Traceability and real time inventory systems for shellfish processors
Ioannis Zabetakis Food Security: a clear need for a round approach
T
he current world population of 7.6 billion is expected to reach 8.6 billion in 2030, 9.8 billion in 2050 and 11.2 billion in 2100, according to the latest United Nations report. With roughly 83 million people being added to the world’s population every year, the upward trend in population size is expected to continue, even assuming that fertility levels will continue to decline.
These GM feeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids in order to enrich the omega-3 levels in the salmon. A gene from a type of marine algae has been added to a camelina plant to produce the omega-3 enriched fish oil. Lab tests show that fish fed on this oil have boosted levels of omega-3. The question that the researchers are now trying to answer is whether the same happens on a real fish farm.
Aquaculture is the world’s fastest growing food sector, surpassing the global capture fisheries production in 2014. It provides more than 50 percent of the food supply to humans, however, it poses several environmental concerns. Aquaculture feed draws on 70 percent of the world’s fishmeal and fish oil, which is obtained from small, ocean-caught fish such as anchovies, sardines, herring, menhaden, and mackerel, that are essential to the lower end of the marine food chain. Analysts project that by 2040, the demand for fishmeal and fish oil will exceed supply. Aquafeeds also draw on large amounts of soy and corn from industrial farms, which pose other environmental concerns due to the use of fertilizers and potential runoff into rivers, lakes and coastal waters. In addition, aquafeeds may trigger nutrient pollution in aquaculture effluent, as fish are unable to fully digest soy and corn, which are major feed ingredients.
Rounding up
The adjective “round” means a shape like a circle or cylinder or having a curved shape like part of the circumference of a circle. In the context of this current op-ed column, I would like to use the word “round” implicating that a more holistic approach is needed. Firstly, using prime agricultural land to grow a crop that is then fed to fish, is not a holistic solution to the food security problems that we have to address. People want a short food chain and they want to be connected with their food. With the recent news on glyphosate and its carcinogenic impact, we need to re-address our approach to GM technology and use of herbicides. Are GM plants, that are used to produce omega-3 rich oil, being treated with glyphosate? Using plant extracts to feed fish means that emerging hazards in the agriculture sector, like the presence of glyphosate in a wide number of crops and foods, are becoming a problem for the aquaculture sector. In other words, by using plants to produce aquafeeds, we may export food hazards from the land to the sea. Is this a wise and a sustainable approach?
GM plants
In order to address these problems, current research focuses on feeding farmed salmon feeds made from genetically modified (GM) crops with the aim to increase the nutritional value of the fish. e: ioannis.zabetakis@ul.ie
@yanzabet
Currently working on Food Lipids at the University of Limerick, Ireland, focusing on feeds, food and nutraceuticals against inflammation, Ioannis is a co-inventor in two patents, has edited a book on marine oils, and has published more than 60 peer-reviewed articles (h-index 19). He is currently writing a book on "The Impact of Nutrition and Statins on Cardiovascular Diseases" for Elsevier. 6 | September 2018 - International Aquafeed
D
ynamic Systems, Inc., the leader in Seafood Traceability Systems, has announced SIMBA for Shellfish processors. This product records receiving and production data in realtime, labels and tracks shellfish and provides full traceability from the source to shipping faster and more accurately than traditional shellfish production systems. It uses a tablet to initiate lots at the beach during harvest. This information is taken to the plant and entered automatically, where it then tracks production from receiving to packing in real-time using touchscreen computers. The unique ability of SIMBA to modify weight as the product moves down the production line helps shellfish companies know true weights received and packed. What makes it unique is that it tracks lots by the container, including any mixed or commingled lots. What this means is full backward and forward traceability for all products, and cost savings in the case of recall, an important feature for shellfish processors. At the time of shipping, the Logistics feature tracks each carton or pallet onto a specific truck. A Manifest and Bill of Lading is then produced automatically. This feature not only saves time in the shipping process, it eliminates disputes with the customer regarding what was shipped. Key results from implementing the SIMBA software include increased production speed, the ability to get same day accurate production reports, the ability to fulfil traceability requirements automatically, accurate inventory and professional looking carton and pallet labels.