Seafood

India’s omega-3 deficiency a potential ‘public health crisis’

23-Aug-2016 By Gary Scattergood

India’s “shockingly low” level of EPA and DHA intake is storing up a potential health crisis, especially because life expectancy and therefore the rate of chronic illness is forecast to rise considerably over the coming decades.

Wheat, feed wheat exports from the US to continue after GMO scare for Korea, Japan

12-Aug-2016 By Aerin Einstein-Curtis

Wheat exports to Korea have resumed after testing confirmed an absence of biotech wheat in supplies from the US.

Vizag lab is opportunity to improve South Asian footprint - TÜV SÜD

02-Aug-2016 By Joseph James Whitworth

A TÜV SÜD food testing lab in India has been accredited for three years.

Malaysian certifier to help with upgrade at 100 Egyptian fish farms

20-Jul-2016 By RJ Whitehead

WorldFish has appointed Intertek as its quality partner as the international aquaculture researcher assists with upgrading production at some 100 fish farms in Egypt.

Australia

Prawn sperm secrets could free aquaculture from brood stock reliance

30-Jun-2016 By RJ Whitehead

Discovering the secrets of how one of the world’s most popular prawn species produces sperm and transfers it to create the next generation could help free aquaculture from reliance on brood stock from the wild.

Farmed shrimp can thrive on soy and canola meal blend: Malaysian team

14-Jun-2016 By Aerin Einstein-Curtis

A vegetable-based diet protects shrimp growth and feed utilization, say researchers. 

PFP mulls Malaysia for new seafood processing plant

26-May-2016 By RJ Whitehead

PFP Group, a major Thai frozen-seafood processor, expects to open a halal food factory in Malaysia after it concludes negotiations with an unnamed local partner.

Chinese scallop prices soar after EU lifts import ban

10-May-2016 By RJ Whitehead

News that the European Union has ended a 19-year ban on imported Chinese scallops buoyed prices by 23% in April.

Report: Almost all Vietnamese cattle and seafood farms use antibiotics

21-Apr-2016 By RJ Whitehead

A staggering number of cattle seafood farms across large areas of Vietnam have been found to feed their stock antibiotics, the country’s animal welfare authority has found.

Chinese corporation invests in microalgae research in South Australia

30-Mar-2016 By RJ Whitehead

A global Chinese agribusiness group will work with Australian academics to expand a microalgae and marine bioproduct development centre in Adelaide.

Feature

Seafood capital rides high on tuna's back

23-Mar-2016 By By Catherine Norwood

The small South Australian fishing town of Port Lincoln has boat loads of evidence to support its claim as the seafood capital of Australia.

Apac must provide the thrust in eradicating global poverty

21-Mar-2016 By RJ Whitehead

Asia-Pacific has the potential to lead the world in the complete eradication of poverty and hunger, according to the head of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

Seaweed: An ocean of opportunity

17-Feb-2016 By Lynda Searby

Overlooked for so long, seaweed is finally becoming big business.

Part two in our series looking at the Australian prawn sector

Fish trimmings feed promising for Australian prawn farm

15-Feb-2016 By Kacey CULLINEY

A high-protein feed made from salmon and tuna trimmings has shown promise in a three-year trial at a Queensland-based prawn farm, its manager says.

Australia

Company case study: Closed supply chain key to clean, green exports

03-Feb-2016 By Andrew Spence

A closed-loop supply chain and a strong contact network in Asia are behind the success of an emerging premium food company from South Australia.

Fishmeal free? Protein alternatives key to Australia’s prawn future

07-Jan-2016 By Kacey Culliney

Australia’s prawn sector must prioritize sustainable fishmeal replacement and R&D in protein alternatives will be the key, say industry heads.

Bird watching found to be a critical factor in monitoring fisheries

06-Jan-2016 By RJ Whitehead

By studying bird vomit, Lachlan McLeay believes he has developed an approach to gauging sardine abundance in Australian waters.

Restauranteur pays $117k for endangered fish in final Tsukiji auction

06-Jan-2016 By RJ Whitehead

The sale of a bluefin tuna for JPY14m marked the end of a long-running and beloved tradition at Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market this week.

