors are extremely rich in fresh fats. We take the same care of these items that the processors due for halibut and salmon fillets destined for the finest restaurants.
In terms of people food most of the sandwich meat you eat as well as probably all of the hot dog and sausage in the supermarkets use chicken and turkey heads and frames and other meat scraps as the main ingredients.
The one item ingredient you did not mention was fresh whole kelp. We harvest this ourselves and are only one of two companies in the State of Alaska to have this ability.
I hope this answers your questions
Thanks,
Denny
The person that responded to that email (Denny) was none other than Dennis Crews, the owner of Omega Sea Ltd.
Just some fun reading for those that are new to the game of fish food.