Download Safe seafood - risk factors along the entire value chain

Safe seafood – risk factors along the entire value chain
from fjord to table for wild and farmed seafood
A report on knowledge needs
Summary
The export of fish and seafood is one of Norway’s most important industries. The aquaculture
industry is growing rapidly and in Norway comprises species with a large requirement for marine
feed ingredients. Seafood has long been a staple of the traditional Norwegian diet. Fish contains a
number of nutrients, and the consumption of fish is good for public health.
Yet foods of a marine origin may be contaminated with undesirable, harmful biological and chemical
substances. Food safety is essential: How can it be safeguarded while utilising seafood as a source of
dietary nutrients and enjoying the positive health effects of fish?
The increasing use of vegetable ingredients due to the scarcity of marine feed sources raises
important questions in terms of fish in the diet. Maintaining fish health becomes more complicated as
well. Marine food chains often consist of many links and become even more complex with production
of farmed seafood. In addition to wild fish and their by-products, other sources of feed ingredients are
used, such as vegetable matter, slaughter waste from land-based production animals and marine algae.
A review of marine food chains and the value chain for seafood production with respect to food
safety shows that for wild fish, there are still major problems concerning the transmission of
contaminants from local pollution in coastal areas, the fish’s access to food, and the significance of
infectious agents. For production fish, feed and not least alternative feed ingredients represent the
greatest food safety challenges.
It is possible to reduce persistent organic pollutants in seafood, but the transfer of new harmful
pollutants through the feed must also be avoided and the commercial value of the seafood
safeguarded. Genetic modification may pose problems when it comes to plant-based feed sources,
and for the quality of the seafood itself.
A comprehensive knowledge base on feed ingredient sources is essential to ensure safe and healthy
seafood. The report goes into depth on feed ingredients and additives, examining issues of pollutants,
transmission of biotoxins, other bioactive substances, nutrients and other health-promoting substances
from alternative feed sources. Marine feed sources still contain harmful contaminants such as metals,
and persistent organic pollutants such as dioxins and PCBs. Ways of removing these pollutants
without limiting the positive nutrient compounds need to be explored.
One chapter of the report specifically deals with the health risks associated with infectious agents in
seafood. Certain bacteria, bacterial toxins and viruses pose potential problems relating to
contamination risks, growth conditions during storage and preservation, rapid identification methods,
and health risks involving infection through seafood.
Parasites are a widespread phenomenon. With the increased consumption of raw fish, the risk of
infecting humans grows. There is also uncertainty as to the role of sensitisation to allergenic proteins
in the parasites. Effective identification methods are still lacking, and greater understanding of
parasite biology is needed. Further processing and distribution of seafood entails special challenges in
dealing with human-pathogenic bacteria in processing, transport, storage and preservation.
Summary:
Safe seafood – risk factors along the entire value chain from fjord to table for wild and farmed seafood. A report on knowledge needs
Research has shown that personnel involved in sales, all the way to the consumer and especially in
the final stage, are often not trained in removing spoiled fish before human pathogenic bacteria have
formed in amounts that can cause infection.
New ways of preparing and consuming fish (e.g. sushi) involve special requirements in order to
ensure food safety. Traditionally, Norway has had little knowledge in these areas. Transport to and
from other parts of the world also involves contamination risks and raises sustainability issues.
Toxins produced in marine algae are a major problem for the shellfish industry and for individuals
who collect molluscs to eat along the coast. There are monitoring routines in place to protect the
public from marine algal toxins, but too much is still unknown about the basic biology of toxin
production, analytical methods, and the impacts of toxins on health.
