Food and Fertilizer Technology Center - publications

Harvesting of seafood is continuously rising due to its increasing consumption for its many proven health benefits. This in effect has led to the abundance of by-products, as can be seen from the frozen and canned seafood industry in the Asian region where tons of exoskeleton are discarded annually. Commercial processing of aquatic foods requires removal of bones, skin, head, and viscera (by-products), which account for approximately 60-70g/100g of the weight. Most by-products have traditionally been sold cheaply for use in fishmeal production, hauled into the ocean, or dumped on land. Nowadays, however, fishery by-products are subject to strict environmental regulations due to limited land and increased environmental concerns such as groundwater contamination and foul odor. Compliance with environmental standards and a better understanding of the potential values of processing by-products for a variety of applications have resulted in technological innovations for seafood wastes as nutraceuticals and functional foods. Currently, there has been a growing interest in natural ingredients which are readily available from seafood discards. However, lack of adequate utilization technology to fully convert such wastes into value-added products must be seriously addressed. In view of the above, FFTC in cooperation with Kasetsart University (KU) of Thailand, the National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU), the Fisheries Research Institute (FRI) of Taiwan ROC, and the Council of Agriculture (COA), Taiwan ROC jointly organized and sponsored the international seminar on Improved Utilization of Fishery By-Products as Potential Nutraceuticals and Functional Food. Held at KU, Bangkok, Thailand, on 25-29 October 2010, the seminar primarily aimed to share and exchange relevant information and promising technologies on potential fishery by-product resources for value-added production into nutraceuticals and functional foods; as well as to promote and exchange seafood waste utilization technology and information among countries in the Asian region. The activity included three sessions: 1) Innovative utilization of fishery by-products; 2) Development of promising nutraceuticals; and 3) Development and improvement of functional foods. Fishery by-products developed and expected to have commercial values in the Asian and global markets were presented during the seminar. It was attended by 14 speakers (Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam) and about 50 organizers/local participants. We hope this book serves as a useful reference material for scientists, researchers and policy makers alike in initiating studies and policy measures to promote sustainable and responsible fisheries and aquaculture development, especially in the Asian region.