Omega-3 Supply Chain Dynamics
11:30am – 1:00pm / Thursday February 17th
In planning for a safe and efficient supply chain, omega-3 producers must stay on top of a host of relevant issues, and this session brings together three important topics to consider. Is blockchain the future of omega-3 production? Is our industry ready to comply with intentional adulteration requirements in the US (Spoiler alert: the FDA doesn’t think so) and is the omega-3 industry prepared for the upcoming Marine Mammal Act from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)?
Blockchain and the Omega-3 Industry
Todd Taylor
Technology Researcher and Lecturer
Arizona State University Thunderbird School of Global Management
“Blockchain” has been a buzzword for some time now but understanding the nuances of how it works, and its relevance to the omega-3 industry, has continued to be challenging. Todd Taylor led the supply chain practice for IBM Global Services in Greater China and now teaches at the Thunderbird School of International Management and helps natural product companies showcase their product’s genealogy and connect directly with their customers. Learn from his expertise what questions you should ask to determine whether blockchain is right for your company and how to fit blockchain into your future manufacturing strategy.
Understanding the Import Requirements of the US Marine Mammal Protection Act
Jasmine Prat
Fishery Policy Analyst
NOAA Fisheries Office of International Affairs & Seafood Inspection
The United States National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has published a final rule implementing a provision of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) that "prohibit[s] the import of fish or fish products [including fish oil] from commercial fishing operations that result in the incidental mortality or serious injury of marine mammals in excess of United States standards.” This regulation, which goes into effect in January 2023, has implications for the omega-3 industry as it impacts both omega-3 fisheries and companies that purchase fish oil from these fisheries, further process the oil and then export to the US. Many questions remain about the final rule and NOAA will be presenting an overview of the import requirements as well as addressing those outstanding questions.
Intentional Adulteration: What Omega-3 Companies Need to Know (and May Not)
Ned Mitenius
Founder
Periscope Consulting LLC
In the United States, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has transformed the country’s food safety system by shifting the focus from responding to foodborne illness to preventing it. Associated with FSMA are seven major rules, including the requirement for companies to address hazards that may be introduced with the intention to cause widescale public health harm. Specifically, facilities are required to conduct a vulnerability assessment to identify vulnerabilities and actionable process steps and implement mitigation strategies. Ned Mitenius, Founder of Periscope Consulting LLC, is an internationally recognized expert in food defense and will provide participants with a critical overview of this rule as it applies to the omega-3 industry.
Speakers
