Seas of Change
With funding from Project HELIX, the Food Technology Centre was able to support the Seas of Change project by focusing on the product development and how to process the offshore mussels to sell to customers.
BACKGROUND
With European Union funding through the Welsh Government, a partnership was formed between Bangor University and a local shellfish business, Menai Seafood Company, to develop sustainable ways to farm mussels around Wales.
Under the umbrella of the Seas of Change, the project trialled several different longline systems to grow mussels, suspending reusable ropes in the clean waters several kilometres off the coast in Conwy Bay.
In these highly productive waters, the mussels settled naturally and thrived without any additional inputs. The Seas of Change project is now celebrating their offshore shellfish production as one of the most sustainable ways to produce mussels.
SUPPORT RECEIVED FROM THE FOOD TECHNOLOGY CENTRE
With funding from Project HELIX, the Food Technology Centre was able to support the Seas of Change project by focusing on the product development and how to process the offshore mussels to sell to customers.
Assigned with a food technologist the project was guided through every process that they needed to meet regarding food safety and legal requirements to sell their produce to the public.
BENEFITS OF THE SUPPORT
Dr Julie Webb, from Bangor University said, “Working together with the Food Technology Centre in Llangefni has been such a positive experience, from well thought out product concept development to ensuring processing was in full compliance with food safety and legal requirements.
“We would recommend any food and drink business in North Wales who need any guidance to contact the Food Technology Centre.”
