With funding from the National Sea Grant Program, New York Sea Grant and the National Aquaculture Association partnered to develop positive attitudes and perceptions about farm-raised seafood products in the foodservice community. By developing an appreciation of U.S. farm-raised seafood among educators, the project can reach thousands of culinary students who will become the new generation of celebrity chefs and food trend-setters.
Seafood is a daunting and confusing commodity with thousands of species farmed and fished in a variety of ways. However, most culinary schools do not offer a specific seafood course. To gain a better understanding of this sector and develop public relations strategies, the team constructed an in-depth survey to assess current attitudes, identify knowledge gaps and initiate conversations.
Initial results revealed that most educators realize that in order to provide seafood for future generations, we need to turn to aquaculture but there are concerns about sustainability, use of antibiotics, GMO products, environmental degradation, and impacts on wild stocks.
Trade school educators voiced concerns about the affordability of seafood. This severely limits the students' exposure to such products. Frozen seafood predominates with use of whole fish reserved for meat fabrication courses. If a local farmer provides product for the classroom, it is not only an opportunity to familiarize students with the product, but can also build markets and serve to develop a positive image of the farm.
Nutritional medicine is a trending topic in the foodservice community, however many educators are unaware of the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the FDA advice for pregnant women. Additionally, many educators perceived farmed seafood as less flavorful and nutritious than wild products. The level of unawareness of the seafood HACCP program and other seafood safety programs was distressing.
Salmon was the most commonly used product in the classrooms surveyed. A concern for the entire seafood industry is how to expand the market beyond the usual top ten seafood choices. Familiarizing chefs with abundant, affordable and available species can help spread the word and acquaint consumers with non- traditional seafood options especially when those species are not part of the traditional menu. These efforts seek to help build connections between the U.S. aquaculture industry and future chefs