September 23, 2004

University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute (UMBI) and Phillips Foods, Inc. host
more than 70 members of the Research Chefs Association --Tour provides insight into seafood products and new technologies in aquaculture

Baltimore, MD – More than 70 members of the Research Chefs Association toured UMBI’s Center of Marine Biotechnology (COMB), to learn more about scientific efforts to spawn and breed Maryland blue crabs, and Mediterranean gilthead seabream and other highly valued, marketable fish and shellfish. They also learned of the latest research on fish and crab hormones, oyster diseases, and aquaculture biofiltration.

While on the tour the food scientists learned of technologies developed at COMB that allow fish and crabs to reproduce in a fully contained, recirculating, disease-free, environmentally-friendly environment. This unique system facilitates the spawning of fish year-round by precisely regulating light and water temperature to emulate different seasons. Captive-born fish grown in tanks, often at extremely high densities, and using UMBI’s patented technology, can reach market size in nearly one-half the time as those living in the wild. The manipulation of the daylight cycle, as well as strict rations of diets formulated by COMB scientists, encourage the fish to grow more rapidly by diverting a majority of food energy for growth, rather than reproduction. The food scientists and chefs were also informed of the work performed to restore the breeding stock of the Chesapeake blue crab, efforts to identify, control and prevent diseases in the native Eastern oyster and ongoing assessments of the disease-resistance abilities of the non-native Asian oyster, which may be introduced into the Chesapeake Bay if found to be disease tolerant and beneficial to the environment.

“This was a wonderful opportunity for our scientists to interact with industry and share new technologies which positively impact the future of aquaculture,” said UMBI’s President, Dr. Jennie Hunter-Cevera. “Providing the food industry with the knowledge and tools they need to grow and farm various species of fish indigenous to their region of the country in a disease-free environment that speeds the maturation process is absolutely profound. I applaud the faculty and staff of COMB for their work, and I am pleased to see this interaction between the business community and the scientific community.”

Formed in 1996, the Research Chefs Association (RCA) has more than 1,700 members and is a premier source of culinary and technical information for the food industry. RCA members include chefs and food scientists working in food manufacturing, chain restaurants, hotels, ingredient supply houses, consulting and academia, and other food professionals in R&D, sales, marketing, manufacturing, distribution, and the media. Attendees at this Mid-Atlantic meeting represented companies from Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, West Virginia, North Carolina, New York, Texas, Maine, Ohio, Georgia, Pennsylvania, DC, and Virginia.

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Established in 1985 by an act of the Maryland General Assembly, The University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute (UMBI) consists of five major research and education centers and is dedicated to advancing the frontiers of biotechnology. UMBI’s centers of research include: CARB, the Center for Advanced Research in Biotechnology located in Rockville; CBR, the Center for Biosystems Research located in College Park; and COMB, the Center of Marine Biotechnology, MBC, the Medical Biotechnology Center, and IHV, the Institute of Human Virology, all located in Baltimore.