Prawn processing in the age of robotics and the new normal…

Untouched by human hands. Zero additives. Buy shrimp heads-on…..

….however CONVENIENCE is a major end consumer requirement and becoming more so across the globe.

It is the major US market shrimp demand pull. It is a North/South European divide.

Unfortunately further processing, such as de-heading, deveining and peeling shrimp brings along it’s own issues – of course firstly, manual handling carries its own human to food safety and, secondly, labor issues – including high risk work environment, low wages, worker exploitation and even cases of slave labor in the associated fish feed industry.

Seek a robotic shrimp de-heading machine and, well, there ain’t any!

BUT hang-on there…….

iRaishrimp S.L., a specialized shrimp aquaculture industry company based in Valencia, Spain, together with local and US partners, have been progressing successfully.

With a prototype built, full tests to be completed end of March 2021 and a priority date obtained on a utility patent filing iRaishrimp S.L is currently seeking a further round of pre-seed investment that would see them through the final development milestones and on to the stage of production of their first commercial inventory. 

Seems like their robotic shrimp de-heading/deveining machine has CIP with UV and washdown capabilities. Further enhancements look to include defect controls, size classification, bespoke robotic tail peeling, and even a steam cook function.

So, if interested, or if network interested, do not hesitate to get in touch :

Fernando Sanchez de Lara – info@iraishrimp.com

Joel Raposo – joel.raposo@gmail.com

A new new standard in Thailand’s farmed shrimp trade – yet again…

Prawnmaster questioned the Thai industry at GOAL 2010 Kuala Lumpur during GAA side meeting on standards and traceability. Impossible for other countries to compete and the question was why?

Of course they were gaming the system by a) government subsidies b) using cheap local feed that was not traceable.

Thai operators did not want GAA standards that would mean transparency and traceability – so were furious at suggestions that something fishy was going on….

In 2014 the reasons became clear and obvious – slave labor.

Meanwhile plenty of time to repurpose and re-position profits.

The problem with Apocalypse Soon……..Thailand?

Thailand remains the world’s largest exporter of shrimp – simply not true! So why should we believe rest of article.

Rest is rehash, repeat – no mention about cheap fishmeal from slave boats sold to make fishfeed.