CRAIGAVON, Northern Ireland – Moy Park teamed up with British grocery retailer Waitrose to develop a line of chicken products rich in omega 3 acids, according to local news reports.
Moy Park, which is a unit of São Paulo-based JBS SA, has been working on the project for the past 10 years along with Devenish Nutrition which specializes in animal nutrition. The birds are raised on family farms in Northern Ireland, where the birds are fed a diet that includes algae. The algae, which are in the same family of aquatic plants as seaweed and kelp, are naturally rich in omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which research has shown contributes to cardiovascular health.
The omega 3 poultry line includes whole chickens, breast fillets and thigh meat. The line has been available at Waitrose locations since June 15.