Seafood Analytics, along with its revolutionary Certified Quality Reader (CQR) hand-held tool, returned to the largest seafood trade event in North America, the Seafood Expo & Seafood Processing North America in Boston, March 19-21, 2017 for its third consecutive year. Since last year’s Seafood Expo the company quickly expanded into new markets and fish species while bringing on new partners and implementing new applications. Key leadership of Seafood Analytics featured speakers during this year’s Seafood Expo.

Seafood Analytics’ CQR is a handheld, non-invasive instantaneous screening and data collection device that uses electrical currents to provide objective cellular quality for seafood. The device works by measuring how much the cells inside the fish species change over time depending on conditions. The measurements can be taken anywhere from catch to freezing, or catch to consumption. The ability to take repeatable, accurate and quantifiable measurements of seafood has been a welcome addition to guaranteeing its quality and freshness, and the CQR continues to revolutionize the entire seafood industry.

“Whether you are a fisherman, processor, distributer, buyer, retailer, restaurateur or consumer, the age old question, “How fresh is this seafood?” can now be answered objectively and with certainty using our CQR device,” said Michael Liedtke, Co-founder, Seafood Analytics. “The CQR is in action every day, solving the age old industry problem when it comes to determining the freshness and quality of seafood along the supply chain—now real-time instant measurements allows anyone to touch a fish with our device and get a complete analysis of the quality and freshness of their seafood,” added Liedtke.

Seafood Analytics has expanded to the following areas of the supply chain since last year’s Seafood Expo:

• Top 10 Global Grocery Chain – Seafood Analytics is working with a top 10 global grocery chain distribution centers to increase quality and freshness of its seafood.
• Top 5 Foodservice Distributors – Seafood Analytics is working with a top 5 foodservice distributor to show how inbound and outbound objective quality measurements can better help with inventory management and supplier selection.
• Top 10 Harvesters/Processors Handling Applications – Seafood Analytics has implemented initiatives with two of the top 10 harvesters/processors providing a clear value proposition of the CQR in proper handling practices, icing techniques and overall care of the fish.

Additionally, many any other companies in each of these industry segments are now utilizing the CQR to analyze their seafood product to increase quality/freshness, reduce shrink loss, manage inventory, determine inbound supplier selection and set pricing strategies accordingly to highlight quality.

Seafood Analytics also recently collaborated with Ecotrust, Oregon State University and three small fleet fisheries on the west coast to address questions of frozen seafood freshness. The first question answered by the consumer panel of over 100 people revealed that they preferred frozen, or thought the frozen product was as good or better than the non-frozen (“fresh”) counterpart. A second question showed that 95% of the consumers would change their buying habits if an objective quality of fish was known. Data also showed that the fish quality measured prior to freezing scored above 65, while non-frozen fillets after traveling down the supply chain fresh scored less than 35. Science proves that freezing halts degradation and by measuring product prior to freezing the CQR can prove it while providing much-needed confidence to the consumer. Frozen seafood is easier to ship, has a much longer shelf life, has very little shrink and can provide consumers with a high-quality product.

“Seafood Analytics continues to shift the industry from subjective to objective quality, which is having tremendous ramifications within the industry. We are empowering the entire supply chain to more efficiently manage inventory for the benefit of the end consumer,” said Dr. Keith Cox, Co- founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Seafood Analytics. “The introduction of a 21st century technology to one of the oldest industries keeps opening new chapters and can improve quality, increase efficiencies and provide solutions to everyone within the fisheries supply chain,” added Cox.

Seafood Analytics is in the process of developing a ‘Certified Quality Seafood’ Certification (CQSC). With the use of the CQR device, suppliers will be able to promote their ‘Certified Quality Seafood’ allowing seafood buyers to locate suppliers who sell only the highest quality seafood that has been objectively measured by the CQR. Seafood sellers will also be able to certify their products through the certification program and market to their customers that their product is the highest quality. Buyers and sellers can learn more about this certification program at www.certifiedqualityseafood.com.