Developing a fishery independent estimate of biomass for snapper
Seafood CRC: optimising the size and quality of sardines through real-time harvest monitoring
Seafood CRC: propagation of South Bluefin Tuna - addressing constraints to larval rearing
SCRC: Interactive seafood packaging masterclass
There is an increasing trend for foods to be sold in a packaged format. These products are sold either as raw product, ready-to-cook (other food ingredients included) or ready-to eat. The explosion of packaged foods on supermarket shelves and other retail outlets has occured for a variety of reasons including consumer convenience, ability to engage the consumer and in some cases extensions in shelf-life. However, the packaging industry is a rapidly evolving area due to the development of new plastics and films, new machinery and changing consumer trends.
The seafood industry is interested in developing packaged seafood product. However, there is often poor information transfer to the seafood processors regarding developments in newer packaging technologies and machines. Seafood processors that are considering the introduction of packaged products or changing existing process lines need direct experience and knowledge of the types of equipment and packaging films that are available.
Final report
The packaging industry is a rapidly evolving area due to the development of new plastics and films, new machinery and changing consumer trends. There is an opportunity for the seafood industry to use these latest techniques when developing packaged seafood products to satisfy consumer and retailer demands. However, there is often poor information transfer to the seafood processors regarding developments in newer packaging technologies and machines. Seafood processors that are considering the introduction of packaged products or changing existing process lines need direct experience and knowledge of the types of equipment and packaging films that are available. This Master Class aimed to provide information to industry on the latest packaging techniques that are available and provide practical experience in using a variety of packaging equipment.
The Master Class was held in July 2013 at Multivac's state-of-the-art training facility in Melbourne. It involved a combination of Australian Seafood CRC researchers presenting in combination with Multivac representatives who explained the capability of their particular equipment. The workshop was well attended, with a total of 24 attendees from industry and also scientists from the South Australian Research and Development Institute, Curtin University and the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
Seafood CRC: refining Yellowtail Kingfish feeds and feed management
Seafood CRC: Understanding and reducing the risk of paralytic shellfish toxins in Southern Rock Lobster
SCRC: ASCRC Sponsorship: 9th International Conference on Molluscan Shellfish Safety (ICMSS), Sydney, 2013 and Industry Master Classes
The Australian Shellfish Quality Assurance Advisory Committee (ASQAAC)* saw and supported the need to host the international premier shellfish safety event, ICMSS, in Australia. ASQAAC aim to deliver a ‘cutting edge’ programme focussed on shellfish safety and related disciplines and encourages participation from a broad range of national and international experts and students. ICMSS is the principal shellfish safety event worldwide for industry, government regulators and researchers to share knowledge and experience on shellfish safety issues. ASQAAC won a bid in June 2009 at ICMSS, France 2009 to return the 9th ICMSS Conference to Sydney, Australia where it was initiated in 1994.
ASQAAC's aim is not to profiteer from hosting the conference but to include as many international experts, local industry and students as possible with the aim of;
• Limiting the health risks associated with microbiological, marine biotoxin and other chemical contamination of shellfish;
• Improvement of effective and efficient management procedures and detection tools to prevent and/or monitor shellfish contamination; and
• Promotion of international harmonisation of shellfish safety standards and regulations.
From a global perspective Australia has an admirably healthy marine environment with respect to potential seafood safety risks, this has resulted in ‘high quality safe-to-eat’ shellfish. The relatively low shellfish safety risk in Australia has promoted the uptake of risk-based shellfish safety management practices, pragmatic regulation and innovative approaches.
Hosting the ICMSS provides a unique opportunity to showcase Australia's point of difference, particularly in discussions of international program harmonisation, and promote the Australian shellfish safety sector as well as the Australian seafood industry in general.
* ASQAAC is a collaborative tripartite relationship between regulators, industry and researchers and is a national forum to identify and solve emerging food safety challenges and promote national consistency.
Final report
The International Conference of Molluscan Shellfish Safety (ICMSS) is the principal shellfish safety event worldwide for industry, government regulators and researchers to share knowledge and experience on shellfish safety issues. Australian Shellfish Quality Assurance Advisory Committee (ASQAAC) won a bid in June 2009 at ICMSS, France to return the 9th ICMSS Conference to Sydney, Australia where it was initiated in 1994. ASQAAC aimed to deliver a ‘cutting edge’ programme focused on shellfish safety and related disciplines and encouraged participation from a broad range of national and international experts and students.
The conference aimed to assist the industry to respond to, and take advantage of, increased demand for seafood. Continued delivery of a quality product requires the industry to responsibly address latest shellfish safety information in the context of the Australian production environment.