Omega-3 not omega-6 linked with lower depressive symptoms: 2000-strong Japanese study

05-Jan-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Even in countries with higher fish intakes, omega-3 may lower depressive symptoms, according to Japanese research in over 2000 people.

Thai seafood companies must ‘wake up’ practices that will stop slavery

17-Dec-2015 By RJ Whitehead

Allegations of slave labour at one of the world’s biggest shrimp companies should be a “wake-up call” to the industry, said the man whose company has been at the centre of an investigation into the practice.

Palau ratifies international illegal fishing agreement

09-Dec-2015 By RJ Whitehead

The island nation of Palau has become the first Pacific island state to ratify an international agreement to combat illegal fishing, which the FAO estimates will deprive the global economy of up to US$23bn each year and endanger biodiversity.

Nestlé leads on anti-slavery action, but will others follow?

07-Dec-2015 By Lynda Searby

An anti-slavery charity has welcomed Nestlé’s action plan to tackle human rights abuses in the Thai seafood supply chain, and says it hopes other food companies will follow suit.

This paves the way for mass personalised nutrition, say researchers

What’s better for blood glucose levels, sushi or ice cream? It depends who you are, say researchers

27-Nov-2015 By Niamh Michail

Blood glucose levels vary widely across individuals even for the same food, say researchers who have developed an algorithm to calculate the ‘right’ diet – paving the way for mass personalised nutrition and casting doubt over the usefulness of universal...

Uncertain outlook for Thai skipjack tuna prices

26-Nov-2015 By RJ Whitehead

Skipjack tuna prices in Thailand have fallen 27% since mid-September due to good supply in canneries and low seasonal demand globally. 

Feed producer gets US$100m from environment-minded PE firm

24-Nov-2015 By RJ Whitehead

KKR has invested US$100m in China’s biggest aquatic feed manufacturer at a time when the consumer freshwater and seafood market is growing faster than other protein segments in the country.

Europe increases pressure on Thailand over illegal fishing: 'Yellow card' update

02-Oct-2015 By Nathan Gray

The European Union (EU) will make a decision on whether to ban fish imports from Thailand by December, while the EU gave out ‘yellow cards’ for illegal fishing to Comoros and Taiwan. 

Dateline Southeast Asia

Consumer awareness driving sea-change in modern slavery

01-Oct-2015 By RJ Whitehead

AsiaInspection has released an authoritative white paper on modern-day slavery, a practice which the auditing and inspection company called “a highly disturbing reality that is woven into nearly every supply chain around the world”.

Savola and Thai Union form seafood JV, aim to net $400m in sales

22-Sep-2015 By Nathan Gray

Saudi’s Savola Group has formed a joint venture with Thai Union Frozen, one of the world’s largest seafood processors, to bring new seafood products to the Middle East, targeting US$400m in sales.

New Zealand

Seadragon sets out to breathe fire into Kiwi fish oil

15-Sep-2015 By RJ Whitehead

The town of Nelson will welcome New Zealand's first omega-3 fish oil processing plant in December. Campbell Berry-Kilgour, sales director of Seadragon, who hopes the facility will fill a definite gap in the market, talks about the industry and market...

Kuwait fish boycott drives prices down

08-Sep-2015 By Nathan Gray

Kuwaiti consumers boycotting fish in protest at unprecedentedly high prices have forced market rates down, and drawn support from government officials.

Green-lipped mussels move from pharma to food with seafood seasoning

31-Aug-2015 By Niamh Michail

German pharmaceutical company, Pharmalink, is moving from pharma to food with a contaminant-free seafood flavouring made from green-lipped mussels.

Eastern promise: Cargill pins aquafeed growth hopes on Asia

17-Aug-2015 By Lynda Searby

Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification for Cargill’s feed mills in Central America underlines the continued importance of the region to Cargill’s aquafeed business. However, it is the fast-growing Asian region that offers the greatest potential.

Indonesian-sourced tuna linked to Salmonella illnesses

22-Jul-2015 By Joseph James Whitworth

Osamu Corporation is recalling all of its frozen tuna sourced from one processing plant in Indonesia because samples have been found to be contaminated with Salmonella.

