Game

Reindeer

Fish

Aquaculture

Economics and society


	Natural resources		Food production		Aquaculture Forum

Game-, Reindeer- and AquaFood Research Program – GRAF :


»	Consumer needs and expectations in the global markets

»	Healthy, tasty, and high-quality food products

»	Diverse and sustainable food production

»	Changes in livelihoods and business sector competitiveness


»	Projects
	•	Developing Reindeer husbandry and Reindeer meat market
	•	Markets for products of captive fisheries
	•	BENEFISH – the economic impact of the welfare of fish in European fish farming
	•	Development of fish product quality research
	•	Effects of live-chilling on product quality
	•	Regulating the sexual maturity of rainbow trout in food fish production
	•	Improving fish quality
	•	The quality of European whitefish in the supply chain
	•	Electric stunning of vendace
	•	Action plan for sustainable aquaculture in Åland
	•	Effects of location guidance on the fish farming economy
	•	Environmental investment in fish farming
	•	Diversifying aquaculture
	•	Research on the selective breeding of whitefish
	•	Research on production biology
	•	New wave
	•	Software for assessing the profitability of fish farming
	•	Economic success factors of the reindeer husbandry
	•	Fish Consumption and the Catering Sector
	•	Utilization of less-valuable fish material in food, feed and bioenergy

The quality of European whitefish in the supply chain

European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) farming is increasing rapidly in Finland. Increased production changes the use of raw materials in the supply chain of whitefish. Both the raw material and the products should be further developed in order to maintain the profitability of the chain. The relevant quality characteristics should be well known, so that the raw material can be processed into the most suitable products.

The goal of the project

This project examines whitefish product quality, its health-promoting characteristics and the markets for it. Whitefish of different origin (i.e. farmed domestic, wild domestic and imported) will be studied from the following standpoints:

Seasonal variation in quality
The effect of frozen storage on the quality of whitefish
Suitability of raw materials for added-value processing, i.e. hot-smoking
Whitefish supply

Photo: Susanna Airaksinen

Results

The results of the project are widely applicable in the supply chain of whitefish. Results are expected to offer consumers and decision-makers information on the health-promoting characteristics and safety of whitefish products. For fishermen and fish farmers, the project produces information on the quality of whitefish as a raw material and its applicability for different purposes. Thus, primary producers are able to develop their products to better meet the needs of the processing industry and consumers. The processors gain basic information on the characteristics of different raw materials and the effects of freezing and smoking on the quality of the raw material. With the help of information produced by the project it is possible to design more specific product development projects within the supply chain.

Scientist in charge of project

Susanna Airaksinen
Turku Game and Fisheries research
Itäinen Pitkäkatu 3, FIN-20540 Turku
Phone 0205 751 688
e-mail: firstname.lastname@rktl.fi

Other research staff: Markku Vaajala, Kari Ruohonen, Jari Setälä, Kaija Saarni

Cooperation

University of Turku: Department of Biochemistry and Food Chemistry, National Public Health Institute

Duration: 2006–2008

Text version