Triglyceride oil derived from marine sources, mammalian and fish, is
treated with a silica at relatively low temperature under vacuum and is
then further treated with a bleaching clay under vacuum and at higher
temperature. The silica and the bleaching clay are then separated from
the oil. The oil treated by this method is essentially free of
proteinaceous materials, phosphatides and mucilage, pro-oxidant metals
and very low in colored compounds, and is suitable for deodorizing. The
deodorized oil is completely bland, unchanged in the concentration of the
long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids (EPA, DPA and DHA), very low in
color, peroxides and secondary oxidation products, free of pesticides and
has very good flavor stability. The method avoids the use of any
chemicals, such as in the acid and base treatments required in
conventional degumming and alkali refining of oils of marine origin. This
avoids the formation of artifacts in the oil and trace contamination with
chemicals. It also reduces the number of process steps required to
produce deodorized food oil from marine sources, which is advantageous in
respect to oil quality, process losses and processing costs. The method
is especially environmentally advantageous, since it avoids the need for
soapstock and waste water processing entirely. Refined oil produced by
the method is useful as a nutritional supplement and in methods of
therapy or medical treatment.