Seafood Processors Explore Island Seafood to Fight Disease

The PEI Seafood Processors Association (PEISPA) is embarking on research that may lead to the discovery of drugs that can fight major illnesses including Alzheimer's.

"The world is becoming more and more aware of the health benefits of seafood," says PEISPA executive director, Mike MacInnis. "We are examining what we can do to isolate the beneficial components of our fish and potentially develop new products that can deliver these benefits in different ways."

With support from the Government of Prince Edward Island, the National Research Council Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) and the PEI Atlantic Shrimp Corporation Inc., the PEISPA is teaming up with the NRC Institute for Nutrisciences and Health (INH) on an 18-month project to investigate the neuro-protective and anti-inflammatory capabilities of PEI mussels and oysters.

"This project is just one aspect of the industry's efforts to maximize the potential of our resources," adds MacInnis.   "Creating world renowned seafood products is what PEI Seafood Processors do best and, in cooperation with harvesters and growers, our industry will continue to lead the way in this area. However, we owe it to the public in general to look deeper into the fish we are harvesting, growing and processing to see what good can be harnessed and how."

Other coastal regions of the world have developed industries around extracting health benefiting compounds from fish and using these to develop drugs and functional foods. New Zealand has developed a lucrative industry around the growing and harvesting of the green lipped mussel which is used to create an anti-inflammatory product that has actions similar to ibuprofen. Japanese researchers recently discovered compounds in their local oysters that have proven useful in fighting Alzheimer's and trials are now underway.

"The Prince Edward Island government acknowledges the economic importance of our seafood processing sector and we support the industry's on-going efforts towards innovation," said Prince Edward Island Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Jim Bagnall. "Finding new uses for products from the land and sea helps to strengthen and diversify our primary industries."

Seafood processing accounts for nearly twenty per cent of PEI's international exports and is a major driver to the local economy in particular rural areas.

This project is one of the first collaborations between PEI's traditional resource industries and the new Charlottetown-based NRC-INH which brings research expertise in the areas of natural products chemistry, neuron protection, neuropharmacology and neuroinflammation – all key in this current investigation.