Is Ayam Brand™ Tuna Sustainability
Yes! Our tuna is sustainable and here is the rationale behind this claim:
Even though AYAM BRAND™ tuna represents less than 0.1% of the yearly world tuna catch, AYAM BRAND™ is committed to being a brand that stands for quality and acts with responsibility by taking a strong stand for sustainable fish sourcing and compliant fishing and manufacturing practices.
We do not have a direct relationship with tuna fishing vessels as we work with canned fish factories, which produce our recipes to our specifications, and under our quality control. Our area of influence is in the purchasing specifications that we provide to the canned tuna manufacturers.
The use of stringent tuna purchasing specifications that require sustainable fish sourcing is our way of putting pressure on the tuna fishing industry to make progress not only on sustainable tuna fishing but also on fair and compliant labour practices.
Manufacturers who have been selected to produce for AYAM BRAND™ must accept our sustainability specifications.
They Cover Three Main Categories:
The Biomass
Simple rules to ensure the sustainability of the tuna used in AYAM BRAND™ production.
The Code Of Conduct
It is mandatory for our suppliers and their own suppliers to ensure fair and compliant labour and business practices.
The Recommendations
These put pressure on the industry for improvements in catching methods.
1) The Biomass
Rule 1: AYAM BRAND™ only sources tuna species which are not critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable as per the IUCN Redlist.
Rule 2: AYAM BRAND™ only sources tuna species from regional stocks with a healthy biomass (not overfished and not undergoing overfishing). Stocks are monitored by the Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs).
RFMOs are international intergovernmental organizations dedicated to the sustainable management of fishery resources in international waters. We follow the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC/iota.org) and the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC/www.wcpfc.int) in particular. Most of their data is published by ISSF (International Seafood Sustainability Foundation - http://iss-foundation.org).
Rule 3: We do not accept tuna supply from Illegal, Unregulated, and Unreported (IUU) fishing.
Rule 4: We do not accept tuna supply from fishing vessels not certified as Dolphin Friendly or those practising shark finning or fishing of endangered species.
Rule 5: AYAM BRAND™ sources ONLY THREE species of tuna:
(1) Skipjack Tuna (Katsuwonus Pelamis)
Most of our canned tuna is produced using skipjack tuna (49% of our tuna volumes). The Skipjack used by our brands is caught in the Pacific Ocean, in areas assessed by WCPFC as healthy (not overfished or undergoing overfishing), but they could come from any other fishing area where skipjack tuna resources are healthy as described by RFMOs.
In the yearly period 2018/2019, 100% of our skipjack tuna was sourced in line with this sustainability specification. This achievement is in line with the previous period 2017/2018.
The stock abundance of Skipjack in the Western Pacific is assessed as healthy. (page 44 of the report ISSF 2019-12: Status of the World Fisheries for Tuna. October 2019*).
(2) Yellowfin (Thunnus Albacares)
DAP uses yellowfin tuna (35% of our tuna volumes) for canned tuna in oil or in water. In some parts of the world, yellowfin tuna is overfished. Our requirement is that the yellowfin tuna for our brands be fished from the Western Pacific, which is assessed as healthy by the WCPFC.
In the yearly period 2018/2019, 100% of our yellowfin tuna was sourced in line with this sustainability specification. Still, we have to face the fact that we may in the near future, experience several months without any supply from the Western Pacific. In order to preserve a 100% sustainability ratio on Yellowfin, we have reduced the share of this species in our production.
The stock abundance of Yellowfin in the Western Central Pacific is assessed as healthy. (page 40 of the report ISSF 2019-12: Status of the World Fisheries for Tuna. October 2019*).
(3) Tonggol (Thunnus Tonggol)
We managed to replace Yellowfin by a lesser known species, Tonggol, in about 16% of our supplies. In terms of sustainability balance, such a species (also known as Longtail Tuna) presents both a benefit and a drawback. On the plus side, Tonggol is a coastal fish caught by local small-scale fishermen. It contributes to the local economy and it is not listed as an endangered species of tuna. On the downside, these local species of tuna are not used by the major industries as they are less straightforward to collect and to process, therefore there is no official monitoring of their biomass.
Ayam Brand™ closely monitors information and reports from the RFMOs and ISSF to keep updated on the status of skipjack, yellowfin and tonggol tuna biomass.
2) The Code Of Conduct
AYAM BRAND™ works with suppliers who share the same code of conduct for their factories and who, in turn, make it mandatory for their own suppliers.
These practices, within the supply chain, strongly contribute to the improvement of all parties’ sustainability performance and ultimately lead to long-term, mutually beneficial relationships between suppliers and stakeholders.
Labour and social conditions comply fully with national laws and international treaties.
Internal policies exist to prevent corruption and bribery.
Human rights must be respected and promoted within the companies.
Environment, Health and Safety policies must be implemented.
For more details, please refer to our Code of Conduct.
3) The Recommendations
We play our role in pushing our suppliers to improve catching methods.
Most AYAM BRAND™ tuna is caught by purse seine fishing vessels and a small percentage from pole and line.
