National Fisheries Institute launches sushi council to develop food safety

The National Fisheries Institute has formed a sushi council to enhance product integrity and promote industry-led food safety.

The NFI Sushi Council, a pre-competitive stakeholder group, comprises harvesters, processors, distributors, and end-users in retail and food service.  

“Sushi has achieved household status and is a major contributor to U.S. seafood consumption,” said Michael McNicholas, chairman of Culimer USA LLC. “The surge in popularity of raw and ready-to-eat products needs to be met with a similarly robust industry voice that advocates and advances the highest standard of handling and preparation for seafood destined for the sushi market.” 

The NFI Sushi Council aims to develop and distribute food safety guidance tailored to sushi’s specialized supply chain. 

A working group combining industry, government, and academia has formed under the council’s direction to detail hazards and needed control measures. The group will draw on existing compliance documents and stakeholder expertise to produce accessible resources for seafood professionals working at every step of the value chain.  

“We rely on strong partnerships throughout sushi’s global supply line,” said Daryl Gormley of AquaMar, a council executive committee member. “Our goal is to maintain a superior product from harvest to final preparation, and we’re recruiting partners to join this effort now.”  

Also, the NFI Sushi Council will meet in Boston at the Seafood Expo North America (SENA) on March 10, at 8:30 a.m. NFI Sushi Council’s executive committee will host a panel on March 11 at 2:45 p.m. during the SENA Conference Program to discuss U.S. sushi market dynamics and the council’s food safety mission. 

Companies joining the NFI Sushi Council before April 1, 2024, will receive the designation of founding council members. Current founding members include Aquamar, BlueNalu, Blue Ocean Mariculture, Culimer USA LLC, Eastern Fish Company, Red Shell Sushi, Shinkei Systems Corp and True World Foods. 

To join the council membership and attend the council’s SENA events, contact NFI Sushi Council Liaison Richard Barry, rbarry@nfi.org.