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Omega three supplements, specifically fish oil, are supposed to be a handy alternative for people who don't really like eating fish. But behind these wondrous health clay sthere's a billion dollar industry mining one of the most productive marine eco systems on earth. Four million tons of peruvian anchovetes, a type of anchovy, are caught every year to feed pigs, poultry, farmed fish and to create supplements for us. And on top of all that, the supplements we take are often rancid. So is it time to rethink our obsession with fish oil pills? From the guardian.

They may be one of the world’s favourite supplements but, according to a recent study, more than one in 10 fish oil capsules are rancid. Most of the oil comes from Peruvian anchovetas, a type of anchovy, which is also used to feed pigs, poultry and farmed fish. And despite catching more than 4m tonnes a year of Peruvian anchovetas to cater to the global demand, large industry players want to scale this up even further. Madeleine Finlay speaks to environment journalist Richa Syal about why so many fish oil pills are rancid, and hears from journalist Dan Collyns in Chimbote, Peru, about how the industry is affecting the local environment and its residents. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod