Reuters is reporting that U.S. Foodservice announced today “a partnership with the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) making the company the first broadline food distributor in the United States to offer its customers farm-raised seafood certified as sustainable under the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification logo.”This is not U.S. Foodservice’s first time to have their products, which are wild caught, to be certified as sustainable. In April, 2008 the company was certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), which uses a third-party audit system to determine whether seafood products from fisheries are “sustainable and environmentally responsible,” and then applies eco-labels to qualifying products.
Reuters quotes Jorge Hernandez, senior vice president for food safety and quality assurance for U.S. Foodservice, as stating,
‘"U.S. Foodservice is committed to offering sustainable product choices to our customers who expect and demand the most environmentally responsible foods . . . ‘The GAA certification of farm-raised seafood fills an important gap in seafood procurement processes and we are committed to continued partnership with the food industry to promote environmentally responsible aquaculture to meet the world's food needs [.]”According to the Reuters story, the BAP certification program has helped establish GAA as “the leading standards-setting organization for aquaculture seafood.” The certification is designed to ensure that the products consumers buy are raised in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. Additionally, the certification focuses on ensuring the product is in compliance “with food safety best practices throughout the production chain of farm-raised fish and seafood in countries worldwide.”
Catfish, shrimp, and tilapia from the private label Harbor Banks will be the first products U.S. Foodservice has certified by GAA.
To read the Reuters article click here.
Posted: 10/29/09
