Have you ever wondered how your favorite sushi roll or grilled salmon ends up on your plate? It’s nice to imagine a freshly caught salmon or tuna steak delivered directly from the fishing boat to your sushi chef, prepared and served within hours.
It may be a shock, then, to learn that according to common wisdom (meaning we couldn’t actually find the current FDA guidance on the subject), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations stipulate that any seafood intended to be consumed raw -- be it in sushi, sashimi, ceviche, or tartare -- must first undergo a freezing process designed to eradicate parasites, ensuring the fish is safe for consumption. In fact, nearly all seafood, except tuna, must be frozen for between 24 hours and seven days before it can be thawed and served as “fresh.”
It turns out that even the term “fresh” is simply a marketing term, and the fresh fish served with pride at high-end restaurants and your local grocery store has been frozen and stored, perhaps for months, before it reaches your plate.
That’s just a bit disappointing, eh?
Is it Fresh? Is it Frozen?
When it comes to the culinary world, the debate between fresh and frozen seafood is as old as the industry itself. Traditionally, fresh fish has been hailed as the pinnacle of flavor and quality, and top chefs worldwide agree that the extraordinary flavor profile of fresh seafood is unparalleled.
So how can seafood lovers in the US experience that kind of transcendent experience? Happily, there’s good news on the horizon. Using a relatively new practice called recirculating aquaculture (RAS), the dream of enjoying the superior flavor of freshly caught seafood, no matter where you are, can now be a reality.
This revolutionary approach produces exceptionally fresh seafood, even in landlocked areas. Fish, shrimp, and other aquatic delicacies are raised in a highly controlled environment, with minimal transportation time between the farm and your plate, elevating the freshness quotient to a level that wild-caught and frozen seafood find hard to match.
Enter Recirculating Aquaculture Systems
Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) is a form of closed-loop fish farming that uses the latest technologies and techniques to create an extremely efficient, self-contained system for raising aquatic creatures. RAS systems leverage cutting-edge technology to ensure an immaculate environment for seafood production, from hatching to harvest. The water in these systems is continuously cleaned and disinfected, eliminating the risk of parasites and other water-borne diseases common in traditional open-water farms and wild-caught fish.
In recirculating aquaculture, the water passes through a series of filters to remove solid waste, after which it is treated to remove ammonia, a harmful byproduct of fish waste. Following the filtration, the water is further disinfected using UV light, which kills any potential pathogens that may have survived the filtration process.
This meticulous process ensures that the aquatic life in RAS systems is healthy, and the seafood produced is safe to eat, even when it’s legitimately fresh. With RAS, you can get an unparalleled experience of enjoying fresh sushi or your favorite seafood dish, knowing it’s not only delicious but safe and sustainably produced.
Today’s Traditional Aquaculture: A Mixed Bag
Since the 1980s, the popularity of sushi has skyrocketed, and fish have been lauded by doctors and nutrition experts alike as a delicious, healthy source of Omega-3 fatty acids and other essential nutrients. Unfortunately, the demand for fresh seafood has far outpaced the capacity of traditional open-water aquaculture to meet it.
Aquaculture currently provides about 50% of the world’s seafood. However, it’s not without its challenges. Traditional aquaculture methods can be intensely harmful to the environment, causing water pollution, habitat destruction, and the spread of diseases, not to mention their reliance on antibiotics and chemical fertilizers or their contribution to high carbon dioxide emissions. These consequences raise serious concerns about the sustainability of the industry.
Fresh Seafood with a Clean Conscience: Recirculating Aquaculture Systems
Even with the focus on healthy eating, consumer demands are evolving to encompass an even broader perspective. With an increasing awareness of the environmental impact of food production, many customers are now seeking sustainably sourced seafood. They want their fish fresh, healthy, and guilt-free. But how can the industry keep up with these demands while maintaining profitability?
Recirculating aquaculture systems provide an innovative solution for meeting the demand for fresh, sustainably produced seafood. These closed-loop systems simulate natural aquatic environments, enabling intensive fish production with significantly reduced water use and environmental impact.
