Global Fresh Foods Ships Salmon Without Ice, Foam Packaging

Global Fresh Foods’ technology is being used to ship fresh salmon from Chile by sea to the West Coast of the US without using ice, environmentally harmful polystyrene foam packaging, or costly and CO2 emissions-intensive air freight, the company says.

GFF’s patented SAF-D system maintains a high CO2 and a low oxygen controlled atmosphere, using fuel cell technology to convert residual oxygen to water vapor. The company says this creates an environment well suited for the natural preservation of fresh proteins and extends fresh food shelf life.

The SAF-D system can incorporate 18 modules per 40-foot refrigerated ocean container. GFF says the SAF-D system modules extended shelf-life environments for more than 30 days for most fresh proteins, including seafood, red meats, poultry, bakery and other perishables. This means West Coast seafood distributors now have the option to receive fish by ocean freight, rather than by air, making it easier to provide a consistent supply of products around the world, according to the company.

CEO Mark Barnekow says GFF’s first Chilean salmon shipment to the West Coast shows that the seafood industry now has technology comparable to that of the perishable meat industry, where the supply chain process can be 40-50 days long. GFF’s technology will benefit suppliers, distributors and retailers, Barnekow says.

Global Fresh Foods collaborated with responsibly sourced seafood distributor Lusamerica Foods to bring the shipment to the West Coast. The company says it expects to continue its shipments of fresh salmon from Chile, extending from its current east coast program, as well as commencing shipments to Japan later this month.

Last month, Harney Sushi, a California restaurant, launched a program that uses edible technology — served on the sushi — to provide diners with sustainability information about the fish.

Also in March, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and other grocery retailers representing more than 2,000 stores across the US pledged to not sell genetically engineered seafood if it is approved by the Food and Drug Administration as the FDA conducts its final review of AquAdvantage Salmon, a genetically engineered Atlantic salmon.

Source: http://goo.gl/wJRU1