AQUACULTURE FOOD SAFETY AND DISEASE MANAGEMENT; …A NEW PARADIGM

Aquaculture is the primary component of the seafood trade which makes up the largest traded food group in the world.   More than all grains, banana, cocoa, rice, and all other meats combined. Aquaculture products are also the primary source of protein for one fifth of the world's population, mainly in the developing world.  This is extremely important for food security because the world's population is expected to grow from 6.8 to 9.2 billion in 2050, causing the demand for food to increase 110%.  This will result in a huge demand…an opportunity… for aquaculture products. However, there are serious food safety concerns with aquacultured products. These concerns include the presence of unsafe residues, pathogens, and the potential to contribute to antimicrobial resistance. When food safety problems are found there are a range of negative impacts. These include significant costs to producers, processors, buyers, importers, and the regulatory agencies, market disruptions, an increase in the negative perception of aquaculture, lost markets, etc.   This talk will describe a new way of approaching aquaculture food safety, minimizing the risk of trade interruptions due to food safety concerns, and an approach to obtaining more customer confidence in aquaculture.