Arachidonic Acid (ARA): An Essential Nutrient for Infant Development
Arachidonic acid (ARA) is an omega-6 fatty acid that plays a vital role in healthy infant development. Along with DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), it is essential for infant brain and visual development, and both compounds are naturally present in breast milk. While adults can convert fatty acids from their diet into ARA, infants have not yet developed this ability sufficiently, making breast milk their primary source of ARA. To ensure that infants who cannot be breastfed receive these essential nutrients, infant formula products are supplemented with ARA and DHA.
Figure 1. Types of essential fatty acids
Supporting Healthy Infant Growth with Nissui's High-Quality ARA Products
Nissui applies our long-established fish oil refining technology to ARA purification. Through this refined process, we thoroughly remove impurities to consistently supply high-purity, safe ARA. Nissui has perfected this refining technology to provide high-quality ARA as an essential ingredient in powdered infant formula. Our technology ensures both product safety and reliability while supporting balanced infant nutrition and healthy development.
Figure 2. Kashima Plant for ARA refining (completed October 2008)