Carlson Elite Omega-3 Gems: what the IFOS report shows
Last reviewed July 2026.
This is what the paperwork behind Elite Omega-3 Gems, Wild Norwegian, Natural Lemon, 1600 mg, 120 Softgels actually says. The tested lot (SB017377) carries an IFOS certificate — the public, per-lot consumer report, and the numbers below come from that report, not from the label.
The tested numbers
- Measured EPA: 422 mg per serving
- Measured DHA: 330 mg per serving
- Combined EPA+DHA: 752 mg per serving — 107% of the 700 mg label claim (over-delivers)
- TOTOX (freshness): 17.74 — passing, but on the high side — worth knowing if freshness is your priority (what TOTOX means)
- Heavy metals: every result marked IFOS-compliant in the tested lot (values below)
- Form: TG (triglyceride — the form found in fish)
Read the IFOS report for lot SB017377 yourself ↗ — that document, not this page, is the source of truth.
Freshness, contaminants and heavy metals, from lot SB017377
Every result as printed on the IFOS certificate, read 2026-10-04; “<” means below the lab's reporting limit. The limits are the certificate's own and the GOED Voluntary Monograph (version 9.1).
| Test | Result | IFOS limit | GOED limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peroxide value | 3.87 meq/kg | 5 meq/kg | 5 meq/kg |
| Anisidine value | 10 | 20 | — |
| TOTOX | 17.74 | 19.5 | — |
| Acid value | 0.31 mg KOH/g | 3 mg KOH/g | — |
| PCBs | 0.369 ppb | 45 ppb | 90 ppb |
| Dioxins and furans | 0.0496 ppt | 1 ppt | 1.75 ppt WHO-TEQ |
| Dioxin-like PCBs | 0.00842 ppt | 1.5 ppt | 3 ppt WHO-TEQ |
| Mercury | <0.0124 ppm | 0.1 ppm | 0.1 ppm |
| Lead | <0.0066 ppm | 0.05 ppm | 0.05 ppm |
| Cadmium | <0.0016 ppm | 0.1 ppm | 0.1 ppm |
| Total arsenic | <0.0066 ppm | 0.1 ppm | 0.1 ppm (inorganic) |
No GOED limit is shown for anisidine or TOTOX: GOED's anisidine and TOTOX limits do not apply to flavoured oils such as this lemon-flavoured one, because the anisidine method is inaccurate for them (GOED Voluntary Monograph version 9.1, footnote 1).
Compared with the other fish oils: oxidation values by product · heavy metals by product
What a gram of it costs
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you — commission never changes a ranking or a verdict (how this site is funded).
At $38.63 for 120 servings (iherb.com, 2026-07-03, not Amazon's price; check it on Amazon ↗), this works out to $0.43 per gram of measured EPA+DHA — #8 of 12 tested products we track. The sticker price and the per-gram price rank very differently; the full ranking shows exactly what beats it.
FAQ
Is Carlson Elite Omega-3 Gems third-party tested?
Yes — lot SB017377 was tested under the IFOS program; the certificate is public and linked from this page.
How much EPA and DHA does Carlson Elite Omega-3 Gems contain per serving?
The tested batch measured 422 mg EPA and 330 mg DHA — 752 mg combined EPA+DHA per serving, 107% of the 700 mg label claim.
What is the TOTOX of Carlson Elite Omega-3 Gems?
17.74, from lot SB017377's IFOS certificate (peroxide 3.87 meq/kg, anisidine 10), read 2026-10-04. IFOS's limit is 19.5 and GOED's is 26; GOED's anisidine and TOTOX limits do not apply to flavoured oils such as this lemon-flavoured one, because the anisidine method is inaccurate for them.
Does Carlson Elite Omega-3 Gems contain heavy metals?
Carlson Elite Omega-3 Gems, lot SB017377: mercury <0.0124 ppm, lead <0.0066 ppm, cadmium <0.0016 ppm, total arsenic <0.0066 ppm, each marked IFOS-compliant (certificate read 2026-10-04).
Related: Is Carlson third-party tested? · Carlson cost per gram & is it worth it
This page summarizes published third-party testing data and makes no health, benefit, or treatment claims. A certificate describes one tested batch, not a permanent grade.
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