We accept:
-
Purse seines
-
Pole & line fisheries
-
Trolling or handling fisheries
We do not accept:
-
Longlines
-
Vessels intentionally pursuing marine mammals, turtles or sharks
As of today, our suppliers are unable to distinguish between the percentage catch of purse seine on free school tuna versus purse seine on FADs as they are sometimes mixed in the fishing vessels. We are, however, in constant dialogue with our suppliers who are committed to collecting data and sharing technical information. This should allow us a better understanding of the situation in a short time frame in order to improve our purchasing specifications.
As a brand involved in canned fish, we regularly express our opinion that Marine Reserves (MRs) and Marine Protection Areas (MPAs) should be enlarged and that well-managed quotas for fish caught based on scientific data is an effective tool to manage and to protect fish resources for future generations.
We specifically express our support to promote the following areas as Marine Reserves and we pledge not to accept fish supply from these seas:
-
the Pacific Commons
-
the Antarctic Ross Sea
-
Pulau Besar and Merlimau in Melaka, Malaysia
-
Port Dickson marine park in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
-
Pulau Lima in Johor, Malaysia
-
Pulau Songsong in Kedah, Malaysia
Moreover, we do not work with any company that is building, or planning to build, new additional vessels for fishing tuna (other than local pole & line and/or handline).
We are also working on adding a certified sustainable pole and line canned tuna range to Ayam Brand™ canned tuna, so AYAM BRAND™ could offer this option to consumers in the near future.
Ayam Brand publishes every year, in full transparency, the data on the sustainability achieved in tuna supply in Denis Group’s annual ESG report.
AYAM BRAND™ is committed to the sustainability and transparency of its products' supply chain. We welcome any further questions at "CONTACT US".
Ayam Brand™ Palm Oil Policy
Ayam Brand™ has, for many years, implemented a responsible policy for the use of palm oil, by replacing it wherever technically possible, with an alternative vegetable oil with a healthier nutritional profile, like olive oil or soya bean oil. Today, palm oil is present in a very limited number of Ayam Brand™products and our volume of palm oil purchasing is as low as 200 MT per year, which should represent less than 0.00001 % of Malaysian production.
Despite our extremely low use of palm oil, Ayam Brand™ has nevertheless established and adhered to two stringent standards:
-
The palm oil for any Ayam Brand™ products should be sustainable.
Our factories are RSPO certified and they only source for Ayam Brand™ segregated certified sustainable palm oil of West Malaysian origin.
-
Ayam Brand™ labels should be transparent and explicit.
When an Ayam Brand™ product contains palm oil, it has to be clearly stated on the ingredient list.
An Alliance For Sustainable Palm Oil
Ayam Brand™ is proud to be among the founding members of SASPO (Support Asia for Sustainable Palm oil), an initiative of WWF Singapore.
The vision of the Alliance is to make CSPO the norm to stop the haze as well as deforestation and habitat loss in the region. It aims to provide a platform for companies to come on a sustainable journey towards producing, trading and using certified sustainable palm oil.
Ayam Brand's palm oil policy proves that it is possible for medium size companies to develop and implement sustainable and responsible policies.
Recent years' events have demonstrated that it is our duty to participate in all possible efforts to reduce and eventually eliminate haze from our lives.
Whatever their size, all companies should adopt this necessary environmental goal.
How Does The Canning Process Work?
The technology bhind canned food works in a similat way to the vacuum in outer space. A vacuum is created using heat, then the tin is sealed hermetically and goes through the retort sterilisation process, a means of high pressure cooking that sterilises the contents of the can.
Like in space, the absence of air results in an absence of life, hence food can last for years without the need for preservatives or chemicals.
Canned food is not only the safest means of conserving food, it is regarded by scientists as the best means to protect most nutrients, especially those sensitive to air oxidation, like vitamins or Omega-3.
Ayam Brand™ guarantees NO preservatives, NO added MSG and NO GMOs in all its canned foods.
For more information about the Alliance, please click on WWF logo.
No Mercury Worry
Big marine predators like the shark, whale, swordfish and some big tuna species may contain traces of methyl mercury because mercury concentrations increase at the top of the food chain.
Ayam Brand™ selects only small size fishes from two species of tuna: skipjack and small yellowfin.
Because the selected tuna are relatively small, they are naturally unlikely to concentrate mercury like big size predators.
For the total peace of mind of its tuna consumers, Ayam Brand™ sends each and every batch of its tuna production for mercury analysis by an independent laboratory.
Ayam Brand™ makes sure that its tuna productions comply with the most stringent food safety regulations in the world.
Ayam Brand™ also recommends reading the following advice on fish consumption, done the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand:
Is Canned Tuna Safed To Eat Regularly?
Yes. In general, it is safe for all population groups, including pregnant women, to consume 2-3 serves of any type of tuna per week (canned or fresh).
Canned tuna generally has lower levels of mercury than other tuna because the tuna used for canning are smaller species that are generally caught when less than 1 year old. Fsanz has calculated that it is safe for all population groups to consume a snack can of tuna (95 grams) everyday, assuming no other flsh is eaten. But remember, the australian dietary guidelines recommend that a variety of foods be consumed.
