SAIC Introduces: the Digital SalmoFan™

In the latest 'SAIC Introduces' instalment, Louise Buttle of dsm-firmenich tells the story of the Digital SalmoFan™ - a product that brings salmon fillet colour assessment into the digital era.

Louise explains: "The visual assessment of salmon fillet colour has long been the industry standard, with the SalmoFan™ and SalmoFan™ Lineal leading the way for over 25 years. SalmoFan™ and SalmoFan™ Lineal are today recognised as the standard and official color metric for salmonids worldwide. However, it still falls short of achieving truly objective measurements, as each person will perceive the color differently. To address the challenges of visual color measurement, a standardised approach involving a lightbox, specific protocols, and qualified observers has been developed by us. But readings will still be subjective.

So, how can the industry overcome these limitations and move colour measurement into the digital era?

Digitalisation has revolutionised the animal nutrition industry. This digital transformation brought the potential to increase the sector’s efficiency, both in terms of productivity, sustainability and animal health & welfare. The adoption of data technologies helps to increase forecasting and modelling capabilities, improving management decisions. It is all about making informed decisions at the right time; decisions driven by data.

Aquaculture is going digital as well, and these technologies are transforming and connecting the industry at a remarkable speed. By incorporating innovative digital technologies, the aquaculture sector can increase efficiencies, reduce biosecurity risks, and improve overall ocean health. The final aim is always to responsibly produce healthy, sustainable and nutritious fish and shrimp. 

Because of the limitations linked to SalmoFan™ and SalmoFan™ Lineal, the industry has been looking for a novel, fast, objective and accurate method to monitor pigmentation across the value chain. ​

By introducing DSM-Firmenich Digital SalmoFan™ to the industry in 2023, we have allowed the entire value chain to accurately and objectively measure fillet colour (at scale) and thereby better capture the value of colour. ​Our ambition is to unify the language of color and allow the industry to maximise the value of colour.

But when did Digital SalmoFan™ start? Well, it started more than seven years ago, with the vision to enable the trout and salmon industry to gather, store and share objective and accurate data from color measurements, any time and any place, using an easy to use and portable digital tool. Digital SalmoFan™ has been developed in collaboration with farmers, processors, feed companies, integrators and research institutions worldwide, including the sensory panel of NOFIMA.

Digital SalmoFan™ goes beyond mere measurements — it connects wirelessly with smartphones and tablets, providing instant, meaningful and objective results. The SalmoFan™ App captures low-bias data in Excel format, allowing for easy export into larger databases. The device’s digital connectivity also extends to an upcoming dashboard feature, providing a deeper analysis of pigmentation performances across various sites and regions in real-time."

If you would like to see what some users are saying about Digital SalmoFan™, here are testimonials from the University of Stirling's Fiona Strachan and David Bett of Mowi.

If you’re a SAIC Consortium member and you would like your business or organisation to be featured in the ‘SAIC Introduces’ series, get in touch with Benedikte to get the ball rolling.

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