Scientists at Heriot-Watt University have described a previously unrecorded marine microbe that produces omega-3 supplements, in a paper published in the journal Protist and reported by STV News on 2 September 2026. The organism, named Caledochytrium aldermanii, belongs to the Labyrinthulomycetes, a group of marine protists already used commercially to make algal oil. The work was led by Professor Peter Morris and Dr Jane Polglase, with collaborators at Cefas in Weymouth and the Institute of Aquaculture at the University of Stirling. What caught the researchers' attention was how it reproduces: rather than splitting in two, mature cells form a large internal chamber in which daughter cells develop before the parent cell bursts open to release them. The team reports that the microbe accumulates omega-3 fatty acids including DHA, produces carotenoid pigments usable as natural colouring, and is roughly half protein by composition.
Laboratory characterisation, not a product
This is descriptive biology. The paper names and classifies an organism and reports what it makes in culture. It is not a human trial, it measures no health outcome, and nothing derived from it is on sale. Strameno Ltd, a spinout linked to the research group, announced in June 2022 that it had been granted a GB patent covering the organism, which indicates commercial intent rather than commercial availability. Any route from a characterised strain to an approved ingredient in UK food supplements would run through novel food authorisation, and the paper makes no claim about that.
What this means for your supplement routine
In the short term, nothing. Most EPA and DHA sold in the UK still comes from fish oil, with algal oil the main alternative for people who avoid fish, and this study does not change the supply or the price of either. Its interest is upstream: fermented marine microbes are the part of the omega-3 supply chain that does not depend on wild catch, which matters as pressure on fish stocks continues.
How Perqen members save
Perqen membership costs 4.99 pounds a month or 29.99 pounds a year, and member pricing applies across the omega and fish oil range alongside the rest of the catalogue. The membership page sets out both plans.
This article reports published news and research and is for information only. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet or medical care, and no product mentioned is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Speak to your GP or pharmacist before changing what you take, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking prescribed medicines.