International Training Courses 2014 - Third Round in Viet Nam:
SHRIMP - PANGASIUS SENSORY EVALUATION
Sensory evaluation is one of the compulsory procedures at import inspection stations of many importing countries; especially in the United States, inspectors of the Food Administration and Drug (US FDA) directly take samples and inspect imported seafood product consignments. According to statistics of the US FDA and imported seafood warning channels, reasons related to sensory evaluations for which seafood shipments were rejected or seafood enterprises were put on warning lists usually have been accounted the highest rate, in which the most reasons were filth and decomposition..
According to sensory evaluation experts, enterprises can fully identify and eliminate defects related to sensory at the enterprises through implementation of a preliminary sensory evaluation during whole process from raw material reception to step before shipment. This significantly helps enterprises eliminate/reduce substandard products to avoid consequences related to economic damage or reputation damage of the enterprises.
With importance of seafood product sensory evaluation knowledge and skills for export enterprise staff, the VASEP Training and Trade Promotion Center (VASEP.PRO) under of Vietnam Association of Seafood Entrepreneurs (VASEP) intend to conduct two training courses in sensory evaluation for the two main export seafood subjects including shrimp and pangasius with the teaching and practice guidance of Mr. James Barnett, a leading sensory expert of the United States and a former senior official of the U.S. FDA:
I. Time and Venue:
- 24-25 Nov, 2014: Fresh/Frozen Shrimp Sensory.
- 27 Nov, 2014: Pangasius Species: US FDA and Import Concerns.
In Cuu Long Hotel (***) 52 Quang Trung Str., Ninh Kieu Dist., Can Tho City, Viet Nam
II. Training course contents
1. Regulations and standards of the US FDA on acceptable and rejectable levels in sensory evaluation as well as food safety hazards.
2. Tools and techniques of sensory and quality assessment practices of:
- Prawn, including fresh and cooked shrimp and frozen shrimp of 2 main export species of Vietnam: black tiger shrimp and vannamei shrimp.
- Pangasius
3. Sensory evaluation practice on shrimp and pangasius samples.
III. Participants
1. QA/QC, Sensory evaluators, technicians in seafood processing enterprises.
2. Quality control staff, researchers and analyzers at institutes, universities and governmental authorities related to seafood quality.
3. Interested individual, raw material collectors, middlemen.
IV. Expert: MR. JAMES BARNETT
James Barnett with over 33 years experience working for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a food and seafood sensory analyst and then as FDA’s National/International Seafood Sensory Expert, He brings to the table valuable sensory knowledge.
Further details please contact us:
Programme Officer: Ms Ngoc Dzung, Tel: +84.43.8354496 – Ext 223; Mobile: +84 988-428-828, Email: ngocdung@vasep.com.vn
Programme Officer: Ms Hien Nguyen, Tel: +84.43.8354496 – Ext 210; Mobile: +84 906-076-587, Email: thuhien@vasep.com.vn
Sensory Evaluation 2014. Can Tho Viet Nam
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On July 9, 2026, the Embassy of Vietnam in Brazil organized the seminar titled “Sharing Information on Vietnam-Brazil Economic, Trade and Investment Relations in the First Half of 2026” to provide updates on bilateral cooperation and strengthen connections among government agencies, industry associations, and business communities of the two countries.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports in the first 6 months of the year continued to be a bright spot with a total turnover of 5.7 billion USD, an increase of 11.4% compared to the same period last year. By commodity group, seafood is one of the three groups with a trade balance in the first 6 months of 2026 in a surplus state with 4.13 billion USD, an increase of 17%.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) For many years, Vietnam’s seafood industry has been recognized as one of the country’s key export pillars. Products such as shrimp, pangasius, tuna, squid, octopus, and a wide range of other seafood have reached hundreds of markets worldwide. Yet behind these impressive export figures lies a significant challenge: a substantial share of Vietnam’s seafood export value still comes from minimally processed products, contract manufacturing, and raw material exports—segments characterized by low profit margins and high vulnerability to fluctuations in global prices.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the context of a global economy shifting powerfully toward green and sustainable values, Vietfish 2026 is far more than just a commercial trade fair. It has become a strategic rendezvous and a "comprehensive ecosystem"—a convergence of value, knowledge, and sustainable growth opportunities for the entire industry chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Colombia continued their strong upward momentum in May 2026. Export value to the market reached USD 4 million, up 24% compared to the same month in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 24 million, an impressive 48% increase year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Hai Phong's aquaculture sector is accelerating the adoption of high technologies in aquaculture to adapt to climate change, with red tilapia and tilapia identified as the key cultured species for priority development.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached nearly US$1.1 billion in June 2026, up 21.0% year-on-year. Cumulative exports in the first half of 2026 totaled nearly US$5.8 billion, representing a 12.8% increase compared with the same period last year. Exports to China and Hong Kong continued to accelerate, while shipments to the United States rebounded strongly in June. In contrast, exports to the EU, Japan, and the Middle East remained sluggish or recorded slight declines.
(vasep.com.vn) Tilapia is playing an increasingly important role in Vietnam’s aquaculture sector, driven not only by growing market opportunities but also by its ability to meet increasingly stringent requirements on quality, food safety, and traceability. In practice, tilapia farming in Vietnam is not a spontaneous or loosely regulated activity; rather, it operates under a comprehensive legal and technical framework covering the entire value chain—from hatcheries and farming to processing and exports.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.9 billion in the first five months of 2026, up 12% compared with the same period last year. Amid continued volatility in the global seafood market, this result demonstrates that the shrimp sector has maintained positive growth momentum, supported by improving demand in several Asian markets, particularly China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On June 16, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ca Mau Province announced that the locality has established a farming area code for nearly 30,400 hectares of mud crab aquaculture and granted export facility codes to five enterprises eligible to export mud crab officially to markets such as China, Cambodia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn