Expanded Applications Of DHA Algal Oil Emulsion: From Maternal-Infant Food To Functional Beverages (1)
Dec 12, 2025
In the past, DHA algal oil emulsion was mostly regarded as an "exclusive nutritional supplement for mothers and infants." However, with the maturity of emulsification technology and the upgrading of consumers' demand for "convenient nutrition," its application scope is expanding rapidly-from maternal-infant foods such as infant rice flour and baby yogurt, to eye-care beverages needed by students and office workers, and even to compound nutritional health products for the elderly. Relying on the advantages of "easy addition, good absorption, and no fishy taste," DHA algal oil emulsion is becoming a "nutritional bonus" for multi-scenario foods. Today, we will take stock of these expanded application scenarios worth developing and see how the emulsion empowers different product categories.
1. Maternal-Infant Food: From "Separate Supplementation" to "Complementary Food Integration," Creating "Dual Nutrition in One"
For mothers, the biggest pain point in supplementing DHA to babies is "additional feeding"-they need to prepare complementary foods and feed the emulsion separately, which is cumbersome and easily causes babies to resist. Directly adding DHA algal oil emulsion to maternal-infant foods can realize the seamless integration of "complementary food + DHA," which not only simplifies the feeding process but also enhances product competitiveness.
1) Infant Rice Flour/Porridge: "Nutritional Upgrade" of Basic Complementary Foods
Infant rice flour is the "first bite" of complementary food for babies and also the most suitable carrier for integrating DHA algal oil emulsion. Since rice flour itself has a fine texture and becomes pasty after brewing, adding the emulsion will not change its taste, and it also allows babies to intake DHA while eating rice flour.
Application Case: A domestic maternal-infant brand adds 0.5% DHA algal oil emulsion (calculated by the weight of rice flour) to high-iron rice flour, with each 100g of rice flour containing 50mg of DHA-exactly half of the baby's daily required amount. After the product was launched, relying on the selling point of "no need for additional DHA supplementation," its sales volume increased by 30% compared with ordinary rice flour, and the repurchase rate also increased by 25%.
Technology Adaptation: The brewing temperature of rice flour is usually 40-50℃, which will not damage the DHA structure; moreover, rice flour is weakly acidic (pH around 6.0), which is compatible with the pH range of the emulsion (4.0-4.5). There is no need to adjust the emulsion formula, and direct mixing is feasible.
2) Baby Yogurt/Fruit Puree: "Health Bonus" for Snack-Type Complementary Foods
Snack-type complementary foods such as baby yogurt and fruit puree have a mild taste and high acceptance, and they are also high-quality carriers for DHA algal oil emulsion. The natural fruity flavors of the emulsion (such as strawberry and orange) can blend with the flavors of yogurt and fruit puree without a sense of incompatibility, and also enhance the "nutritional premium" of the product.
Application Logic: When parents choose snacks for their babies, they pay more and more attention to "nutritional attributes"-ordinary yogurt only contains protein and calcium, while yogurt added with DHA algal oil emulsion can provide additional "brain and eye development nutrition," which is more likely to impress health-conscious mothers. At present, some foreign brands have launched "DHA algal oil baby yogurt," with each 100g containing 30mg of DHA. Although its price is 20% higher than that of ordinary yogurt, its sales proportion in high-end maternal-infant stores has reached 15%.
2. Functional Beverages: Targeting the Needs of "Anti-Fatigue and Eye Protection," Capturing the Young Consumer Market
With the increase in "stay-up late groups" and "screen-staring groups," functional beverages focusing on "eye protection and brain strengthening" have become a new trend. Due to the characteristics of "easy absorption and no fishy taste," DHA algal oil emulsion can be easily integrated into the beverage system, avoiding the "fishy taste" pain point of traditional fish oil beverages, and accurately matching the needs of students and office workers.
1) DHA Eye-Care Beverages: "Double Nutrition" Combination to Strengthen Functional Selling Points
By compounding DHA algal oil emulsion with lutein (a retinal protective ingredient) to develop "DHA + lutein eye-care beverages," it can not only relieve brain fatigue with DHA but also reduce the damage of blue light to eyes through lutein. The dual functions are more attractive.
Product Design: Adopt 350ml bottles, add 1% DHA algal oil emulsion (each bottle contains 50mg of DHA) and 0.02% lutein. The taste is designed to be a refreshing citrus flavor to avoid excessive sweetness of the beverage. The target group focuses on office workers and students aged 18-35, focusing on the scenario of "tired in the afternoon and dry eyes? Drink a bottle to supplement nutrition," and it can be sold in convenience stores and office building vending machines.
Technology Adjustment: Most beverages are acidic (e.g., lemon-flavored beverages with pH 3.5-4.0), so the acid resistance of the emulsifier in the emulsion needs to be improved-replace sodium caseinate with acid-resistant emulsifiers (such as acetylated distarch phosphate), or increase the dosage of monoglyceride to 0.6% to prevent the emulsion from stratifying and precipitating in an acidic environment.
2) Breakfast Nutritional Beverages: Nutritional Supplement for "Convenient Breakfast"
For office workers who "have no time to eat breakfast," develop "DHA breakfast nutritional beverages" by compounding the emulsion with milk, oats, and dietary fiber to create a product that "one bottle is equivalent to a meal." Each bottle contains 40mg of DHA, 6g of protein, and 3g of dietary fiber, which can not only provide energy but also supplement DHA, adapting to the scenario of "drinking a bottle on the way to work."
Market Logic: Such beverages do not require refrigeration, can be stored at room temperature, and are convenient to drink, which meets the "fast-paced" needs of office workers. At present, some beverage companies are piloting this category, and through the dual-channel distribution of "breakfast shops + convenience stores," the initial feedback shows that consumers' awareness and purchase intention of "containing DHA" are higher than those of ordinary breakfast milk.