2008 European Seafood Exposition: here's what's in store at annual event: ESE joins forces with Seafood Processing Europe to offer industry one-stop shopping for products and processing equipment. And once again, innovative processors and marketers will compete head-on for coveted Seafood Prix D'Elite awards.

More than 1,600 exhibitors from some 80 counties are expected at the 16th Annual European Seafood Exposition (ESE) and 10th Annual Seafood Processing Europe (SPE), which will be held in Brussels, Belgium, April 22-24.

Last year's joint exhibitions drew nearly 24,000 visitors from 140 countries. Research has shown that those attending have a high level of purchasing power, with the average seafood buying company at ESE purchasing two million euros worth of seafood products per annum.

Running parallel to the ESE is the SPE, which offers the latest in processing and packaging technology and services. Visitors will find exhibitors for every aspect of seafood processing, including packaging.

The significance of the continually changing seafood industry ought not be underestimated. An official advisory of the UK Government has suggested that people should consume at least two portions of fish a week as a vital source of Omega-3, which in turn may guard against cancer and heart disease.

According to the United Nations' 2006 State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture Report, the estimated total world fishery production in 2005 amounted to 141.6 million tons, representing an eight percent increase from 2000. Global consumption has doubled since 1973 and is expected to rise a further 25% by 2015. As of 2004, the world fishing fleet numbered approximately four million units, meaning many millions of people are involved in this industry on a daily basis, reflecting the commercial importance of this industry to regions.

New this year at the ESE is a conference session on the issue of managing fishery resources: Sustainability, Today and Tomorrow. Panelists include Dan Lee, standards coordinator, Global Aquaculture Alliance; Bill Herzig, senior vice president of purchasing, Darden Restaurants; and Nicolas Guichoux, regional director-Europe, of the Marine Stewardship Council.

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What follows are just a sampling of the frozen seafood and seafood equipment exhibitors that will be making a splash at the 2008 ESE and SPE shows.

King crab split legs from Ibro Mar, Rotterdam, the Netherlands (www.ibromar.com), at Hall 6, Stand 1225, will be in high profile. Also new are smoked seafood canapes, in different flavors like sesame and rosemary, that can be simply defrosted and served as appetizers or snacks.

But what the company is really excited about is its super frozen tuna for use in sushi dishes. Super frozen tuna is caught by long line vessels and promptly frozen after harvest at -60[degrees] C or even colder.

Tuna frozen this way is really fresher than so-called fresh tuna, which even when shipped by air can be 11 to 14 days old, deteriorating all the while before it is ultimately consumed. Super frozen seafood, on the other hand, suffers no deterioration. In fact, it retains fresh-caught flavor as well as superb color and natural texture.

Ibro Mar has a new state-of-the art -60[degrees] C coldstore at the Port of Rotterdam, dedicated to just the super frozen category. This way end users can be sure of the quality of super frozen products will not diminish between the time of the fish is frozen and the time it is delivered to foodservice or retail outlets.

Beside the new items, IbroMar will also present its existing product range, including tuna loins and steaks, carpaccio, swordfish loins, steaks and saku, marlin loins, steaks and saku, butterfish loins, steaks and saku, snow crab, softshell crab, pangasius and tilapia.

The Atlantic Canada seafood industry (www.atlanticcanadaexports.ca) will be well represented at ESE, exhibiting a wide array of shellfish products in the Canada Pavilion at Patio Stand 4509--A4, A5, A7 and A9.

Among products on the menu for sampling and inspection will be lobster, sweet snow crab and plump mussels available at various price points and foodservice values--from haute cuisine and pub fare to bistro and cafe presentations.

"With over 40,000 kilometers of coastline, Atlantic Canada's culture is married to the sea," said Arthur Drysdale, senior planning and development officer of the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture. "Historic European trading routes are traceable back to the region's founding families. Even now, our seafood industry thrives because of family-owned and operated businesses, experienced in the export trade and committed to careful stewardship of our environment for future generations."

Harvested by skilled and licensed fishers who tend their own traps and navigate their own vessels, there is no other shellfish in the world that receives the same care and handling as Atlantic Canada's lobster, according to Drysdale.

