In a nutshell
The right strain can make all the difference: Fermentalg's proprietary Schizochytrium sp. FCC-3204:
- Is an original producer of omega-3s, isolated once from the environment and producing tons of omega-3 oil today without impact on marine biodiversity;
- Naturally produces the richest DHA oil;
- Is cryopreserved in France, and is the starting point of every single production batch of ΩRIGINS™ algal oil. 100% traceable and European production;
- Produces a crude oil that is so clean and pure it does not need much refining nor chemical oncentratio, reducing the risk of oxidation. The oil you get is the oil naturally produced by the microalgae;
- Is one of the few strains approved for Infant in EU and the US, guaranteeing compliance continuity batch after batch.
So when you choose your DHA, always ask for the strain number.
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When it comes to algal omega-3, not all microalgae are created equal.
Behind every algal oil lies a microorganism with its own biological characteristics, from growth behavior and lipid composition to its ability to naturally accumulate omega-3 fatty acids.
At Fermentalg, this understanding is at the heart of our innovation. For more than a decade, we have been exploring, characterizing and cultivating microalgae to identify strains with exceptional potential.
One strain in particular has become the foundation of our algal DHA expertise:
Discovered in the preserved mangroves of Mayotte, carefully isolated and scientifically characterized, this proprietary strain demonstrates how much potential can be found in something invisible to the naked eye.
And its story illustrates a fundamental principle of marine biotechnology:
The right strain can change everything.
Beyond the species: why strains matter
There are thousands of known microalgae species, but they do not all behave in the same way.
Even within the same species, individual strains can display significant differences in growth characteristics, lipid composition, productivity and omega-3 production potential.
For industrial applications, these differences are critical.
The right strain can influence:
- The quantity and composition of lipids it naturally accumulates
- Its DHA or EPA production potential
- The concentration of omega-3 in the resulting oil
- The conditions required for cultivation and processing
- The production yield
This is why strain selection is much more than simply choosing an organism that produces omega-3.
It means identifying a microorganism whose natural biology is particularly well suited to the desired application, and then developing the expertise required to preserve and reproduce those characteristics at industrial scale.
At Fermentalg, this work begins with biodiversity.
From Mayotte to FCC-3204
Over 15 years ago, Fermentalg's journey with FCC-3204 began in the preserved mangroves of Mayotte, a French island in the Indian Ocean renowned for its exceptional biodiversity.
Working with researchers from the CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research), our teams explored this unique environment in search of microorganisms with promising biological properties.
Among the samples collected from organic matter, sediments and decomposing plant material associated with the mangrove ecosystem, one microorganism stood out:
Schizochytrium sp. FCC-3204
Starting with a single cup of mangrove water, the strain was isolated by screening and purified through successive subculturing to obtain a axenic culture thanks to a High-Throughput semi-automated Screening (HTS) method.
FCC-3204 is a natural variant, selected without genetic modification. Its identity was confirmed through DNA sequencing and independently verified by Dr. Frédéric Domergue, a CNRS researcher with more than 20 years of expertise in this field.
What began as a microorganism discovered once in nature became the foundation of Fermentalg's proprietary algal omega-3 platform: ΩRIGINS™.
Its preservation is an essential part of our approach.
By cryopreserving microorganisms at ultra-low temperatures (-150°C) following a strict protocol, we maintain their biological identity over time while limiting the changes and contamination risks associated with repeated subculturing.
From its original discovery to today's industrial production FCC-3204 can therefore be traced back to a single, precisely identified microorganism.
One strain, one traceable origin.
Get your omega-3 at the source
When we think about marine omega-3, fish oil is often the first source that comes to mind.
But fish are not the original starting point of the marine omega-3 food web.
Certain marine microalge are primary producers of DHA and EPA, which can then be transferred through successive trophic levels as organisms consume one another.
In other words, omega-3s travel through the marine food chain before ultimately reaching fish. As they do, their concentration in the oil decreases, and environmental contaminants can accumulate.
At Fermentalg, we take a different approach: we go back to the source.
Instead of continuously harvesting marine orgaisms and processing the resulting oil, we directly cultivate the microalgae responsible for producing the desired omega-3 in controlled fermentation systems. For every single production, we start with a cryotube of FCC-3204 from our cryobank in France. This tube is used to inoculate smaller fermentation taks before moving to a larger industrial scale tank. This means that Fermentalg has total control over the production process and environment, and can ensure full traceability from microalgae to finished ingredient.
