250
Appendices – Round Table Summaries
Giuseppe Arcangeli, Istituto Zooprofilattico delle Venezie, Italy Effect of High Hydrostatic Pressure on Murine Norovirus in Manila Clams. The study investigated the
ability of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) to inactivate murine norovirus (MNV-1),
a surrogate for noroviruses in experimentally infected Manila clams. Virus vitality
post-treatment was assessed showing that HHPat 500 MPa for 1 min was effective
in inactivating MNV-1.
Gordon Neal, Aqualife North America, Inc. Aqualife technology for Maintaining
Safety and Quality. The Cleantech process allows long haul transport of live aquatic
animals (fish, crustaceans, mollusks) by providing short-term storage, cooling and
acclimation of live seafood before loading and after arrival through the use of
Aquaports. Aquaports purify water using ozone, ultraviolet and membrane filtration
to remove marine biotoxins, invasive species and other contaminants.
The Industry Panel was expanded to include discussions by Lea Murphy of
Prince Edward Aqua Farms in Canada; Chris Roberts of Environment Canada, Bill
Watkins of the US Food and Drug Administration, David Kingsley of the US Department of Agriculture Research Service; and Tom Howell, Spinney Creek Shellfish in Maine, USA. Discussions focused on post-harvest treatment, particularly
high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and depuration.
Depuration. Prince Edward Aqua Farms in New London, PEI, processes mussels,
softshell clams, quahogs and oysters. In business since 1989, the company has used
an existing saltwater well for their licensed depuration facility (1,000 gallons/min)
for oysters and clams, sometimes using the facility to wet store mussels. There
can be an elevation in temperature or salinity mitigated by ambient water. The
question arose regarding high iron content in saltwater wells (France) but the well
in New London has not had iron problems. The Spinney Creek facility in Maine
processes soft-shell clams and oysters sourced from Canada south to the MidAtlantic states. Currently they are modernizing the depuration process focused
on reducing noroviruses. They work closely with the ISSC Lab Methods Review
Committee to validate the use of male-specific coliphage as an indicator.
High hydrostaticpressure (HHP). There is considerable interest in the use of
HHP to reduce vibrios and viruses, the latter work being done by the USDA
Agricultural Research Service in Delaware. HHP is used in Newfoundland (the plant
cost was >1 million USD) to process crabs and in Maine to remove lobster meat
from the shell. In Newfoundland, shellfish is processed, cooked, sometimes using
modified atmosphere packaging (not acceptable for export to the US). Concern was
expressed that molluscs processed by HHP are no longer alive, affecting shelf-life.
The industry is very concerned about the consumer acceptance and additional cost.
In a recent study in Florida it was found that consumers prefer the standard product
and are not willing to pay extra for post-harvest processed oysters. Shelf life is
equivalent to refrigerated fresh product.
Additional discussion focused on the costs of Aqualife’s new transport system.
Costs are reduced by less packaging, reduction of carbon footprint and much lower
transport costs than air freight. Oysters and clams are preferred as mussels tend
to clump up and adhere to the containers. The EU produces a large quantity of
Appendices – Round Table Summaries
Giuseppe Arcangeli, Istituto Zooprofilattico delle Venezie, Italy Effect of High Hydrostatic Pressure on Murine Norovirus in Manila Clams. The study investigated the
ability of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) to inactivate murine norovirus (MNV-1),
a surrogate for noroviruses in experimentally infected Manila clams. Virus vitality
post-treatment was assessed showing that HHPat 500 MPa for 1 min was effective
in inactivating MNV-1.
Gordon Neal, Aqualife North America, Inc. Aqualife technology for Maintaining
Safety and Quality. The Cleantech process allows long haul transport of live aquatic
animals (fish, crustaceans, mollusks) by providing short-term storage, cooling and
acclimation of live seafood before loading and after arrival through the use of
Aquaports. Aquaports purify water using ozone, ultraviolet and membrane filtration
to remove marine biotoxins, invasive species and other contaminants.
The Industry Panel was expanded to include discussions by Lea Murphy of
Prince Edward Aqua Farms in Canada; Chris Roberts of Environment Canada, Bill
Watkins of the US Food and Drug Administration, David Kingsley of the US Department of Agriculture Research Service; and Tom Howell, Spinney Creek Shellfish in Maine, USA. Discussions focused on post-harvest treatment, particularly
high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and depuration.
Depuration. Prince Edward Aqua Farms in New London, PEI, processes mussels,
softshell clams, quahogs and oysters. In business since 1989, the company has used
an existing saltwater well for their licensed depuration facility (1,000 gallons/min)
for oysters and clams, sometimes using the facility to wet store mussels. There
can be an elevation in temperature or salinity mitigated by ambient water. The
question arose regarding high iron content in saltwater wells (France) but the well
in New London has not had iron problems. The Spinney Creek facility in Maine
processes soft-shell clams and oysters sourced from Canada south to the MidAtlantic states. Currently they are modernizing the depuration process focused
on reducing noroviruses. They work closely with the ISSC Lab Methods Review
Committee to validate the use of male-specific coliphage as an indicator.
High hydrostaticpressure (HHP). There is considerable interest in the use of
HHP to reduce vibrios and viruses, the latter work being done by the USDA
Agricultural Research Service in Delaware. HHP is used in Newfoundland (the plant
cost was >1 million USD) to process crabs and in Maine to remove lobster meat
from the shell. In Newfoundland, shellfish is processed, cooked, sometimes using
modified atmosphere packaging (not acceptable for export to the US). Concern was
expressed that molluscs processed by HHP are no longer alive, affecting shelf-life.
The industry is very concerned about the consumer acceptance and additional cost.
In a recent study in Florida it was found that consumers prefer the standard product
and are not willing to pay extra for post-harvest processed oysters. Shelf life is
equivalent to refrigerated fresh product.
Additional discussion focused on the costs of Aqualife’s new transport system.
Costs are reduced by less packaging, reduction of carbon footprint and much lower
transport costs than air freight. Oysters and clams are preferred as mussels tend
to clump up and adhere to the containers. The EU produces a large quantity of