Nordic Aqua Partners forced into surprise cull
Land-based salmon farmer Nordic Aqua Partners has said it expects to lose around 190 tonnes in the current quarter after detecting a high concentration of the off-flavour compound geosmin at its Chinese facility.
Although it is harmless to both fish and humans, geosmin, which is a naturally occurring compound, can, in elevated concentrations, negatively affect the taste of the fish.
Detection of off flavour was discovered at the company’s Ningbo production facility. Nordic Aqua Partners said the problem was due to the overloading of the purging unit.
A specialist team had identified the root causes and was implementing both immediate and long-term solutions to prevent future occurrences, including enhancing our water filtration and management processes.
Andreas Thorud, the managing director at Nordic Aqua (Ningbo) , said: “Our Atlantic salmon has, since its launch in April, received very good feedback in the market. However, following recent quality checks, elevated levels of geosmin were identified in specific production sections.
“As a result, the affected salmon, 190 metric tonnes, heads on gutted, will not be sold for human consumption but thus at a substantially lower price.”
He added: “Nordic Aqua does not compromise on quality and we relentlessly seek premium development of land-based salmon farming, and learning and minor surprises is a part of such development. “
A full review of operations, biology, market development, the financials and volume guiding will be presented in the second quarter presentation which will take place next month.
