Why the Fishing Industry Relies on Food Preservation Technology
It’s a bold statement, but it’s true: The fishing industry would be merely a fraction of what it is today if it weren’t for the availability of food preservation technology. Currently, seafood is the largest traded food commodity globally, and it is estimated that about three billion people worldwide consume farmed and wild-caught seafood as their primary source of protein. That is almost 40% of all people living on Earth today.
Given the massive reliance on this food source, the global fishing industry in 2017 was valued at just over $240 billion. This figure is expected to almost double to just shy of $440 billion by 2026. Casting our view to the local market, in South Africa alone this industry is worth about R6 billion per year. Not only that, but this industry also provides employment to more than 27 000 people locally in the commercial sector. All of these jobs are responsible for looking after thousands more, as it supports the families of the employed. And food preservation technology makes this possible.
While this is a hard fact, it is certainly not meant to take any credit from the hardworking people in the fishing industry. In fact, if anything, food preservation technology has led to an increase in work and opportunities within the industry. This is because it enables a significant market increase – without this technology, seafood would only be available to consumers that live within close proximity of the source. Sure, modern transport might be able to get it from Cape Town to Johannesburg in two hours, but it would still need to be consumed within hours of arriving, and it wouldn’t be economically viable.
However, the development of preservation technology has enabled us to increase the shelf life of fishing products, which, in turn, has enabled the storage of seafood and made distribution so much easier.
How to Extend Shelf Life
There are two ways in which food preservation technology works to extend the shelf life of fishing products:
- It Ensures the Health and Safety of the Food
Seafood products can go bad very easily. This is due to exposure to air and heat, handling as well as bacteria. Certain fish additives are specifically developed to remove superficial bacteria, inhibit enzymatic processes, and stop oxidation from causing seafood to spoil.
- It Helps Seafood Maintain Its Appeal
Consumers rely on more than only the safety of a food type. For sustained consumption patterns, food also needs to be appealing to the diner. To ensure that the appeal of seafood is maintained, even after handling, storage and distribution, additives are used to preserve the colour, texture, and flavour.
Tequisa is a leading supplier of seafood preservation technology to the fishing industry, both locally and internationally. First established in Spain in 1983, Tequisa has been active in South Africa since 1995. In this time, we’ve continued to raise the benchmark in seafood preservation technology by developing over 100 products that cover the demands of the food industry. For more information on our wide range of products and to request a quote for our fish additives, get in touch with the expert team at Tequisa today.
