Grimsby to host fish processing forum
latest scientific developments that could transform the industry.
The conference, to be held in Grimsby, UK, will cover issues such as the identification of fish species using DNA chips, rapid methods for monitoring the quality of fish products and developments in fish labeling.
In addition, predictive microbiological modelling in food safety management, potential opportunities from seafood by-products, and tractability in a research context will also be discussed.
One topic on the agenda could be the recent development in fish processing has been a six-month EU-funded research project into new monitoring techniques. The MUSTEC project for the development of multi-sensor techniques for monitoring the quality of fish attempted to find out how sensory instruments that mimic human senses to take rapid measurements of freshness could be created.
The team behind the scheme claimed that the instrumental measurements they developed could be calibrated to be as good as those of a trained sensory panel.
Discussions will also centre on the potential supply of raw materials, the methods of improving their efficient use, and the factors involved in supply quality. The role of science and technology and the potential application of new developments to ensure improved safety and quality will also be reviewed.
Speakers involved include leading specialists from within the fish industry, universities and research centres. A total of 17 speakers from around the globe, including Michaela Archer from Seafood UK, Dr John Webster of Scottish Quality Salmon, and Professor Kazuo Miyashita from Hokkaido University of Fisheries, Japan will be presenting.
"I anticipate that the fish industry will benefit enormously from the event and I am certain that the large cross section of speakers will make for a lively and informative couple of days," said North East Lincolnshire Council's economic development officer and conference organiser, Andrew Moore.
Grimsby, situated on the north east coast of the UK, is home to one of the largest concentrations of food processors in Europe. Today, over 500 food and food-related companies are based in the area. These include brands names such as Birds Eye, Geest, Mariners and Baxters.
Between 50 and 70 per cent of the country's white fish is processed in the town, which amounts to over 750,000 tons a year. It is this, said Moore, which forms the foundation of the region's food processing industry.
"As a legacy of the fishing industry, Grimsby has the largest concentration of cold storage in Europe," he said. "The skills developed in fish processing have over the years been translated into other aspects of the food industry. For example, all Haagen Dazs ice cream in the UK is at some stage stored in Grimsby."
The event runs from the 16 to 17 September.
