SFOS Newsletter
Spring 2008
SPOTLIGHT on the Fishery Industrial Technology Center
by Murat Balaban, Director, FITC
Dr. Murat Balaban.
Editor's note: Dr. Murat Balaban took over the leadership of the UAF Fishery Industrial Technology Center in January. An expert in food processing and engineering, Balaban is committed to publicizing the important work being done at the research center.
The Fishery Industrial Technology Center is a research and education facility located in Kodiak, Alaska. As the third largest port in the United States in terms of value of seafood landings (about $100 million annually), Kodiak Island is at the heart of Alaska's fishing industry.
The mission of FITC (or Fish Tech) is to increase the value of Alaska's seafood industry and marine resources through research, technological development, education and service.
Although Alaska provides 60% of the U.S. total catch, it only receives 34% of its value. Recognizing this, the Alaska Legislature created Fish Tech in 1981 to work with the fishing industry to develop new and innovative solutions to industry problems.
Alaska is one of the few states that exports aquatic resources. The great majority (about 85%) of the seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported from other countries. With the largest fishery in the world, Alaska's seafood industry contributes positively to the U.S. trade balance.
The UAF Fishery Industrial Technology Center in Kodiak, Alaska.
There are seven faculty members working at FITC, as well as research and support personnel, and graduate and undergraduate students. FITC scientists work closely with faculty in other units of SFOS, pparticularly the Marine Advisory Program.
Major research areas at FITC include:
- Innovations in alternative salmon products
- Adding value to aquatic by-products
- Increasing the value of pollock and salmon oil
- Assuring the safety of seafood through microbiology, biochemistry and preservation
- Researching better and innovative ways of marketing aquatic foods
- Ensuring the health and sustainability of Alaska's marine resources
- Measuring and preserving the quality, marketability and demand of Alaska's seafood
Salmon in cans ready to be closed. Photo by Murat Balaban.
Located in the Alfred Owen Building, on Near Island in the city of Kodiak, FITC facilities include a central office complex, 14 faculty offices, engineering, chemistry, biochemistry, and microbiology labs, a 5,000 ft2 pilot plant, a sensory testing facility, a research kitchen, a 1,000 ft2 storage building and a conference room. There is an apartment complex located next door belonging to the Kodiak Island Borough and apartments are available for visiting scientists and students.
FITC provides timely, relevant and accurate information to the industry on how to produce safe, high quality seafood in a commercially viable manner through short training courses, including Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) training, and expert assistance in areas such as canning and smoking seafood.
The researchers at the Fish Tech Center work every day to increase the quality, value and safety of Alaska's marine resources so that Alaska can continue to provide nutritious, healthy and safe seafood for people across the state, the nation and the world.
- Murat Balaban can be reached at the UAF Fishery Industrial Technology Center at 907-486-1500 or mob@sfos.uaf.edu.
- Learn more by visiting www.sfos.uaf.edu/fitc.
- Back to Spring 2008 Newsletter