There is a demand for dried seafood product for the Asian market. Development of such a suite of products would increase the market opportunities available to WA seafood producers, expand the types of seafood that can be produced in a commercially viable manner and counteract the challenges of distance by extending shelf-life. Regional development opportunities for seafood processing capability may also be realized.
Final report
In 2009 Kingsun Bioscience Company, an international company with interests in the Japanese and Asian markets expressed an interest in investigating the possibility of drying WA seafood products for sale on the Asian market. WA seafood products of interest were those from sustainably managed fisheries with selection supported by market research.
Kingsun Bioscience Company Limited has the exclusive license to commercialise this technology outside Japan. The technology involves production of a vacuum state. In this vacuum, evaporation can be achieved at ambient temperatures. A significant advantage of ambient air drying is that the structure of proteins remains intact and is not denatured by heat. Furthermore, the flavour profile of the seafood is not compromised by a high temperature cooking process. Previous studies have shown that the colour, shape and active nutrient components of plant and animal products are retained during this innovative drying process.
