50 December 2011 eat type of value added products are in considerable demand at the retail level by consumers who resist seafood because of its smell and cumbersome way of cleaning and cooking it. One of the largest growing value-added categories at this time is the Home Meal Replacement. Much of the world is catching on to what Europe has had to offer for nearly 20 years, with England, France and Germany being the leaders in this area. Consumer Preference Seafood’ consumers, particularly in the world’s richer economies, are demanding that retailers guarantee that the product they offer is not only of high quality and safe to eat but also that it derives from fisheries that are sustainable. For retailers to provide such guarantees, they must receive, together with the seafood, certificates guaranteeing the wholesomeness of the product, the product label correctly identify the species, the seafood originates in sustainable fisheries and the chain of custody is unbroken. As a consequence, several large-scale retailers are demanding certification for their own private standards schemes for food safety, quality and sustainability. In the near future, aquaculture must increasingly meet the consumers’ demands and generate products of consistently high quality. The consumers’perceptions depend on attitudes and beliefs about the products and their production. These attitudes are dynamic and can change depending on information and knowledge independent of any apparent characteristics of the end product. There are considerable changes in consumer preference within each country during the last 40 years. There is an increasing demand for value added products in the domestic market commensurate with the growth of upwardly mobile middle income groups especially in the metro cities. It is, therefore, incumbent on the industry to deal with the changed scenario in the domestic market and deal with it accordingly. Moreover, creating domestic niche markets for such products would provide risk coverage against any fluctuation and over dependence on the export market. It is expected that in days to come, a share of the seafood catch disposed fresh, would be utilized for processed products in various forms taking into account the domestic demand. With the world continually adapting to western style work ethics and policies, as well as cultural influences, the average person has less time to prepare food in the traditional way. Brazil is a great example of this. South Americans have traditionally had a close relationship with food and meals, choosing to enjoy the social and family aspects of meals. North Americans, notably the USA have a different approach to food and meals, typically regarding them as fuel, more than a ritual. As the value added and home meal replacement market grows, so grows quality control standards associated with the raw materials being used and the companies producing these products. It is generally felt that the increase in demand for these products globally will also have a positive effect on food safety and quality. This is the result of Fig. 3. Value-added products - diversification for shrimp Fig. 4. Value-added products available in the market service or person, that goes beyond the standard expectations and provides something “more” while adding little or nothing to its cost. Value-added features give competitive edges to companies with otherwise more expensive products. Value-added seafood products can be an innovative product, such as natural bonded shrimp, a new package, eco-labelling, a new cut, a ready-to-eat product, a gourmet quality product, a formed seafood product with multiple formats, shapes, dimensions and flavor profiles,such as seafood medallions, among others. These products should be market at a lower cost to compete with or replace similar higher cost conventional products. Heat and
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