Future trace technology promises higher consumer confidence in Aussie prawn origins
The Australian prawn industry is buzzing about the potential for new trace technology for consumers to "know where their prawns come from" by confirming the geographical origins of Australian wild harvest and farmed prawn products.
The trace elements project aims to provide greater confidence to consumers about the origins of the prawns they are buying.
Prawn samples covering all of Australia's major wild catch fisheries and aquaculture prawn farms will be analysed by Source Certain International (SCI) for their identifying trace element profiles or environmental fingerprint by mid 2019.
Matt West, Australian Prawn Farmers Association (APFA) President, says the Australian prawn aquaculture sector is very excited about the potential for the project.
"Early results indicate that this technology will be an important tool in demonstrating provenance back to a region or farm," Mr West said.
"This technology will be a 'win win' for the prawn industry and consumers; as it will give the public certainty that if it says 'Australian prawns', then they are getting Australian prawns."
The project also supports the industry's investment in the "Love Australian Prawns" marketing campaign, which is aimed at encouraging consumers to buy Australian prawns.
Annie Jarrett, Australian Council of Prawn Fisheries (ACPF) Chair, says that robust traceability and provenance systems are areas of increasing importance to Australian consumers.
"Our industry wants to be able to scientifically verify the provenance of Australian prawns at any point in the supply chain globally," Ms Jarret said.
Cameron Scadding, Managing Director of SCI, agrees that consumers care where their food is from, and also where and how it has been processed.
"There is absolute value in the Australian brand and we look forward to working with the Australian prawn industry to build integrity and drive transparency into the entire prawn supply chain," Mr Scadding said.
The project database and profiling technology will be rolled out for utilisation through the supply chain and will be used to validate labelling claims – a definite win for consumers.
The project has been jointly funded by the ACPF, the APFA and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) through the School of Molecular and Life Sciences at Curtin University -
