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.

"In view of the recent increase of healthy seafood demand, we are always developing new healthy seafoods processed and seasoned in Japanese traditional style," said a company spokesman.

Pescanova Ladex, Coral Gables, Florida, USA (www.pescanovaladex.com), a recently acquired subsidiary of Pescanova S.A., Chapela-Redondela, Spain (which will exhibiting at Hall 6, Stand 229), offers shrimp from fishermen and farmers in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Venezuela.

Its 400 customers include retailers Costco and Albertsons and food distributors servicing hotels and restaurants. All told, it markets about 60 million pounds of shrimp a year, generating more than $100 million in annual income, for which it receives fixed commissions of 5-7%. The vertically integrated operation that allows it to capture several layers of profit margins.

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But besides shrimp, it is now also acting as a marketing arm for other Pescanova products such as mahi mahi, orange roughy and Atlantic salmon.

Nowaco A/S, Aalborg, Denmark (www.nowaco.com), holding forth at Hall 5, Stand 351, has been trading fish all over the world for more than 30 years, and was among the first companies to start importing hake (whiting) from South America to Europe.

Today, whitefish from Asian countries, South America and the North Atlantic account for much of its product portfolio, but the company also offers Nile perch, tilapia and trout. Moreover, thanks to close business relations with fish factories in China, its trading department is able to customize fish products according to client specifications, and offer value-added seafood items such as stuffed rolls, grill skewers and various fillet products.

Since 1969, Corema Frozen Sea Foods SA, Satigny, Switzerland (www.corema.ch), has worked with hand picked suppliers that share its concern and respect for fishing quotas, reproduction cycles and environment, and also for working conditions on fishing boats and in processing plants.

Recently, it decided to include extensively farmed products, but always with the most stringent environmental and human guarantees for sustainable development. Corema has signed exclusive partnership agreements with producers of organic shrimp and/or recognized eco labels. See them at Hall 6, Stand 830.

Product researchers at Royal Greenland A/S, Aalborg, Denmark (www.royalgreenland.com),have come up with salmon tournedos and marinated salmon portions to show off at Hall P, Stand 4647.

Salmon Tournedos are made with high quality salmon (Salmo salar) and are available with or without bacon and in different portion controlled sizes to ensure that portions have the same size every time.

Marinated Salmon Portions are available in five different appetizing taste variations--tangy orange, honey and chili; hot and spicy BBQ; fresh lemon pepper; flavorful herb butter with seasonal herbs, and green pesto. All marinades have been specially developed to underline the natural taste of salmon. The salmon is portion controlled at 125 grams and delivered in a roasting bag for microwave oven preparation.

In order to keep a competitive edge Royal Greenland has attained a high production factory in Koszalin, Poland, which in its central location has access to all major European markets.

At Hall 9, Stand 4049, Bremerhaven, Germany-based companies FRoSTA AG, Deutsche See, ISEY Fischimport GmbH, FIMEX Tiefkiihl GmbH, Friedfich Wilhelm Liibbert GmbH & Co. KG, Bremerhavener Fischauktions GmbH (the Bremerhaven fish auction) and the Bremerhaven Economic Development Company (BIS) join the Fish Port Management Company (FBG) in pooling their resources.

The pavilion, covering 200 square meters, will have on display everything from fishery raw materials to value-added convenience foods.

"At our joint stand, Bremerhaven companies will present the Fish Port as the center of the German fish industry," commented Barbara C. Riechers-Kuhlmann, managing director of FBG.

FRoSTA is one of the more innovative suppliers among today's frozen food producers in Germany, and is the first and only major frozen brand in the country to rigorously abstain from using additives in this recipes. Natural flavor has top priority for the company, which means that synthetic flavors are not used. This is guaranteed by the original purity seal, known as the "Rheinheits Gebot."

In an environmentally friendly move, Deutsche See (Fax: +49 471-13-1400) is introducing frozen organic codfish fillets to supermarkets in a practical vacuum bag. They come from ecological aquaculture operations in Norway, where only certified organic feed is used. BCS-Oko-Garantie GmbH of Nurnberg certifies the organic standards.

