September 8, 2013 — When you think about sea scallops you likely picture them either pan-seared or fried. But researchers at the University of Rhode Island may be changing the way we think about scallops, with new discoveries about their beneficial uses in medicines or as a tasty new ingredient in fish food.
Chong Lee, URI professor emeritus and research in nutrition and food sciences, said the value of sea scallops regionally is significant. “The port of New Bedford is not as large as the one in Alaska, but in terms of dollar value, it’s the highest ranking port in the U.S. because of scallops,” he said.
This is especially interesting as more than half of the scallop itself, once caught, never even reaches the dock. The part of the scallop people love to eat is the large adductor muscle that grows up to 2 inches in diameter. Fishermen typically shuck their catch at sea, discarding the remaining shell, roe and viscera. Sea scallop management regulation limits the commercial landings by weight and doesn’t currently differentiate the landing of viscera, which would more than double the weight landed.
Enter Lee and his team of URI researchers. They have been looking at ways to turn byproducts of local fisheries into marketable commodities. Working with funding from the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation and Rhode Island Sea Grant, Lee has spent the past two years studying scallop viscera to find a way to fully develop its commercial potential for such uses as an ingredient in high-value, specialty aquafeed, and for its nutraceutical ingredients.
Read the full story at Eco RI News