As part of our effort to connect the wider agri-food industry with the market trends and insight that matters, we’re bringing you this piece from our sister title, Seafoodnews by Expana
With health at the forefront of the minds of the food consumer, the chemical industry is stepping up to offer healthier solutions that do not impact quality or taste. Salt content is a focus for many in the sector, with governments around the world requesting lower sodium levels from food manufacturers.
Prayon develops phosphorous products designed for the food, industrial, healthcare, plant nutrition, and pet food sectors. The seafood industry is now the beneficiary of Carfosel – the company’s low sodium phosphate salt product line that leverages biochemistry to improve yield, prevent freezing damage, and maintain top taste and appearance in seafood products.
SeafoodNews, a sister company of Feedinfo, sat down with Kaylan Hayman, Applications and Development Manager for Prayon to discuss the Belgian company’s development in the seafood sector.
[SeafoodNews] Thank you for joining me Kaylan. Can you start by introducing yourself?
I’m Kaylan Hayman, Prayon’s resident Applications and Development Manager for North America and Latin America (LATAM). My team provides technical support and advice to help our customers optimize their use of our robust product range.
[SeafoodNews] Tell us a bit about Prayon and its history.
Prayon has been the pulse of the phosphate industry for over a century. As a global company specializing in phosphorus chemistry and made up of more than 1,500 employees worldwide, we are committed to delivering sustainable phosphoric acid and phosphate salt solutions products to our customers for their food, technical, and plant nutrition applications.
We are proud to leverage our expertise in food science to be a dedicated solution provider. We offer market-specific, high-quality phosphate solutions which are designed to enhance all your seafood products.
Prayon is an international player that maintains a strong local footprint across our five production sites located in Europe (Belgium, France, Switzerland) and in the United States (Augusta, GA) as well as in Jorf Lasfar in Morocco through our joint venture with Emaphos. Our customers count on Prayon as a reliable global partner.
While our mission is to enrich daily life through phosphorus chemistry, Prayon is looking ahead to building a sustainable future. We’re always striving to create more efficient processes, protect resources, and promote a circular economy.
[SeafoodNews] You mentioned all the different markets you work in. Are there challenges that come up with working with different regulatory policies? How have you managed that?
Prayon is positioned to be a global solution provider thanks to our support teams all over the world. Each member of our expert technical team is dedicated to a particular region of the world, which allows us to hone our expertise to suit a variety of regulatory landscapes. With over 50 years of combined experience within the team across the food, technical, and plant nutrition markets, we’re able to fully tailor our support to each customer’s application and compliance needs.
[SeafoodNews] How has Prayon served the seafood industry in the past?
Our technical team has worked closely with customers in Ecuador, Vietnam, India, China, Indonesia, the United States, and other markets around the world. We’ve developed customized solutions for seafood processing that address the application and regulatory conditions that are unique to each region. We’re not just promoting products, though — we also share best practices adapted to individual factors such as product type, water quality, equipment capability, and processing conditions. We know that processors must account for several factors when it comes to making high-quality seafood products and we’ve designed our product range to meet these needs accordingly.
With Prayon, you can count on our dedicated expert team to give tailored technical advice and deliver significant added value to your products by improving yields and optimizing quality and freshness.
[SeafoodNews] Tell us about Carfosel 950i, your newest product.
Prayon offers a low sodium phosphate salt solution, branded under the name Carfosel® 950i. Its properties enhance the appearance, color, and texture of seafood products like shrimps and fish while minimizing sodium uptake to meet rising consumer demands for reduced sodium options. Sodium levels can now be as low as 480 mg per 100g portion of shrimps with Carfosel® 950i - up to 30% less sodium compared to industry standard products - which is revolutionizing seafood processing in the better-for-you era.
[SeafoodNews] How does Carfosel 950i cater to these growing consumer trends you mentioned?
Low sodium content is key for customers who are seeking healthier choices. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020 – 2025 published by the USDA and the US Department of Health and Human Services recommends that consumers examine the nutrition labels of packaged foods to make selections with lower, reduced, or no added salt. Meanwhile, regulators are also encouraging food manufacturers to support lower sodium consumption goals for Americans, like the FDA’s Guidance for Industry that establishes voluntary sodium reduction targets. In the past, sodium reduction has been synonymous with reduced product quality and appeal. With Carfosel® 950i, seafood processors can maintain the high-quality appearance and juiciness of their products while delivering the sodium reduction that both consumers and regulators are looking for. Our Carfosel® products also improve product freshness and help reduce food waste, which is a major contribution to the seafood industry’s sustainability goals.
[SeafoodNews] Tell us about the development process.
Our expert technical team worked directly with major players in the industry to design and test the product, taking into account real-time feedback from processors to enhance and optimize the formulation.
The result is a fine-tuned phosphate solution that meets the needs of both producers and their customers—sodium reduction to support better-for-you choices without sacrificing the great look and taste that consumers expect.
[SeafoodNews] What else should the seafood industry be looking out for from the Prayon team?
Prayon is excited to continue creating innovative solutions to meet the seafood industry’s evolving needs. We’re looking forward to bolstering our seafood product range with clean-label options to suit growing consumer demands. We’re always looking for what’s next in this industry to ensure that our customers have access to cutting-edge, customizable solutions.
Prayon’s team will be available at the IFT First in Chicago on July 14-17 to provide information and advice on how Carfosel® can meet customer needs for top quality and sustainable seafood solutions. Come see us at Booth 1236. For more information on Carfosel® please visit the Prayon website.
This sponsored content was written by Seafoodnews journalists in association with Prayon.
