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The demand for squaÂlene is growÂing, with olives being conÂsidÂered a more susÂtainÂable source than shark livÂers, despite being more expenÂsive. The conÂcern is that the high demand for squaÂlene, parÂticÂuÂlarly from shark livÂers, is leadÂing to a sigÂnifÂiÂcant numÂber of shark deaths annuÂally, even though olive oil could be a more susÂtainÂable alterÂnaÂtive.
The demand for squaÂlene — a lipid used in cosÂmetÂics and vacÂcines — has grown in recent years, and olives are increasÂingly being touted as a more susÂtainÂable source than shark livÂers, but cost remains a conÂcern.
Olive-derived squaÂlene is 30 perÂcent more expenÂsive than the alterÂnaÂtive from shark livÂers. Even with olives steadily becomÂing more popÂuÂlar as a source of squaÂlene in cosÂmetÂics, 90 perÂcent of the indusÂtry relies on shark liver oil and is responÂsiÂble for 2.7 milÂlion shark deaths annuÂally.
Squalene and its hydroÂgenated counÂterÂpart, squalane, are used in cosÂmetÂics as emolÂlients; and in vacÂcines as adjuÂvants, which boost the immune sysÂtem response.
See Also:Biomass from Olive Groves Fuels Heineken Factory in Southern SpainAccording to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), approxÂiÂmately 2,500 to 3,000 sharks are needed to harÂvest one ton of squaÂlene.
By conÂtrast, the Olive Wellness Institute estiÂmates that between 77 and 1,250 tons of olive oil (dependÂing on the olive variÂety, extracÂtion method and level of refinÂing) posÂsess the same amount of squaÂlene. Extra virÂgin olive oil has the highÂest levÂels of lipid of any vegÂetable oil.
Although a large proÂporÂtion of the shark-derived verÂsion of this lipid comes from bycatch, when sharks are uninÂtenÂtionÂally caught in fishÂing nets, the conÂcern is that the sharks are capÂtured instead of set free due to the demand for squaÂlene.
This goes undeÂtected and makes it virÂtuÂally imposÂsiÂble to estabÂlish how many sharks are caught excluÂsively for squaÂlene.
Late last year, with sciÂenÂtists racÂing to develop a range of Covid-19 vacÂcines, conÂserÂvaÂtionÂists started expressÂing conÂcern about the impact on shark popÂuÂlaÂtions as the demand for squaÂlene increased.
While none of the approved Covid-19 vacÂcines use shark squaÂlene, five of the 300 vacÂcines in develÂopÂment do.
However, enviÂronÂmenÂtalÂists are conÂcerned that if Covid-19 vacÂcines conÂtainÂing squaÂlene are widely approved and the coroÂnÂavirus vacÂcine becomes an annual requireÂment, as some health experts preÂdict, demand for the lipid will increase.
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