What changed this quarter
Six brands moved. The methodology did not.
We re-tested 22 fish oil products available in India during January–March 2026. Six brands recorded materially different TOTOX scores compared to our 2024 baseline — four improved, two declined. Sixteen brands held steady within ±3 TOTOX units, which is within normal batch-to-batch variance.
No new brands have been added to the panel this cycle. If you were happy with your brand's previous ranking and it isn't listed in the movers section, its score was stable.
All testing uses the same protocol as our 2024 baseline review: TOTOX = (2 × peroxide value) + anisidine value. Samples were purchased retail in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru and stored per label instructions before testing. No manufacturer samples accepted. Full protocol: nakedcompound.in/pages/methodology
The brands that moved
The following eight brands recorded a TOTOX delta of ±5 or greater versus their 2024 score — our editorial cut-off for a material change worth reporting.
Moved up — score improved
The single biggest mover. Reformulated nitrogen-flushed packaging in late 2025 — Q1 batches reflect that change. Peroxide value dropped from 7.4 to 3.9 meq/kg.
Peroxide fell; anisidine held flat. Consistent with a cold-chain improvement rather than formula change — may not hold across summer batches.
Moved from "marginal" into "acceptable." Anisidine dropped sharply, suggesting fresher raw material sourcing. Still not a top-tier score.
Remained in the pass band and improved. A strong result for the 1250mg EPA+DHA category, where higher concentration products tend to oxidise faster.
Moved down — score worsened
The most concerning mover this cycle. Anisidine nearly doubled, indicating rancidity progressing in the supply chain. Retesting a second batch before updating the full review score.
Moved from "excellent" to "acceptable." Peroxide rose; anisidine held. Possibly a storage or transit issue — score is still below our fail threshold.
Full leaderboard — all 22 brands
Scores from Q1 2026 batches. The GOED voluntary standard sets a TOTOX ceiling of 26 meq/kg; we use a stricter internal threshold of 20 for a "pass" rating, reflecting India's ambient storage conditions.1
| # | Brand | Strength | PV | AV | TOTOX | Rating | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vegan Omega (Algal) | 500mg DHA | 1.2 | 2.1 | 4.5 | Excellent | — |
| 2 | OmegaHeal 1000mg | 330mg EPA/DHA | 3.9 | 2.0 | 9.8 | Excellent | ↑ +6.4 |
| 3 | Carbamide Forte Triple | 1250mg EPA/DHA | 4.2 | 1.7 | 10.1 | Excellent | ↑ +4.7 |
| 4 | Tata 1mg Omega-3 | 1000mg | 4.9 | 2.3 | 12.1 | Good | — |
| 5 | HealthVit Omega-3 | 1000mg | 5.6 | 2.2 | 13.4 | Good | ↑ +5.7 |
| 6 | Himalayan Organics | 1000mg | 5.8 | 2.9 | 14.5 | Good | — |
| 7 | WOW Life Science | 1000mg | 6.2 | 2.7 | 15.1 | Acceptable | ↑ +6.9 |
| 8 | GNC Triple Strength | 1500mg | 7.1 | 0.4 | 14.6 | Acceptable | ↓ −5.2 |
| 9 | Inlife Fish Oil | 1000mg | 7.4 | 3.1 | 17.9 | Acceptable | — |
| 10 | Naturo Sciences | 1000mg | 7.8 | 2.9 | 18.5 | Acceptable | — |
| 11 | MuscleBlaze Fish Oil | 1000mg | 8.4 | 1.9 | 18.7 | Marginal | ↓ −7.4 |
| 12 | Zenith Nutrition | 1000mg | 8.1 | 3.2 | 19.4 | Marginal | — |
| 13 | HealthKart Omega-3 | 1000mg | 8.9 | 3.4 | 20.2 | Marginal | — |
| 14 | Boldfit Fish Oil | 1000mg | 9.2 | 3.8 | 22.2 | Marginal | — |
| 15 | TrueBasics Omega-3 | 1000mg | 9.4 | 4.1 | 22.9 | Marginal | — |
| 16 | Nutrabay Omega-3 | 1000mg | 9.6 | 4.4 | 23.6 | Marginal | — |
| 17 | BB Nutrition Fish Oil | 1000mg | 9.9 | 4.8 | 24.6 | Marginal | — |
| 18 | AS-IT-IS Nutrition | 1000mg | 10.1 | 5.1 | 25.3 | Fail | — |
| 19 | Kapiva Fish Oil | 1000mg | 10.8 | 5.3 | 26.9 | Fail | — |
| 20 | Fast & Up Omega-3 | 1000mg | 11.2 | 5.9 | 28.3 | Fail | — |
| 21 | Oziva Plant-Based | 500mg ALA | 11.8 | 6.2 | 29.8 | Fail | — |
| 22 | Generic pharma (pooled) | 1000mg | 12.6 | 7.1 | 32.3 | Fail | — |
PV = peroxide value, AV = anisidine value, both in meq/kg. TOTOX = (2×PV)+AV. GOED ceiling: 26. Our pass threshold: ≤20.
Why India's climate is a structural problem
Fish oil is one of the most oxidation-sensitive supplements on the market. Oxidation rate roughly doubles with every 10°C rise in temperature — a bottle in a Mumbai warehouse at 38°C in April will deteriorate at nearly four times the rate of the same batch in a 10°C European distribution centre.
This isn't a reason to avoid fish oil in India — it's a reason to buy from brands that account for it. Nitrogen flushing, amber UV-blocking bottles, and refrigerated warehousing all matter. When a brand does none of these, a "fresh" batch at manufacture can arrive as marginal after two months on a shelf in Chennai.
Check the manufacture date, not just the expiry. A 24-month-shelf-life product manufactured 18 months ago and stored warm may be worse than a product made 2 months ago with a 12-month shelf life. Rancidity runs on a clock that doesn't pause at the "best before" stamp.
TOTOX explained — for new readers
Fish oil oxidises in two stages. Primary oxidation produces peroxides — the peroxide value (PV). These break down further into aldehydes — the anisidine value (AV). TOTOX combines both: TOTOX = (2 × PV) + AV. The 2× weighting on PV reflects that primary oxidation is the precursor to all downstream degradation.2
A product with low PV but high AV has already passed through the worst of its oxidation. A product with high PV but low AV is actively deteriorating and will worsen in your cabinet. Neither is acceptable. TOTOX catches both.
References
Disclosures: Naked Compound participates in the Amazon.in affiliate programme. Some links earn a small commission. No manufacturer samples accepted. Full policy: conflicts-policy