Seafood Quality, Safety, and Health Applications: An Overview

Abstract

In 2007, the world's fish production was around 145 million tonnes, valued at approximately US$92 billion. Of the total amount of production, approximately 75% was used for human consumption and the remaining portion used to produce fish meal and fish oil or discarded [1,2]. With more than 30,000 known species, fish form the largest group in the animal kingdom used to produce animal-based foods. Only about 700 of these species are commercially fished and used for food production [3]. Moreover, several species of crustaceans, molluscans, and seaweeds, as well as microalgae, are used as food for humans. Devising strategies for full utilization of seafoods and their by-products to produce value-added novel products (e.g. long chain omega-3 (n-3 or -3) fatty acids, specialty enzymes, protein hydrolysates, peptides, chitin/chitosan, glucosamine, squalene, collagen, carotenoids, etc.) is of great interest.Some important aspects such as quality, safety, and health effects of seafoods are considered in this book. These factors contribute to optimal utilization of the marine resources together with the consequent maximization of health benefits. This overview chapter highlights these important aspects of seafoods.

Effect of Grape Seed Extracts on the Melanosis and Quality of Pacific White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) during Iced Storage

“…Phenol polymerization is mainly initiated by the action of an enzymatic complex-PPO (Alasalvar et al, 2011 (Nirmal and Benjakul, 2012b). Natural compounds such as ergothioneine from mushroom, mimosine from lead (Leucaena leucocephala) was shown to inhibit the PPO of shrimp and crab Benjakul, 2011a, 2011c;Encarnacion et al, 2011aEncarnacion et al, , 2011bEncarnacion et al, , 2012.…”

Consumer Food System Participation: A Community Analysis

“…Fishing and hunting may facilitate consumption of particular foods, at least seasonally. Fishing for food may affect risk of contamination from fish caught in polluted waters (Alasalvar et al 2010), but consumption of fish is also associated with lower morbidity and mortality (Takata et al 2013). Preserving foods through freezing and canning promotes consumption of particular foods, and procedures used to preserve foods (e.g., salting) affect its nutritional value.…”

Seaweed Carotenoid, Fucoxanthin, as Functional Food

“…Seasonal variations in fucoxanthin nutritional content (Fung et al 2013) could also affect health claims and nutritional efficacy. Fucosterol is a structural component of algal lipid membranes which has been shown to have antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, and hepatoprotective properties in animal trials (Alasalvar et al 2011;Jung et al 2013;Lee et al 2003). Prabhasankar et al (2009) However, in Japan, a government-certified functional food ingredient has recently been commercially developed from kombu (Saccharina japonica) containing 1-5% fucoxanthin.…”