The website receives more than 1,000 visitors a day. |
With frequent media reports on everything from the safety of seafood from China to concerns about mercury in fish to the amazing health benefits of seafood, it's understandable that consumers can be confused by the mixed messages. The seafood industry, too, must stay on top of the latest information, as well as safety and quality regulations.
The place where both industry and consumers can turn to find the latest, best, and most comprehensive information on seafood safety and quality is the Seafood Network Information Center, or SeafoodNIC, a website hosted by California Sea Grant's Seafood Extension Program.
"We know there is confusion out there," says Pamela Tom, director of SeafoodNIC. "We're frustrated by it and want to get a uniform message across about the benefits and risk. Consumers need sound, science-based information to help them select what fish to eat."
SeafoodNIC is an Internet portal that provides extensive information on national and international importing and processing regulations. It features hundreds of files and links to seafood resources at universities and more than 50 national and international agencies and organizations.
Trainers and educators in seafood safety access key resources on the site, as well as information on seafood nutrition, food labeling, and potential contaminants. The information offered to consumers includes advice on how to spot a safe seafood seller and how to properly prepare and store seafood. It even provides links to recipes.
The website, http://seafood.ucdavis.edu, receives more than 1,000 visitors a day and is used by seafood processors, distributors, importers, inspectors, retailers, analytical laboratories, teachers, researchers, and consumers.
SeafoodNIC was the brainchild of the late Robert J. Price, who retired as the leader of California Sea Grant's seafood technology unit and who was a mentor to Tom.
"I inherited the site after he retired," Tom recalls.
The site was designed to assist the seafood industry and regulators in implementing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's 1995 Seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation, which ensures the marketing of safe seafood in the U.S.
The first version of SeafoodNIC began in 1995 and predated the World Wide Web. It evolved to the Web version in 1997.
Along with the website, Tom manages two Internet mailing lists—the Seafood HACCP discussion list and the California Seafood Industry Outreach list.
In 2005, Tom was recognized as "technologist of the biennium" by the International Association of Fish Inspectors for utilizing the Internet as an outreach tool to communicate seafood safety and quality information.
"We're very pleased to be able to provide this service," Tom says. "It's received worldwide recognition, and people rely on the site for information."
She adds, "This is a wonderful resource for the seafood community."
To view the Seafood Network Information Center, point your browser to http://seafood.ucdavis.edu. For more information, contact Pamela Tom at (530) 752-3837, or pdtom@ucdavis.edu.
