What Is IFOS Certification? How to Read a Fish Oil Test Report

"Pure." "Premium." "Pharmaceutical grade." Fish oil boxes are full of reassuring words. But words on a box are easy to print. What you really want to know is whether someone outside the company has tested what's inside the capsule.

As IFOS itself puts it, "analytical testing is the only sure-fire way of making sure products meet certain limits." And one of the best-known testing programmes for fish oil is IFOS. In this guide, we explain what IFOS certification is, and walk you through a real IFOS test report line by line, so you can read any brand's results with confidence.

What is IFOS?

IFOS stands for International Fish Oil Standards. It's a third-party testing and certification programme for omega-3 supplements, run by SGS Nutrasource. It launched in 2004, and its website says it currently certifies more than 200 brands and has tested over 15,000 products (IFOS).

Two things make IFOS especially useful for shoppers:

• It tests individual batches. Instead of certifying a product once and leaving it, IFOS tests specific production batches, known as lots.

• It publishes the results. Rather than giving only a pass or fail, IFOS posts the full test results online, listed by lot number. IFOS says no other certification programme tests and posts fish oils by individual lot number.

That means you can look up the results for the batch you actually bought, not just take the brand's word for it.

What does IFOS test for?

IFOS tests products in three categories (IFOS):

1. Active ingredient content: does the product contain the amount and types of omega-3s stated on the label?

2. Contaminants: does it contain unsafe levels of harmful chemicals? On a report, this covers substances such as PCBs, dioxins and furans, and heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury.

3. Stability: has the oil oxidized, or gone "bad"?

Each result is compared against an IFOS limit, and the limits are printed on the report itself.

How to read an IFOS report: a real example

Let's walk through a real report: the IFOS report for WHC UnoCardio 1000, lot 30027306-7. You can open it in another tab and follow along.

Each section of an IFOS report lists three things: the specification (the IFOS limit or the label claim), the batch result (what the lab measured), and whether the batch complies.

Step 1: Check the product details

At the top of the report, check the product name and lot number. The lot number should match the one printed on your box. If it does, you're looking at the results for the batch in your hands.

Step 2: Potency (does it contain what the label says?)

This section compares the EPA and DHA in each soft gel with the amounts on the label.

How to read it: the measured amounts should meet the label claim. Here, both came in slightly above what's on the label.

Step 3: Stability (has the oil oxidized?)

Stability tests check whether the oil has oxidized, or gone "bad". The report lists three stability measures, and each has a maximum limit.

How to read it: because each limit is a maximum, a result at or below the limit passes. All three results in this batch sit well below their limits.

Step 4: Environmental contaminants

Contaminant tests check for unsafe levels of harmful chemicals. This part of the report covers PCBs, dioxins and furans, and dioxin-like PCBs. They're measured in very small units: ppb (parts per billion) and ppt (parts per trillion).

Step 5: Heavy metals

Heavy metals are tested as contaminants too. Results are shown in ppm (parts per million).

What does the "<" mean? It means "less than". For example, "< 0.0066 ppm" for arsenic means the result was less than 0.0066 ppm, against an IFOS limit of 0.1 ppm.

Step 6: Look at the overall result

Each line of the report shows whether the batch complies with the IFOS specification. In this report, every test passed.

How to find the report for your box

1. Find the lot number printed on your box or bottle.

2. Go to the IFOS page, open the Certified Product Reports, and search for the brand and product.

3. Open the report that matches your lot number, and check the results using the steps above.

If a brand says its fish oil is IFOS certified but you can't find a report for your lot, ask the brand. A brand that tests its products should be happy to show you.

Quick checklist

Frequently asked questions

Is IFOS a government approval? No. IFOS is an independent, third-party certification programme run by SGS Nutrasource. It's separate from any government regulator.

Does every batch need its own report? IFOS tests and posts results by individual lot, which is why it's worth matching the lot number on your box to the report.

What if my fish oil isn't IFOS certified? IFOS is one of several independent testing programmes. Whichever certification a brand uses, look for one that publishes results you can check for yourself.

Does a fresh test result mean the oil stays fresh forever? No. A report shows the batch's condition when it was tested. To keep it fresh at home, follow the storage instructions on the label, keep it away from heat and sunlight, and use it before the expiry date.

The bottom line

IFOS certification gives you something a label can't: independent results you can check for yourself. Once you know where to look, reading a report takes only a minute. Check the lot number, then work through potency, stability, contaminants and heavy metals.

WHC test their oils with IFOS because WHC think you should be able to see exactly what's in your soft gel. Explore the WHC range, or contact our Singapore team if you'd like help finding the report for your box.

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional.

Sources: How IFOS certification works (SGS Nutrasource) · IFOS programme overview (SGS Nutrasource) · IFOS report: WHC UnoCardio 1000, lot 30027306-7