Gummy supplement manufacturer TopGum Industries has launched its latest nutraceutical gummy concept, OMG3!.
The fish-free, fruity and omega-3 rich gummyceutical is designed to provide pregnant women and their child with all the essential nutrients for a healthy pregnancy.
The "all-in-one" formulation contains a wide range of key pregnancy nutrients associated with maternal health and a child's healthy development in utero, such as marine algae-sourced DHA, vitamins D and B12, folic acid and iron.
TopGum will be on hand at Vitafoods Europe 2025 to showcase the gummy line at booth 3F234.
Incorporating omega-3 into a gummy format
Gummies as a dosage format are rising dramatically in popularity, as more consumers look for fun and user-friendly ways to adhere to their supplement routines.
This follows the move away from the traditional capsule format, which can be tricky for a wide range of demographics to swallow, including young children and older adults.
Notably, a recent study published in the British Pharmacological Society Journal found that nearly four in ten adults struggle to swallow capsules, highlighting the key need for more accessible dosage formats.
Although gummies are quickly becoming one of the most popular supplement formats, their formulation can often pose significant challenges — specifically when working with ingredients with strong aftertastes or high dosage requirements.
"One of the biggest challenges in incorporating omega-3 into a gummy matrix is making it appealing in flavour and banishing the marine aftertaste that can often put people off," explains Eyal Shohat, CEO of TopGum.
“We then had to think about how we could condense a substantial dose of DHA into a single gummy — which drove us to develop OMG3!, a precise balance of potent omega-3 with a flavour profile that delights the taste buds," he adds.
Microencapsulation for a potent, one gummy dose
To create OMG3!, TopGum used its in-house TopCap technology, which facilitates the microencapsulation of liquids within the gummy matrix.
Via the TopCap technology, TopGum can infuse omega-3 in its natural lipid form into a supplement, assuring a higher concentration of DHA.
"To mask the "marine" flavours often given off by algae-derived omega-3s, we add an orange essential oil," notes Jennifer Toomey Head of New Product Development for TopGum USA.
"We conduct every step of the gummy creation process in-house — including the microencapsulation of active ingredients — allowing us to have full control over the process and optimise the formula at every production stage if necessary."
The prenatal OMG3! gummy is bi-layered, which allows the separation of the omega-3 and iron portions to prevent any chemical interactions between the two — ensuring the gumy is stable and bioactive.
"Since pregnant women are particularly sensitive to off-tastes or smells, we wanted to get the flavour right," states Shobat.
To achieve this, TopGum blended together a mix of orange, berry and grape flavourings designed to offer an enhanced organoleptic experience.