DHA Algal Oil
DHA Algal Oil is a vegetable-source omega-3 oil produced by heterotrophic fermentation of marine microalgae, most commonly Schizochytrium sp. or Crypthecodinium cohnii, delivering docosahexaenoic acid in natural triglyceride form.
It is the principal non-marine alternative to fish oil for DHA fortification and the dominant DHA source in vegetarian, vegan, and infant nutrition formats.
We source bulk DHA Algal Oil from top China manufacturers for our partners, working with several of them. The manufacturers are mostly in Shandong, Hubei and Anhui. A smaller requirement can ship in a combined container with other ingredients.
Please send the grade you need, the volume and your destination port, and we will come back with a solution and a price.
or call +86-21-6858 0751
- Packaging
- 190 kg steel drum or 25 kg jerrican
- ISO 9001
- HACCP
- Halal
- Kosher
Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Pale yellow to golden oil |
| DHA content | ≥ 35.0% (standard) or ≥ 40.0% (high-concentration grade) |
| Total omega-3 | ≥ 40.0% |
| Peroxide value | ≤ 5 meq/kg |
| Anisidine value | ≤ 20 |
| TOTOX | ≤ 26 |
| Free fatty acids (as oleic acid) | ≤ 0.3% |
| Moisture and volatiles | ≤ 0.1% |
| Unsaponifiable matter | ≤ 4.5% |
| Heavy metals (as Pb) | ≤ 0.1 mg/kg |
| Mercury | ≤ 0.1 mg/kg |
| Total plate count | ≤ 1,000 cfu/g |
Common Markets Grades
DHA Algal Oil is graded by DHA concentration and oxidation profile.
Standard infant nutrition grade from Crypthecodinium cohnii typically delivers 35 to 45 percent DHA with negligible EPA, suiting Codex infant formula compositional rules.
High-DHA Schizochytrium grade delivers 40 to 55 percent DHA with 1 to 5 percent EPA and is the standard grade for adult supplements and food fortification.
Concentrated grades reaching 55 to 70 percent DHA exist for high-dose softgel applications.
Microencapsulated powder grades at 7 to 17 percent DHA, spray-dried into a starch or caseinate matrix, serve dry beverages, infant cereals, and bakery applications.
Most grades are produced in both conventional and organic-certified variants and with halal, kosher, and vegan certifications.
Applications
- Infant formula, follow-on formula, and growing-up milks as the dominant vegetarian DHA source
- Vegan and vegetarian omega-3 softgel and liquid supplements
- Prenatal multivitamins where a fish-free DHA source is preferred
- Functional foods including DHA-fortified plant milks, yogurt alternatives, and bakery
- Medical nutrition products for preterm infants and neurological recovery
- Sports and clinical nutrition powders and ready-to-drink formats
- Dietary supplement gummies and chews using microencapsulated powder grades
- Pet food and treats positioned for cognitive and visual support
- Aquaculture larval feeds where algal DHA replaces traditional fish-oil emulsions
- Cosmetic and dermatological products targeting barrier and anti-inflammatory benefits
Brands Using DHA Algal Oil
Widely-distributed consumer products that list DHA Algal Oil on the ingredient label.
- Nordic NaturalsAlgae DHA ↗100% vegan DHA softgels made from sustainably-grown microalgae (algal) oil, providing plant-based DHA without fish.Label verified 2026-05-24
- Garden of LifeDr. Formulated Vegan DHA ↗Vegan softgel providing 400 mg DHA plus 70 mg DPA from sustainably-sourced Non-GMO vegan algal oil.Label verified 2026-05-24
- Sports ResearchVegan Algae DHA 700mg ↗100% plant-based DHA softgels from cultivated algae (algal) oil, 700 mg DHA per serving in Plantgel capsules.Label verified 2026-05-24
- Deva NutritionVegan Omega-3 DHA Softgels (Gelatin-free) ↗Gelatin-free vegan softgels containing algal oil DHA from microalgae grown in controlled land facilities without hexane extraction.Label verified 2026-05-24
- Source NaturalsVegan True DHA ↗Vegan DHA softgel from sustainable algal oil (phytoplankton), formulated without fish ingredients.Label verified 2026-05-24
Brand names, product names and logos are the property of their owners. They appear here as published evidence that the ingredient is used, taken from the brand's own label or website. Their appearance is not an endorsement, and it does not mean the brand buys from us or from any manufacturer listed on this site.
