Aquaculture Farm Food Safety and Diseases Risk Assessment (AquaFRAM): Development of a spreadsheet tool for salmon farms

Abstract

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is the most significant aquaculture species in Europe, both in terms of production and economic value, with Norway, followed by Scotland and Ireland as the three major European producers. The objective of the present study was to develop a spreadsheet tool for aquaculture farm-food safety and diseases risk assessment (AquaFRAM) for salmon farms in the UK, (and possibly more widely) to encourage farms to assess potential hazards and diseases. AquaFRAM functions primarily as a self-assessment risk ranking and risk-learning tool to determine the potential of farm food safety hazards, diseases and the level of possible risk for contamination and infections. AquaFRAM has been developed using MS Excel software utilising a qualitative risk assessment approach for farmers to evaluate their food safety practices and diseases on their farms. The risk assessment is based on the risk matrix of frequency of likelihood×severity, where the farmers can judge the likelihood of the hazards occurring on their farm based on given examples or scenarios. Grounding of the model, based on severity scoring is predicated on relevant reports in the literature and expert opinion derived from a separate Delphi study. The AquaFRAM Tool has since been tested on 9 salmon companies throughout UK. All of the farms which tried and tested the AquaFRAM Tool reported it being farmer-friendly and practical. It was highlighted that the current tool focused mainly on risk reduction and not risk elimination. However, such farm food safety and diseases risk assessment tool would be helpful, and certainly timely, to further encourage farms to assess potential hazards and diseases. It is also appropriate for educational and training of full-time and seasonal farm workers.