And not with any strain, but with Schizhytrium sp. FCC-3204, carefully selected for its exceptional capacity to produce the richest DHA oil. Its natural characteristics allow us to reach up to 580 mg/g as FA or 600 mg/g of omega-3s as TG.
This makes a significant differene, especially when it comes to marine resources' preservation:
So get your omega-3s at the ΩRIGINS™, and skip the food chain.
Biology serving industrial efficiency and product quality
The value of FCC-3204 does not only lie in its nature.
It lies in what its biology makes possible. And its naturally high omega-3 concentration is only the beginning of thestory, with an important consequence further down the production chain it simplifies oil processing.
Conventional fish oil typically goes through multiple refining and chemical concentration stages to reach the desired omega-3 concentration. To reach a DHA ΩRIGINS™-equivalent level, this can involve degumming, neutralization, bleaching, deodorization, trans-esterification, molecular distillation and triglyceride synthesis.
When it comes to most algal oils on the market, they often require degumming and neutralization steps to ensure good refining, and typically only reach 400 to 550 mg/g of DHA.
By contrast, Fermentalg's FCC-3204-derived algal oil starts with a naturally high omega-3 concentration, and a crude oil that is so clean and pure that it only requires bleaching and deodorization steps to reach the highest quality DHA.
Two refining steps instead of seven for fish, and four for competitive algal oils to reach an equivalent omega-3 concentration.
This means fewer processing stages between the crude oil and the finished oil, less risk of oxidation along the way, and no chemical concentration to achieve the desired omega-3 level.
It is a powerful illustration of why biology matters.
Rather than compensating through increasingly complex processing, we start with a microorganism whih natural characteristics already bring us closer to the desired ingredient.
The result is a highly concentrated algal DHA oil produced through a streamlined process, while maintaining the quality and traceability expected from a premium ingredient.
Innovation does not always mean adding more technology. Sometimes, it means starting with better biology.
Built for traceability, European from A to Z
Knowing exactly here your ingredient comes from matters.
Schizochytrium sp. FCC-3204 is not simply a species name. It is a unique strain identity, quaranteeing you full traceability and transparency.
Its preservation, characterization and controlled use in production provide a direct link between the original microorganism discovered in Mayotte and the ΩRIGINS™ oil commercialized today. By always going back to the original FCC-3204 strain for each production, Fermentalg ensures 100% traceability from strain to finished oil. An this whole chain is European.
This unique strain identity is also recognized within the regulatory framework, and is one of the few authorized for use in Infant: oils derived from FCC-3204 are speciaifcally included o the EU Novel Foods list under Regulation (EU) 2021/1326,and in FDA GRAS notifications GRN777 and GRN844. Regulatory compliance is continuously ensured batch after batch, by ontrast with the concentrators.
Complete traceability is supported by Fermentalg's microbiology expertise, strain preservation capabilities, scientific characterization and production capabilities. It gives you peace of mind to know exactly where your omega-3s come from, how and where they are produced, and following which quality and regulatory standards.
From the original sample to the ryobank, from fermentation to oil refining, every step builds on the same starting point: the FCC-3204 strain.
So when you choose your DHA, always ask for the strain number. This is your only way to know exactly where the oil was produced.
The future starts with the right strain
The story of FCC-3204 began with a microorganism found in the biodiversity of a mangrove ecosystem.
But discovering the strain was only the beginning.
Its potetial had to be identified.
Its identifiy had to be confirmed.
Its biological characteristics had to be understood.
Its purity had to be preserved.
Its performance had to be developed.
And its production had to be scaled without losing the characteristics that made the strain exceptional in the first place.
That is what strain expertise makes possible.
At Fermentalg, we believe that the future of marine biotechnology will not only depend on discovering new organisms, but on understandig them deeply enough to unlock their potential.
Because when it comes to omega-3, the difference can start with something incredibly small.
A single microorganism.
A specific strain.
A unique biological profile.
FCC-3204 is proof that the right strain can make all the difference.
And sometimes, the future ofnutrition starts by going all the way back to the ΩRIGINS™.