A primary goal for Nordic Naturals is to optimize freshness levels in our fish oils. We strive to minimize the time from catch to processing, and ideally, the fish is processed within hours of being caught. During processing, we consistently monitor freshness levels of the raw material using acidity levels (an accurate measure of freshness). Even though the standard acidity allowance is 3.0, Nordic Naturals does not allow more than 1.0. While complete processing may take days, our raw material is protected in a nitrogen environment at every stage of manufacturing to maintain optimal freshness in the final product.