Newsletter Home     Industry Bite     Wild Watch     Featured Articles     Recipe of the Month     Send Us Your Ideas Start the New Year off with these Delicious and Healthy Alaska Seafood Recipes The most common New Year's resolution made in America is to lose weight. Let consumers hoping to turn over a new leaf this month turn to your menu for guidance. With these healthy and delicious Alaska Seafood recipes, your patrons can surrender to temptation and still eat healthy: Alaska Surimi Seafood Lettuce Cups, Fast & Spicy Alaska Halibut and Marinated Mediterranean Salmon. Each recipe features wild Alaska Seafood and contains fewer than 300 calories per serving. These low-calorie meals rank high in flavor and are sure to please. Click Here to Check out these Recipes! Key Points from the Seafood & Health '05 Conference (December 5-7, 2005) In December, leading research scientists and nutritionists from across the country met in Washington D.C. for the Seafood and Health '05 conference. The three-day program focused on the latest research findings and the relationship between eating seafood and health. According to scientists, eating seafood reduces the risk for sudden death due to heart disease, "the primary killer of Americans," by up to 90 percent. This is good news as American seafood consumption is on the rise. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently announced that Americans ate a record 16.6 pounds of seafood per person in 2004. The conference focused on the benefits that omega-3 fatty acids, found in high concentration in seafood, have on the heart. Scientists also reported that according to studies, seafood: •  Reduces inflammation •  Corrects heart arrhythmia •  Prevents weight gain •  Prevents heart failure •  Prevents stroke and diabetes •  Increases the body's healing abilities •  Increases speed of information processing and attention span in children •  Leads to higher intelligence in toddlers and young children •  Lowers blood pressure Bill Hogarth, director of NOAA fisheries service stated, "The scientific evidence explored today is clear and solid: eating more fish and shellfish will lead to a healthier, smarter and longer-lived U.S. population." With this bright future in mind, the FDA recommends that Americans eat two servings, or eight ounces, of seafood per week. Stars of the Sea Play Big Role in New Point-of-Sale Posters - Bold New Alaska Seafood Posters Available to Assist Foodservice Operators in Driving Alaska Seafood Sales. The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) just released a colorful, boldly illustrated series of posters starring Wild Alaska Black Cod, Cod and Crab to help foodservice operators capitalize on growing demand. The messaging and the graphics are fresh and fun, and communicate wild and natural seafood in a whimsical art form. The bigger-than-life graphics communicate the abundance of Wild Alaska Seafood and serve as a reminder that the cold, pure waters and the natural environment of Alaska produce seafood of the highest quality with superior flavor. ASMI recognizes that part of creating successful partnerships with foodservice operators, includes providing merchandising materials that the consumer will respond to. This highly impactful, playful collection of posters is sure to entice consumers to order more seafood and creates an upscale and contemporary atmosphere in the restaurant. Click here to check out the posters! Alaska Seafood Promotion Increases Sales of the Lemon Herb Alaska Halibut at Max & Erma's Restaurants Ninety-three Max & Erma's Restaurants featured the world's premium whitefish, Alaska Halibut, on their menus and tabletents this October. The mouth-watering Lemon Herb Alaska Halibut entrée consisted of an herb-marinated, pan-seared Alaska Halibut fillet served with herb rice, wilted baby spinach, caramelized vegetables and lemon pan jus. Both the tabletents and menus include an enticing picture and description of the delectable entrée as well as the Alaska Seafood logo. The promotion resulted in an 18% increase in sales of the Lemon Herb Alaska Halibut entrée from the prior month. Tiffany Von Almen, Director of Brand Intelligence at Max & Erma's Restaurants noted, "We are pleased with the results of this promotion. Partnering with Alaska Seafood has helped Max & Erma's communicate the superior quality that we offer to our guests everyday." The tabletent portion of the promotion ran from October 3-30th, and, Alaska Seafood's name, logo and a picture of the entrée will remain on menus until April 2006. Max & Erma's Restaurants traditionally has been a Midwest and Southeast chain, but began expanding into the West in 2005. Max & Erma's has grown to more than 100 company-owned and franchise casual dining restaurants. For more information on Max & Erma's Restaurants go to http://www.maxandermas.com/.