Dateline Southeast Asia

Thai fishermen prolong strike after government impounds vessels

09-Jul-2015 By RJ Whitehead

Thai fishermen prolong strike after government impounds vessels

WGS and geographic mapping traces outbreak source to India

16-Jun-2015 By Joseph James Whitworth

Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) and geographic mapping clearly improves source tracking and surveillance of foodborne outbreaks, according to researchers.

Coveris expands into Australasia with acquisition

29-May-2015 By Joseph James Whitworth

Coveris Holdings has acquired Elldex Packaging Solutions to expand into Australasia.

Indonesian navy sinks illegal fishing boats

25-May-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The new Indonesian government has blown up around 30 boats fishing illegally to send a strong message on sustainability, Indonesia’s director general for Fisheries Product Processing and Marketing at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF)...

Australia

Turning eggs blue will transform snapper fisheries

18-Mar-2015 By RJ Whitehead

A molecular marker that turns snapper eggs a fluorescent blue could revolutionise fisheries management for several commercial species.

Food safety

Fish and chips: Scientists devise 'credit card' to test for histamine

09-Mar-2015 By RJ Whitehead

Flinders University researchers have invented a revolutionary hi-tech method to test for food poisoning in fish.

Mussels for muscles: Green lipped mussel extract may ease muscle damage during exercise

03-Mar-2015 By Stephen DANIELLS

Extracts from New Zealand green lipped mussels may reduce muscle soreness and fatigue after exercise and reduce markers of muscle damage, says a new study.

Indonesian fish producer targets Middle East

23-Feb-2015 By Eliot Beer

An Indonesian canned fish producer is aiming to make its entry into the Middle East food market, as Indonesia’s government aims to bolster its national fishing industry.

New Zealand

Almost all NZ’s freshwater fish at risk of extinction

02-Feb-2015 By RJ Whitehead

The majority of New Zealand’s native freshwater fish species are threatened or at risk of extinction, says a Canterbury University researcher.

Review of the year

Asia-Pacific in 2014: A year of scandals, soul searching and success

22-Dec-2014 By RJ Whitehead

The last 12 months have been turbulent for much of Asia-Pacific's food industry, with regulations, legislation, markets and partnerships continuing to develop in the latest step in the region's economic development.To mark a fascinating year...

India

India’s ‘blue revolution” needs port infrastructure rethink

26-Nov-2014 By RJ Whitehead

Showing a renewed focus on the fisheries sector, India’s government is preparing to launch its “blue revolution” programme as a means to revitalise the industry. 

Lipa Pharmaceuticals to distribute Qualitas' Almega PL in Australia and New Zealand

30-Oct-2014 By RJ Whitehead

Qualitas Health has finalised an exclusive distribution agreement with Lipa Pharmaceuticals for its Almega PL omega-3 ingredient for sale to the dietary supplement industry in Australia and New Zealand.  

Australia

Sushi on a roll as Aussies favour health over spring rolls

22-Oct-2014 By RJ Whitehead

Sushi’s popularity is on the rise while spring rolls appear to be gradually falling out of favour in Australia, new figures reveal. 

Australia

Pipis on the MAP thanks to Asia’s demand for cockles

02-Oct-2014 By RJ Whitehead

Innovations in packaging have allowed a newly formed Australian seafood company to expand their business to national and international markets.

Insight

It is too early to praise industry for Thai prawn slavery meeting

27-Aug-2014 By Marta Kasztelan

When in June of this year, British newspaper The Guardian published a damning report tracing fishmeal that it claimed had been caught by workers kept in slave-like conditions, a public relations storm seemed to have broken loose.

Mussels and joints: A homegrown Kiwi advantage

26-Aug-2014 By RJ Whitehead

Over half a century ago, Ben Winters Sr arrived in New Zealand from the Netherlands and soon established Aroma NZ, a manufacturer of freeze-dried marine products including green lipped mussels.

Eating more fish linked to lower cognitive decline in the over 65s

06-Aug-2014 By Stephen DANIELLS

Consuming more fish could significantly reduce the annual rate of cognitive decline in older adults, says a new study from researchers at the University of North Carolina and Duke University.