Food & Drink
Designed to survive David Hewitt, Asia sales manager for Loma Systems, discusses the
requirement for food quality control in the Asian aquaculture market As with most manufacturing industries, the
competitive forces both around the world and within Malaysia have demanded that the food industry make significant strides toward production automation, and with this has come the need for automated quality control and inspection. The food processing sector accounts for 10 per cent of Malaysian manufacturing output, with processed foods being exported to more than 80 countries worldwide. The Malaysia seafood industry is the second largest food export industry in the country with a total export value over $2.5 billion annually.
Since the late 1990s the Asian aquaculture market has seen a phenomenal growth and is up nearly 119 per cent. Production is projected to increase from 1 280 907 tonne to 933 300 tone in 2010. This rapid growth in aquaculture production has made the sector vital to the Asian economy and in the case of some primary traded aquatic product, the sector has become an important source of supply or the main supplier.
The current significant growth in the Asian export trade can be attributed to two major influences. The particular climate has optimised the farming of fish in the region attracting a number of
Loma CW3
DragLink checkweighers are a versatile and highly accurate solution for in motion weighing of all types of packaged products
international investors. Additionally, the boom in tourism has increased consumer demand for the availability of local fish in western supermarkets.
Asian markets such as China, Korea, Thailand and Malaysia will expand as local economies grow and consumers demand more seafood. Two major traded products in Asia aquaculture are shrimp and prawns. Malaysia currently controls 3% of the world shrimp export, with Thailand holding 25% of the total world export. The demand for these alone is expected to increase in the forthcoming years and therefore will need correct development in food production methods to ensure sustainability. With increasing pressure to meet demands and the market developing at such a pace there is the requirement for accurate, reliable and safe inspection systems in production and processing plants.
Increasing awareness among consumers about food quality has fast tracked the requirement for accurate food inspection systems in processed fish, for both international trade and home consumption. As international trade increases so does the risk of potential contaminants. This has resulted in a common realisation for an integrated solution to food safety, therefore, developing a market need for leading suppliers in food safety inspection systems. Investment in these systems will ensure product integrity and support the long-term future trade in Asian aquaculture products.
The number of checkweighers and metal detectors protecting Asian food processing plants has increased dramatically. They have developed to become key processing systems for the modern food manufacturer. The fundamental role for metal
24 Solids & Bulk Handling • August 2010
www.solidsandbulk.co.uk
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