A better understanding of the role of seafood in public health requires comprehensive knowledge
about the consumption of seafood in all parts of the population, as well as reliable data on nutrients,
other health-promoting substances and pollutants. There is a need for a greater number of and more
detailed studies – including controlled clinical studies – on the significance of fish in the diet for
health. Furthermore, consumer and market perceptions determine to a large extent the prominence of
fish and other seafood in the diet, as well as affect value creation in the industry. Consumer
perceptions of health and risks associated with fish consumption and of the quality of the seafood sold
are critical in determining whether products will be included in the public’s diet. In addition, the
ethical and sustainability aspects of wild catch, production and distribution must harmonise with
consumer values.
The most important knowledge needs within each area are outlined below. The report goes into detail
about the state-of-the-art and knowledge needs in these areas. Research tasks are complex, and the
committee has roughly estimated total research costs in the range of NOK 54 to 66 million per year
for the next four years.
Research tasks
Wild and production fish
ƒ Develop analytical methods and map the content of harmful substances, nutrients and healthpromoting substances in Norwegian and imported seafood.
ƒ Enhance knowledge about the effects of seasons, geography, pollution levels, and
climate/weather conditions on seafood safety. Norwegian fjords may be used advantageously
as a model in such studies.
ƒ Generate knowledge about the suitability of genetically modified fish as food, and develop
methods of identifying genetically modified fish.
Feed for use in aquaculture
ƒ Increase knowledge about the significance of feed composition in preventing production fish
and other seafood containing harmful compounds such as organic environmental toxins,
metals, residual medications, residual pesticides, etc.
ƒ Generate knowledge about how feed composition affects the nutrient content and healthpromoting effects of fish.
ƒ Continue refining suitable analytical methods to indicate the presence of harmful substances
and various nutrients and other health-promoting substances in feed and seafood.
Summary:
Safe seafood – risk factors along the entire value chain from fjord to table for wild and farmed seafood. A report on knowledge needs
Biological risk factors
ƒ Enhance knowledge about changes in biological risk factors (bacterial viruses, prions and
parasites), their distribution (geographically and in various products), and characteristics that
affect food safety.
ƒ Further develop suitable analytical methods to indicate the presence of biological pathogenic
agents in seafood and their environment.
Processing and distribution
ƒ Generate knowledge about how future processing methods and distribution patterns will
affect food safety.
ƒ Continue refining suitable analytical methods to indicate the presence of pathogenic agents in
seafood at different stages of the production process.
Marine algal toxins
ƒ Conduct studies of the various toxin groups and studies of potentially compounding effects
when toxins from several groups occur simultaneously in molluscs.
ƒ Further develop analytical methods for the various toxin groups, both chemical analytical
methods and rapid methods.
ƒ Continue conducting studies of accumulation, metabolism and detoxification of algal toxins
in molluscs and other shellfish.
ƒ Enhance knowledge about factors that influence the blooming of toxin-producing algae,
variations in toxicity level in molluscs within individual production facilities, optimal location
of facilities, and better monitoring methods.
ƒ Conduct toxicological studies of fish toxins (effects on fish and other marine organisms and
accumulation in various organs).
ƒ Develop monitoring methods and plans for dealing with fish toxins to avoid major losses of
production fish.
Human health
ƒ Collect better data on seafood consumption: which fish species and shellfish are being
consumed, how they are consumed in households, and consumer trends over time.
ƒ Construct databases of the occurrence of harmful substances and of nutrients and other
healthy compounds.
ƒ Increase knowledge about the impacts on health of seafood in the diet in general terms and
with regard to individual compounds (harmful substances, nutrients and other healthpromoting substances).
The market and consumers
ƒ Generate knowledge about the factors that shape people’s perceptions of risk.
ƒ Analyse the problems of quality associated with fresh seafood from a value chain perspective.
ƒ Create a knowledge base on and potential standards for sustainable distribution chains for
seafood.
ƒ Gain knowledge about how delegating responsibility between private and public control
systems affects consumers’ perceptions of risk and trust, and to what extent these perceptions
correspond with real risks.
Summary:
Safe seafood – risk factors along the entire value chain from fjord to table for wild and farmed seafood. A report on knowledge needs