Dive Brief:
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Seafood Analytics has developed a handheld screening and data collection device that uses electrical currents to find the cellular quality of seafood products, according to Food Safety Tech.
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The device measures how much a fish's cells change over time. Measurements can be taken in different conditions — from catch to freezing or catch to consumption — and throughout the supply chain, including by grocery retailers, foodservice distributors and seafood processors.
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This new technology can help grocers and foodservice distributors evaluate the quality and freshness of seafood before they sell it, reduce waste and help manage inventory and quality-based pricing.
Dive Insight:
Few American consumers understand the seafood supply chain as intimately as they do the supply chains of more familiar protein sources like poultry, beef and pork. This can create a lack of confidence in seafood quality, both in terms of taste and safety.
Still, many consumers are venturing to the seafood case because they are purchasing less meat, either because of perceived health issues or concern for environmental impact. Most shoppers have at least some knowledge of mercury risks and sustainable fish sourcing, but seafood guides can be confusing and contradictory.
With this device, consumers no longer have to flip through various seafood guides or open apps on their phone to learn about a seafood product's quality. Seafood Analytics is developing a Certified Quality Seafood certification that would allow suppliers to promote their products as safe and fresh, and likely sell their fish for a higher price.
If consumers know that fish products have been scanned and deemed safe before sale, it could drive seafood sales. It will be interesting to see, however, if a certification sticker would be noticed among other packaging labels.