Hope for fishermen may come in the form of salmon-based baby foods

August 13, 2006
The Journal (AK)
By LAINE WELCH

Food scientists from the Midwest believe the time is right for customers to accept salmon-based baby foods. Two leading researchers from the University of Illinois/College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences recently visited several Alaska processing plants in Kodiak and Seward. Both have backgrounds in the meat industry, and they were amazed and impressed with seafood production and procedures.

"I expected the plants to be small operations, but they are huge," said food chemist Susan Brewer after visiting Kodiak's Ocean Beauty and Alaska Pacific Seafoods plants. "They are very mechanized and have processing equipment I've never seen. The workers were all so professional and efficient. It was a real education - especially pumping the fish off the boats."

After watching rockfish fillets being flash frozen and boxed for shipment, and fresh salmon making its way along processing lines minutes after being offloaded from a tender boat, meat scientist Floyd McKeith said, "without a doubt," Alaska has what it takes to create more seafood offerings. "You've got the plants, the people and very high-quality raw materials that will produce excellent products. It's an opportunity for the fish industry to explore alternative ways to add more value here in Alaska before it leaves the state. That's the name of the game across all muscle foods in the U.S., and we're here to help."

McKeith and Brewer agree that increased awareness of the healthfulness of wild salmon helps set the stage for acceptance by baby food manufactures. They caution, however, that geography might initially dictate success in the marketplace. "In the Midwest or Southwest, it might be very challenging. On the West and East coasts, I assume there would be more opportunities because people there eat much more fish. It depends on how it is marketed," McKeith said.

Brewer, who also is a nutrition specialist, said fish-based baby foods are far more likely to be accepted today than 10 or 20 years ago. "Partly because our food habits have changed and there is much more ethnic diversity. People are also more informed about nutrition, and there is tremendous interest in health and wellness in this generation of parents than ever before," she said.

The fact that salmon is now so familiar to Americans also is a big plus. "We can buy salmon every day in our local supermarkets in the Midwest, and it is always on the menus at upscale restaurants. That wasn't the case 10 years ago. If the gatekeepers, especially the moms, eat it and like it, they will feed it to their kids," Brewer said. "Food habits are shaped up (when a child reaches) 5 years old. If they are not introduced to fish by then, chances are they won't choose it later on. Getting to kids early is the key."

The Illinois scientists are collaborating on the federally funded, multi-year project with University of Alaska researchers at Kodiak's Fishery Industrial Technology Center, with oversight from the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation. Along with salmon baby foods - pate and chunk style - the researchers are also developing packaged salmon chunks for salads and shelf-stable salmon powders and sprinkles that can be added to do-it-yourself dips, sauces and cheese spreads.

Date: 8/13/2006