Supplying High Quality Safe and Reliable Products

Supplying
High Quality Safe
and Reliable Products

Acquisition of External Certifications for Environmentally and Socially Friendly Aquaculture

Background

Without environmentally and socially friendly aquaculture, it would be impossible to supply seafood in a sustainable manner. ASC certification is one international certification regime for this purpose.

ASC certification is an international certification regime administered by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) for the aquaculture business that authenticates fish farms that operate with due consideration for local communities and do not have any added impact on the surrounding environment. ASC certification contains seven core principles.

1. Legal compliance with national and local laws and regulations
2. Preservation of natural habitats, local biodiversity and ecosystem
3. Preservation of the diversity of the wild population
4. Preservation of water resources and quality
5. Responsible use of feed and other resources
6. Improved fish health and controlled and responsible use of antibiotics and chemicals
7. Farms to be socially responsible toward their workers and the local community.

The group’s Initiatives

Our Danish subsidiary Musholm A/S has introduced production rules compliant with ASC standards at its Musholm Vest aquaculture farm responsible for a majority of its production. As of 2022, we have acquired ASC certification covering 76% of Musholm A/S’ total production (volume basis). The company’s Karrebaek aquaculture farm produces exclusively organic farmed fish. As of 2022, organic farmed fish accounted for 5% of the company’s total production (volume basis).

Japan Salmon Farm Inc., our subsidiary located in Aomori Prefecture, became the first in Japan to obtain ASC certification for salmon trout aquaculture in 2019. (Click here for our environmental initiatives in terms of biodiversity conservation.)

Japan Salmon Farm Inc. is close to reaching its target of obtaining certifications that cover 100% of its production (ASC and other similar certifications). We continue working to promote sustainable aquaculture with due consideration for the environment and local communities.

High Quality Supply System: Ongoing Research of Aquaculture Feed

The group’s Approach

Feed has a major impact on the speed of growth and quality of farmed fish, and overall aquaculture costs. Therefore, improvements in feed directly lead to better efficiency and quality.

By improving feed together with feed companies, we aim to contribute to not only the development of the group and feed companies but also the entire aquaculture industry.

The group’s Initiatives

Feed companies are working daily to improve feed from various angles. This includes developing feed that more efficiently fattens fish, feed for automatic feeding systems, feed suited for closed-loop aquaculture farms, feed that reduces the mortality rate, and feed that helps to cut back on the use of fish meal.

The group provides data obtained from its aquaculture business and requests to feed companies.

Pursuing Safety and Reliability

Our Approach

As a food company, we believe product safety comes above all else so that customers can choose our products with peace of mind. Since our founding, we have always manufactured products with the utmost attention given to food safety and reliability. At the group’s overseas subsidiaries, Japanese expatriate managers work closely with locally hired staff to reproduce the same level of quality as in Japan.

Policy

Policy on Food Safety

1. We provide high-value-added products and services tailored to customer needs only after confirming their safety.
2. We comply with laws and regulations.
3. We have built a food safety management system and regularly review this system to make improvements for its stable operation.
4. We inform the group about our food safety management system and make it known to all through communication with the food chain.
5. We continuously work to increase awareness and knowledge of food safety.
6. We systematically provide training to inform all employees about this policy on food safety.

May 2022

The group’s main processing locations include the Aomori Plant, Myanmar Plant (Okamura Trading Myanmar) and our processing outsourcing partner (in Vietnam). Our overseas locations implement the same management, approach to improvement, and careful attention to detail in their work as we do in Japan, delivering “Made in Japan ” quality based on our many years of experience in Japanese-style manufacturing.

The group’s Main Initiatives

1 Quality Certifications

The group actively acquires and maintains various quality certifications, through which we ensure safety and reliability.

Main Certifications

Okamura Foods Co., Ltd. (Aomori Head Office)

・ASC CoC
・MSC CoC
・FDA facility registration
・US/HACCP
・HALAL
・ISO 22000:2018

Japan Salmon Farm Inc.

・Certificate of export seafood handling facility for EU
・ASC farm certification
・ASC CoC

Musholm A/S

・ASC farm certification
・ASC CoC
・MSC CoC

Okamura Foods Co., Ltd. (Tokyo Head Office)

・ASC CoC
・MSC CoC

Okamura Trading Myanmar

・ASC CoC
・HACCP
・ISO 22000:2018

2 Rolling Out Various Technologies at Our Myanmar Plant

The Myanmar Plant inspects the products it has processed by testing for bacteria using inspection systems that are collected from robots at random for closer examination and testing based on human senses where manufacturing department staff examine the appearance and taste of the product. Only products where the testing results satisfy the required standards are shipped. Quality managers undergo quality training at our plant in Aomori Prefecture where they learn in-depth about hygiene controls.

In terms of its facilities, the plant has also rolled out a number of technologies as described below.

Main Facilities

・Water purification system featuring the technologies of a Japanese water treatment provider that supplies potable water to the plant (water for manufacturing food)
・Electrolysis water purification system that creates Sanistar Water which shows a strong sanitizing effect with low available chlorine
・HVAC facilities that constantly maintain the correct temperature settings in enclosed processing areas (hygiene control areas) to address high temperature and high humidity
・System for supplying chilled water effective at maintaining quality
・Rapid freezers are critical for maintaining quality
・Automatic doors with touch sensors that mitigate contamination risk

Plant (Facilities)

Sanistar Water

Our Myanmar plant uses a slightly acidic electrolysis water called Sanistar Water. Many food factories use sodium hypochlorite solution, but Sanistar Water does not damage food as is sometimes the case with sodium hypochlorite solution and it minimizes any potential chemical smells.
Chilled Water System

We have installed a chilled water system so that chilled water is constantly available to each processing room in order to maintain product quality. This makes it possible to carry out processing work while maintaining products at a predetermined low temperature and in high-quality condition.
Automatic Door System

Each processing room has a sensor-enabled automatic door to minimize contamination risk.
Automatic Faucets

The hand washing stations set up for each processing room feature sensor-enabled automatic faucets and soap dispensers to minimize contamination risk.

Plant (exterior and interior)

Plant exterior
Lab facilities
Hand washing station
Cafeteria and break room
Meeting room
Processing floor