Costco的Kirkland牌鱼油分量多，而且价格也不算贵，是许多加拿大华人回国送礼的首选。然而就在近日，这一知名品牌竟闹出“以次充好”丑闻，并被美国的顾客告上法庭，引起了不小的关注。
据美国当地媒体《西雅图时报》报道，本月月初，纽约的顾客正式向联邦法庭申请集体诉讼，状告Costco公司和Kirkland牌鱼油的制造商、位于西雅图的“三叉戟海产公司”（Trident Seafoods）。

原告人在诉状中表示，他将所购买的Kirkland牌鱼油拿到独立实验室去做了测试，发现里面的营养成分（Omega-3脂肪酸）含量，与描述严重不符，还不足标签描述的一半。

该顾客一共做了两项测试。第一个测试发现， 标签上列出的720毫克的 omega-5, 6, 7, 9 和11脂肪酸中实际只有约48%。第二项分析指出， 在330毫克的 omega-3 脂肪酸中， 只有标签所标出的40%。

据马里兰大学医学中心研究，omega-3脂肪酸被认为是必需脂肪酸，是人体健康所必需的。Omega-3脂肪酸可以减少炎症，可能有助于降低慢性疾病如心脏病、心血管，癌症和关节炎的风险。Omega-3脂肪酸高度集中在大脑中，似乎对认知（大脑记忆和性能）和行为功能很重要。

人体本身不能制造omega-3脂肪酸，而要通过食物来摄取。鱼类中，如鲑鱼，金枪鱼和大比目鱼，其他海产品包括藻类、磷虾和坚果，是Omega-3的重要来源。
由于几乎没有人会天天吃海鱼和藻类，所以口服鱼油便成为最常见的补充omega-3的方式。

另一项研究则显示，Omega-3纯度达到85%以上的鱼油产品，才能真正起到对健康有益的作用。换句话说，营养成分含量较低的鱼油吃了等于白吃。

诉状称，Costco曾承诺其Kirkland牌子产品 “必须等于或优于全国品牌”，但是实际却不是这样。消费者相信Kirkland牌鱼油的质量、营养成分花这么多的钱才购买产品，但是却被蒙蔽了，这款产品的实际含量不值价格，而Costco应该给广大消费者赔偿。

Chinese favorite Costco fish oil defendant due to product quality problems

Costco’s Kirkland brand has a large amount of oil, and the price is not too expensive. It is the first choice for many Canadian Chinese to return to China. However, recently, this well-known brand actually made a scandal of “simply subsidizing” and was sued in court by American customers, causing a lot of attention.

According to a report by the US local media “The Seattle Times”, in the beginning of this month, New York’s customers formally filed a class action lawsuit with federal court to sue Costco and Kirkland’s maker of fish oil and Trident Seafoods in Seattle. .

The plaintiff stated in the complaint that he had taken the purchased Kirkland brand fish oil to an independent laboratory for testing and found that the content of the nutrients (Omega-3 fatty acids) was seriously inconsistent with the description, which was less than half of the label description.

The customer made two tests in total. The first test found only about 48% of the 720 mg of omega-5, 6, 7, 9 and 11 fatty acids listed on the label. The second analysis pointed out that of the 330 mg of omega-3 fatty acids, only 40% of the labeling indicated.

According to a study by the University of Maryland Medical Center, omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids and are essential for human health. Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation and may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and seem to be important for cognition (brain memory and performance) and behavioral function.

The body itself cannot make omega-3 fatty acids, but it is consumed through food. Fish, such as salmon, tuna, and halibut, and other seafood including algae, krill, and nuts, are important sources of Omega-3.
Since almost no one will eat sea fish and algae every day, oral fish oil has become the most common way to supplement omega-3.
Another study showed that fish oil products with an Omega-3 purity of more than 85% can really play a role in health. In other words, fish oil with a lower nutrient content equals white food.

The complaint stated that Costco had promised its Kirkland brand product “must be equal to or better than the national brand”, but this is not the case. Consumers believe that the quality and nutrient content of Kirkland’s brand of fish oil are spent so much money to buy products, but they are blinded. The actual content of this product is not worth the price, and Costco should compensate the consumers.