A sushi council was just formed in the US

A trade group representing the seafood industry in the U.S. has launched a collaborative effort to raise quality and safety standards in the local sushi market.

A council of sushi leaders: The National Fisheries Institute (NFI), headquartered in Reston, Virginia, announced on Feb. 20 that it established the NFI Sushi Council, a consortium composed of harvesters, processors, distributors and end-users committed to improving sushi’s specialized supply chain. The council’s founding members include Aquamar, BlueNalu, Blue Ocean Mariculture, Culimer USA LLC, Eastern Fish Company, Red Shell Sushi, Shinkei Systems Corp and True World Foods.

Driving the news: The council’s formation comes amid American consumers’ growing appetite for sushi. In 2022 alone, the sushi restaurant sector reached a value of $27.9 billion, representing a 23.51% increase from the previous year’s $22.59 billion, according to Statista. Last year, Americans consumed a staggering 282.3 million sushi servings, with the majority (238.6 million) enjoyed at restaurants and a growing portion (43.7 million) purchased from grocery stores.

“The surge in popularity of raw and ready-to-eat products needs to be met with a similarly robust industry voice that advocates and advances the highest standard of handling and preparation for seafood destined for the sushi market,” said Chairman Michael McNicholas of Culimer USA LLC.

What the group intends to do: The council said it plans to develop practical food safety guidelines specific for the sushi industry. It has established a working group with experts from industry, government and academia helping to identify potential hazards throughout the sushi supply chain and recommend control measures to mitigate them. By utilizing existing regulations and incorporating insights from various experts, the group will be able to create clear and accessible resources.

What’s to come: Daryl Gormley, CEO of Aquamar, a key member of the council’s…

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