The 17th Annual Alaska Symphony of Seafood new seafood products contest has been funded and the Call for Products has been distributed by Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation (AFDF). For the last 16 years, with the help of several generous industry sponsors such as Alaska Seafood Marketing Board, Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Trident Seafoods, American Seafoods Company, At-Sea-Processors Association, Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Alaska Pacific Seafoods, Icicle Seafoods, Orca Bay Seafoods, Commercial Fishing and Agricultural Bank, Alaska Center for the Performing Arts and numerous others, AFDF has conducted this wonderfully popular event. For 2010, the festivities are to begin February 3rd at the Palace Ball Room in Seattle, where a panel of judges will taste and evaluate the products entered in 3 categories: Retail, Food Service and Smoked Products. The judges evaluate entries based on taste, packaging, potential for commercial success, and score the products with written evaluations. The judging is followed by a reception that will be attended by invitees from the seafood industry, whom then sample the entries and vote for their favorite product. The judging results are kept confidential until the Gala Soiree, planned for Friday, February 19 at the Den’aina Convention Center in Anchorage, where the announcement of the winning products and Grand Prize winners took place. See Symphony of Seafood.