The company has also announced that the flounder it sells will no longer be caught through beam trawling, in which a net is dragged along the sea bottom, a technique said to be very destructive to flora and fauna. Now the Dutch and Danish fishermen that supply Deutsche See will catch fish with a beam-trawling-free method in which the nets will be attached to rubber wheels or tubes that minimize contact with the sea bottom. This reduces the number of unwanted plants and animals that are also caught in the net, and also saves on fuel, since the dragging net acted as an anchor.

The company is also adapting one of its popular foodservice products for consumers. Frozen farmed scallops from Japan are being offered in vacuum bags.

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Bremerhavener Fischauktions GmbH, ISEY Fischimport GmbH, and FIMEX Tiefkuhl GmbH supply complete ranges of frozen fish raw materials, while the trading house Friedrieh Wilhelm Lubbert delivers a full range of herring, salmon and mackerel products to industrial customers, the wholesale trade and smokehouses.

FBG (Fax: +49 471-9732-115; E-mail: info@fbg-bremerhaven.de) and the BIS represent the full spectrum of the food industry in the port city of Bremerhaven, arranging contacts for companies based there and offering information on Bremerhaven as a business location.

SPE: The Equipment Show

Harahan, Louisiana, USA-based Laitram Machinery (www.laitrammachinery.com) is showing off its latest advance in improving yield and product quality at coldwater shrimp peeling lines - a new premium rubber peeler roller that provides enhanced friction for improved peeling, yet is less abrasive to the peeled meat.

Peeled shrimp meat slides off of the premium rollers more quickly, preventing unnecessary damage to the meat once the shell is removed. The improved roller surface also contributes to more efficient cleaning, reduces build-up, and eliminates yield loss during the initial "break-in" period of new traditional rollers. See it at Hall 4, Stand 5561.

Food contamination and worker safety issues in fish processing plants are an ever increasing concern facing the industry. Nordiseher Maschinenbau Rud. Baader GmbH + Co KG, Lubeck, Germany (Fax: +49 4515302-492), has taken this to heart with equipment to be displayed at Hall 4, Stand 5243.

Baader's salmon processing line is an example of its Safe Food Solution. Starting with precise gutting on the Baader 142 Princess-Cut Gutting Machine, high yield heading on the Baader 434, followed by filleting at the Baader 200, the Baader 988's automatic trimming with color and size recognition, the Baader 560 for inspection, and the newly available Baader 1900 for sizing and grading, overseen by a Line Monitoring Control System (LMC-System) which completes the safe fish processing line. This system is promoted as "the key for efficient pre-rigor and post-rigor processing."

The Baader 59, a new generation whitefish skinner, is specially designed for cod, saithe and haddock. The fish are placed in tail first, then go through shallow skinning, producing the highest yield possible. Due to a special technique, it is possible to maximize the skinning result, even at the tail tip. One special feature is that the skinned fillets leave the machine stretched out and separated from each other for easy inspection and further processing. Manual straightening is not necessary.

CFS BV, Bakel, the Netherlands (www.cfs.com), will be on hand at Hall 4, Stand 5007, with its ShrinkPak System for processors that want to guarantee products will remain be in original shape during distribution.

It combines the benefits of a thermoformer such as automation, easy handling and continuous packaging process, with advantages of CFS shrinkfilm material--including high shrinkage (up to 40%), attractive product presentation and highly reliable barrier properties. This leads to cost savings up to 30% compared to traditional shrink bag handling, according to the company.

As the CFS ShrinkPak System gives an ideal product presentation, no matter if the foodstuff is round, rectangular or square, it is very suitable for fish. The in-line packaging process is ultra hygienic, and since there is no danger of product contamination from manual handling, the shelf life can be increased. The size of the line is always customized, and may thus vary from a small machine for end consumer packs to big systems for transport and ripening packs.

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A radio frequency thawing tunnel is being introduced at Hall 4, Stand 5419, by Lima S.A.S., Quimper, France (Fax: + 33 298-948969).

The tunnel can thaw frozen blocks or IQF products. from -20[degrees] C to -3/-1[degrees]C in a few minutes. Temperatures remain homogeneous during processing, avoiding bacteriological development.