"Because the sea is a vital part of Atlantic Canadian tradition, our economy depends upon our commitment to sustainable, ecological and environmentally conscious practices," he continued. "Each lobster is carefully inspected and measured, with undersized and females with eggs immediately released to ensure a future fishery."

As a region, Atlantic Canada is the world's largest exporter of American Lobster (Homarus americanus), Atlantic Snow Crab (Chionoecetes opilio) and Blue Mussels (Mytilus edulis). As a country, Canada has one of the most valuable and highly regulated commercial fishing industries in the world, exporting more than 670 million tons of fish and seafood last year.

"This means we are experienced," declared Drysdale. "Our year-round deepwater ports are two days closer to European markets than any other ports on the Eastern seaboard and, with a leading-edge air cargo shipping network operating out of four international airports, our seafood can be delivered direct from the sea, either live or frozen, within just a few hours."

Nordish is a new range of fish dishes from the Danish manufacturer of frozen foods, Rahbekfisk A/S (www.rahbek.dk), made according to some of the most significant principles of the New Nordic Kitchen.

New Nordic Kitchen? That's a movement created at a symposium in 2004 in Copenhagen. Prominent chefs from Scandinavian countries agreed on a new manifesto based on values such as: focus on ingredients from the Nordic region, taste and health, simplicity in process and concept, and a fresh, vibrant innovative taste in keeping with Nordic heritage.

For example:

* Juniper berry cured salmon and cured haddock is a modern dish inspired by Japanese sashimi--but with a twist, using traditional Nordic curing methods to bring out the delicate taste of the fish, accompanied by two compotes made from berries and vegetables: sea-buckthorn and carrot, well-rounded and mild; and green tomato and horseradish, sharp and intense.

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* Nordish Bisque is made from Norway lobster caught near the Danish island of Leaso. Seasoned stout adds depth to the taste of the bisque, which has an edge from cold-pressed apple juice. The dish is complemented with lobster tails and scallops that come in an individual compartment on top of the package. The bisque may be prepared in several ways: for a creamy soup, heat it through with a little double cream. For a shellfish sauce, melt a knob of butter in the bisque. Or try the product as a stock for a risotto.

Packaging has a distinct look with elegant curves and transparent detail, letting consumers see the food inside. The green color was chosen for its resemblance to that of Nordic waters. And the pattern on the sides is inspired by ancient Nordic art, giving the package a distinct look that reflects both modern and traditional sensibilities.

Vichiunai Europe, Brugges, Belgium (Fax: +32 5039-7825), still known primarily for surimi products introduced to the Western European market by its parent Viciunai of Kaunas, Lithuania, will have some surprises this year at Stand 345, Hall 5.

Two of its new products at ESE are indeed surimi-based: Surimi Royal and Surimi Imperial. Both are made from 100% Alaska pollock and have less than one percent fat content. Surimi Royal holds 12 small legs of 10 grams each. Surimi Imperial is a single stick, convenient to consume as a healthy snack on the go.

Vichiunai will also present three new seafood cakes: one with ginger, the second with sea cabbage, and the third with tofu. All can be consumed either warm or cold. For home parties, or even bigger events, Vichiunai has come up with small pancakes, topped with salted salmon.

For the company's ready meals range, two new recipes have been developed: salmon with a lemon and butter sauce, and tuna with a chili sauce. Both dishes come with vegetables and potatoes. Like all other ready meals in this range, the dual ovenable meals can be easily prepared in either a conventional or microwave oven.

Irvin & Johnson, Cape Town, South Africa (www.ij.co.za), has extended its fish cake range by adding two new flavors--Fruity Chutney and Lemon, Garlic and Parsley--while remaining faithful to its traditional fish cake recipe.

Also new from the company at Hall 5, Stand 149, are Steam Fresh meals like Thai Coconut Prawn Curry and Rice (300 grams), which offers peeled and deveined prawns smothered in a spicy sauce with hints of rich coconut and spices. And fully-cooked I&J Full Shell Mussels (454 grams) are marinated in a choice of two sauces--Marinara and Classic--served on the whole shell.

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