FDA approves technology to control seafood bacteria
to inhibit pathogenic bacteria, says it has received a letter from
the US Department of Health and Human Services of the Food and Drug
Administration confirming that the use of the pHarlo technology to
control pathogenic microbe growth in seafood will be permitted.
The company says that it has received the go ahead under existing FDA GRAS (generally recognized as safe) and cGMP (current good manufacturing practice) regulations, which means the product can be marketed throughout the United States.
Unlike the meat and poultry industry, which is effectively regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture, regulators rely on proven technologies that deliver consistent results under a variety of conditions that they can identify as generally regarded as safe in seafood processing.
The company says that Initial studies of pHarlo indicated that it was successful in controlling pathogenic agents on seafood. Tasker has pulled together a team consisting of industry experts and innovated customers, to support the further development of applications using the technology in seafood processing. As a result continued testing of the technology for use in the fish industry will run concurrent to its ongoing progress in poultry processing.
Based on consultations with potential customers interested in using the technology in seafood processing, the company projects revenue from this source to begin in the third quarter of the current year.
Robert Appleby, Tasker's president and CEO, said, "Our development team is focused on selected target markets, as rapid progress through customer testing and commercial scale-up continues. Success in these initial areas will spawn new opportunities across a variety of product types and processes. Increasing shelf live and lowering bacterial counts will help prevent importers and exporters from landing on the 'Detain List' that often holds products at ports of entry beyond their usable life."
James Burns, Tasker's executive vice president and chief operating office, added, "The fish and fishery industries manage an extensive amount of food with a high risk of infection caused by exposure to pathologic agents and the considerable amount of handling required in processing. Tasker's products have the unique flexibility to be effectively applied in fish and shellfish processing applications ranging from the boat to the consumer's table."
The company says it intends to focus its initial efforts on addressing the immediate needs of potential customers in the US domestic fish industry after which, it plans to expand the use of its technology in the seafood industry globally.