China Manufacturers of DHA Algal Oil
Top DHA Algal Oil manufacturers in China.
Anhui Tiankai Biotechnology Co., Ltd.2 ingredients in the directory
CABIO Biotech (Wuhan) Co., Ltd.9 ingredients in the directory
Hubei Xinhe Biological Technology Co., Ltd.7 ingredients in the directory- Huison2 ingredients in the directory
Nugene Pharma (Shandong) Co., Ltd.3 ingredients in the directory- Qingdao Keyuan Marine Biochemistry Co., Ltd.2 ingredients in the directory
Shandong Holy Leaf Biotechnology Co., Ltd.4 ingredients in the directory
Zhejiang Tianhecheng Bio-technology Shares Co., Ltd.17 ingredients in the directory
Company names and logos are the property of the manufacturers themselves. They are listed here because our own directory records them as producing this ingredient. A listing is not an endorsement by them, and we do not represent them or speak on their behalf.
How We Help Source DHA Algal Oil
Direct Factory Sourcing
We run the whole process: selecting the manufacturer from the top Chinese food ingredient producers, negotiating the price, verifying quality, and coordinating the logistics. You deal with us instead of with several factories at once.
Original Packaging and Documents from the Manufacturer
The manufacturer sends your DHA Algal Oil out of its own factory in the original packing, through to your destination port. The COA, COO, MSDS, TDS and any certifications reach you from the manufacturer as well.
Free Samples and Lead Time
We send 100 to 500 g free for your own laboratory to test and you cover only the courier, usually within 2 to 3 working days. ETD is usually within 7 to 15 days once the order is confirmed, and we check that date against the factory's own manufacturing schedule before we give it to you.
Combined Shipment
We can load DHA Algal Oil together with other ingredients such as DHA, Mct and Antarctic Krill Oil into one 20' FCL. If your quantity is small, we can also ship LCL.
Regulatory Status
DHA Algal Oil from Schizochytrium sp. and Crypthecodinium cohnii holds authorised novel food status in the European Union under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 and is permitted for use in infant formula, follow-on formula, and a range of food categories.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has acknowledged multiple GRAS notifications for algal DHA oils from both organisms covering general food use and infant formula.
EFSA has issued authorised health claims for DHA covering normal brain and visual function in adults and infants.
Codex Alimentarius standards for infant formula recognise algal DHA oils as permitted ingredients subject to compositional and contaminant limits.
Halal, kosher, vegan, and non-GMO certifications are routinely available, with organic certification under USDA NOP and EU 2018/848 offered for grades produced on certified organic feedstock.
Manufacturing Process
The process starts with a working seed culture of the selected microalgal strain stored in cryogenic vials and revived through a shake-flask cascade.
Seed broth is transferred into stirred-tank fermenters that scale from 50 litre inoculum vessels to 200 to 500 cubic meter production tanks running on glucose, corn syrup, or sugar-cane derived sucrose as carbon source.
Fermentation proceeds aerobically for 4 to 6 days at controlled temperature and dissolved oxygen, with nitrogen limitation toward the end of the run to push the cells into lipid accumulation, yielding biomass containing 40 to 60 percent oil on a dry-weight basis.
The harvested biomass is concentrated by centrifugation or filtration, washed, and dried in a spray or drum dryer. Oil is then released by mechanical pressing or hexane extraction and put through a conventional oil refining train of degumming, alkali neutralisation, bleaching, winterization, and steam deodorisation.
Finished oil is nitrogen-blanketed, stabilised with mixed tocopherols and ascorbyl palmitate, and packed in lined drums or IBC totes.
