An Ecologically Sustainable Ingredient

Strictly Environmentally Managed

New Zealand is renowned worldwide for its unspoiled, clean environment; and green lipped mussels grow only in the clean, protected waters of New Zealand. New Zealand mussel farms adhere to a strict environmental management system. This ensures many generations to come can continue to enjoy the beauty of New Zealand’s coasts, and the bountiful supply of New Zealand green lipped mussels from its seas.

Internationally recognised as Eco-Friendly

US environmental agency, Blue Ocean Institute, ranks New Zealand green lipped mussels top of their list of eco-friendly seafoods. NZ green lipped mussels were the conservation group's top seafood choice because they require clean, healthy waters to grow in, and have a limited impact on the environment.

Sustainable from Start to Finish

The New Zealand green lipped mussel industry recognises its relationship with the environment, and works to ensure all of its activities are environmentally responsible and sustainable. This applies from seed mussels through to harvesting and processing the finished product.

Clean Bill of Environmental Health

All formal environmental studies carried out to date give the New Zealand green lipped mussel farming industry a clean bill of health. Since mussel farming began in the late 1960’s, minimal ecological imbalance has occurred upon or near established marine farm sites. This is partly because most New Zealand green lipped mussel farms are sited in areas where mussels occur naturally.

Farmed without additives

Perhaps the biggest environmental plus for New Zealand green lipped mussel farming is that it uses no harmful additives. Mussels are cultured on suspended long lines, instead of being dredged from the ocean floor. The only artificial components are the inert floats, ropes and anchors that provide a support for growing mussels. No fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides or artificial feeds whatsoever are used. Environmentally, New Zealand green lipped mussel farming is cleaner and greener than organic gardening.

An Ecologically Sustainable Product

The New Zealand green lipped mussel is an ecologically sustainable product.

New Zealand’s shellfish growing waters are some of the cleanest and most monitored waters in the world. Unlike many countries that produce shellfish, New Zealand has very little heavy industry and few sources of pollution.

The country also has a small population base, and New Zealand green lipped mussel farms are sited well away from cities and centers of higher population density. This additional measure ensures that land-based activities do not adversely affect the marine environment.

The growing water standards also meet or exceed the USA National Shellfish Sanitation Program Water Quality Standards.

Constantly Monitored for Safety

New Zealand growing waters are monitored by independent authorities; and strict rules apply to harvesting the mussels. This is just one of the many measures in place to help ensure mussel safety.

The country also leads the world in researching, understanding and monitoring biotoxin events. For example, algal blooms are naturally occurring marine phenomena that can occur anywhere, any time, within any marine environment. They are not specific to New Zealand waters, but may occasionally occur.

Because of this, New Zealand Marine Biotoxin Authority regularly monitors all farming sites for the presence of algal blooms. This programme complements other governmental monitoring and quality assurance programmes, to help ensure that New Zealand shellfish are truly safe.

Internationally Audited Processing

Biolane® Mussel Extract is processed to the highest food hygiene standards. The Biolane® processing plant is regularly audited by the USFDA, the European Union, New Zealand government agencies and other foreign country food safety regulators.

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