Introduction
Fish oil 1000 mg does not mean 1000 mg of EPA and DHA. The oil weight describes the amount of fish oil; EPA and DHA are specific fatty acids within it. For a private label quotation, request oil fill, EPA, DHA and total omega-3 separately, then put every figure on the same per-softgel and per-serving basis.
The practical purchasing question is: what exactly does each capsule contain, and how many capsules make the proposed serving? Answer that before comparing bottle prices or approving label artwork. The calculations below are planning examples, not consumer intake advice or confirmed Bodakang formulas.
Read five quantities before comparing two offers
A headline number can describe oil weight, total omega-3 or a multi-capsule serving. These are different specifications. Use this field map when reviewing a draft label or supplier quotation.
| Field | What it describes | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Fish oil fill, mg per softgel | Amount of the fish oil ingredient inside one capsule | Whether the figure excludes the capsule shell and any separately added ingredients |
| Total omega-3, mg per softgel | Declared quantity of all omega-3 fatty acids covered by the specification | Which fatty acids and reporting basis are included |
| EPA, mg per softgel | Quantity of eicosapentaenoic acid | A separate stated amount, supported by the agreed specification |
| DHA, mg per softgel | Quantity of docosahexaenoic acid | A separate stated amount on the same basis as EPA |
| Softgels per serving | Number of capsules represented by the serving declaration | Whether every amount in the comparison uses that serving count |
EPA plus DHA is not automatically the same as total omega-3. Other omega-3 fatty acids may contribute to the total. Likewise, total fish oil includes more than the stated EPA and DHA quantities. Ask for missing fields rather than treating an unlisted value as zero.
Capsule gross weight is another separate measurement: it includes the shell. Do not use the weight of the entire softgel as the fish oil fill specification.
Convert every specification to one softgel first
Use the following calculation for any amount declared per serving:
Amount per softgel = amount per serving divided by softgels per serving.
For example, a hypothetical two-softgel serving containing 2000 mg oil, 400 mg EPA and 200 mg DHA becomes 1000 mg oil, 200 mg EPA and 100 mg DHA per softgel. Combined EPA and DHA is 300 mg per softgel or 600 mg per two-softgel serving.
This does not establish the total omega-3 amount unless that field is also provided. It also does not mean that a two-softgel serving is appropriate for every product or market. Serving instructions require a separate product and label review.
Keep the original declaration alongside the converted figures. Otherwise, a spreadsheet may look consistent while losing the information needed to check the label.
Use a comparison sheet that exposes the denominator
The following invented specifications illustrate a purchasing worksheet. They are not retail product comparisons, available stock formulas, manufacturing offers or efficacy comparisons.
| Comparison field | Example A | Example B |
|---|---|---|
| Oil fill per softgel | 1000 mg | 1000 mg |
| EPA per softgel | 200 mg | 400 mg |
| DHA per softgel | 100 mg | 200 mg |
| EPA plus DHA per softgel | 300 mg | 600 mg |
| Proposed softgels per serving | 2 | 1 |
| EPA plus DHA per serving | 600 mg | 600 mg |
| Capsules per bottle | 60 | 60 |
| Servings per bottle at that serving count | 30 | 60 |
| EPA plus DHA per bottle | 18 g | 36 g |
Both examples have the same oil fill and the same combined EPA/DHA per proposed serving. They differ in concentration, capsule count per serving and total EPA/DHA in the bottle. A request for “60-count fish oil 1000 mg” leaves those differences unresolved.
Do not infer that Example B is automatically the better product. The intended specification, individual EPA and DHA targets, capsule dimensions, quality requirements and commercial scope still matter. Combined EPA/DHA alone also hides differences in the EPA-to-DHA balance.
Compare cost on more than one basis
Once the technical and packaging scope is aligned, calculate both cost per proposed serving and cost per gram of combined EPA/DHA.
- Servings per bottle = capsule count divided by capsules per serving.
- EPA/DHA grams per bottle = combined mg per capsule multiplied by capsule count, divided by 1000.
- Cost per serving = bottle cost divided by servings per bottle.
- Cost per gram EPA/DHA = bottle cost divided by EPA/DHA grams per bottle.
For arithmetic only, assume Example A costs USD 3.60 per bottle and Example B costs USD 6.00, with identical included commercial scope. A would cost USD 0.12 per proposed serving and USD 0.20 per gram EPA/DHA. B would cost USD 0.10 per proposed serving and approximately USD 0.167 per gram EPA/DHA.
These invented prices show why a lower bottle price can produce a different conclusion after normalization. They are not Bodakang quotations. Cost per gram is a comparison tool, not a measure of safety, absorption or product quality. Keep testing, packaging, freight, trade terms and other included costs consistent.
Turn the calculation into a usable manufacturing brief
Send the same completed fields to every shortlisted supplier:
- Target market and proposed label language.
- Oil fill per softgel, with its measurement basis.
- Separate EPA and DHA targets per softgel and per proposed serving.
- Total omega-3 target, or an explicit request to clarify it.
- Proposed serving count, capsule size preference and retail pack count.
- Required oil identity, shell restrictions and supporting specification documents.
- Order quantity, packaging scope and the evidence required before approval.
Ask the technical team to reconcile ingredient specifications, fill weight, finished-product checks and proposed label quantities. A raw-oil result should identify what was tested; it does not by itself confirm the contents of every finished capsule. Record the agreed test object, units and acceptance basis without inventing results.
Use the fish oil softgel project page for product-specific discussions and Softgel Capsule OEM for format planning. Bodakang Bio accepts fish oil OEM/ODM project enquiries; exact concentrations, oil forms, sample conditions, MOQ and delivery terms require project-specific confirmation.
Buyer questions
Is 1000 mg fish oil the same as 1000 mg omega-3?
No. Confirm whether the headline describes fish oil fill or omega-3 content, then request the separate EPA and DHA figures. Do not calculate an unlisted omega-3 total from oil weight alone.
Can a two-softgel label be compared with a one-softgel label?
Yes, after dividing the two-softgel quantities by two. Keep both per-capsule and per-serving columns so the proposed serving and pack economics remain visible.
Does a higher combined EPA/DHA number prove better quality?
No. It describes content on a defined basis. Oil identity, the agreed quality evidence and suitability for the intended product require separate review.
What should I send before requesting a quote?
Send the target market, separate EPA/DHA amounts, oil fill, proposed serving count, pack count and estimated order quantity. Submit your fish oil project brief with these fields so feasibility and quotation scope can be reviewed against one clear specification.