About Our Brands
Certification
Ayam Brand™ products are manufactured in state-of-the-art facilities that meet the highest international standards with worldwide-recognized certifications and are certified ‘Halal’. HACCP MS 1480:2007 : The optimum system of preventive controls and most effective process to protect against food contamination.
ISO 9001: 2008 QMS : A quality management system to deliver a consistent top quality to consumers.
Halal MS 1500:2009: strict supervision and certification from JAKIM Malaysia.
Others Halal certifications are issued by official certification bodies recognized by JAKIM.
Corporate Social Responsibility
For many years, Ayam Brand™ Malaysia is giving back to those who needed most. Every years 2 months of food supplies are distributed nationwide to charitable homes to support the elders, disabled and orphans.
Reduce Reuse Recycle
With an environmental logic, Ayam Brand™ believes that the whole product should be used in the process to limit waste therefore we are engaged in a long term production program to reduce waste and carbon footprint.
For our coconut range: our factory process the whole coconut (water, oil, milk and cream) and the only waste, the coconut shell, is collected and used for the burners to replace usual fossil energy, like oil or gas.
In the case of our fish factory, we are working on special machinery that will process the rejects to produce Fish Hydrolyzed Protein for the pharmaceutical industry.
We minimize packaging and work mostly with simple packaging material like tin, glass or paper, which are 100% recyclable.
About Our Quality
Are Ayam Brand™ Products Gluten Free
The ingredients in our tuna range are gluten free. Our tuna factory has an organization that actively prevents allergen cross-contamination.
We also do random checks on our products to ensure that our products do not have various types of allergen cross-contamination. However as we do not make such public claims for this range of products as we currently do not have a systematic allergen control and gluten free certification.
Does Ayam Brand™ Use Sustainable Palm Oil
Ayam Brand™ has, for many years, implemented a responsible policy for the use of palm oil, by replacing it, wherever technically possible, by alternative vegetable oils with a healthier nutrient profile. For the few Ayam Brand™ products still using palm oil, our factories only source segregated certified sustainable palm oil of West Malaysian origin.
Is Ayam Brand™ Tuna Sustainable
AYAM BRAND™ only uses tuna species, which are not endangered & from biomass that is healthy (not overfished).
Should I Be Worried About Mercury Levels In Tuna
Big marine predators like shark, whale, swordfish and some big tuna species may contain traces of methyl mercury because the mercury concentrations increase at the top of the food chain.
Ayam Brand™ selects only small size fishes from two species of tuna: skipjack and small yellowfin.
Because the selected tuna are relatively small, they are naturally unlikely to concentrate mercury like big size predators.
Notwithstanding the tuna selection, Ayam Brand™, for the total peace of mind of its tuna consumers, send each and every batch of its tuna productions for an independent laboratory mercury analysis.
Ayam Brand™ makes sure that its tuna productions comply with the most stringent food safety regulations in the world.
What No Added MSG Means
Monosodium glutamate or MSG is a flavor enhancer because it balances, blends and rounds the total perception of other tastes. You can find it under the food additive E621. Ayam Brand™ strongly believes that recipes with fresh natural ingredients are the best form of food. Hence, all of our products are guaranteed without added MSG to provide you with healthy and delicious meals.
What To Do With The Fish Oil White Particles?
EXPLAINING THE WHITE PARTICLES ON SARDINES & MACKEREL TOMATO SAUCE
Have you ever opened Ayam Brand™ Sardines or mackerels in Tomato Sauce and found that there are some white particles/dots on top of the sauce? Don’t worry, those are normal, safe to eat and, in fact, it is a proof of quality!
WHAT ARE THE WHITE PARTICLES?
When the fish is very fatty and juicy, some of its fats migrate from the flesh to the surface of the sauce. The white particles are only fish oil that have crystalized in the form of white particles, depending on the storage temperature. It usually happens when the cans spend some time in an air-conditioned room.
WHAT TO DO WITH THE FISH OIL WHITE PARTICLES?
Nothing! These white particles just indicate that the fish is very fat and juicy. Simply heat up the sardines or mackerels and these fats will dissolve into fish oil. Don’t need to worry about it anymore, especially now that you know that they are fish oil!
WHAT IS FISH OIL?
Fish oil is healthy oil derived from the tissues of fatty fish, like sardines, salmon, mackerel, tuna, which are recommended by nutritionists. Ayam Brand™ only chooses the best quality Sardines from the cold seas. These sardines are much fattier and juicier to stand the extreme coldness. They contain richer fish oil which includes Omega-3. This is a natural process and shows that our sardines are of excellent quality.
Where Do Your Fishes Come From?
Our sardines are exclusively of the Sardinops or Genus Sardina species from the North-Western and Eastern Pacific waters, Southern waters of the Indian Ocean and North-Western Atlantic waters. Mackerels are exclusively of the Scomber species, caught mainly in the North Atlantic Ocean, North-western Pacific waters and Eastern pacific waters.
By selecting these fatty blue fishes that live in cold sea waters, we make sure our products are rich in "healthy fats" including DHA & EPA, the most beneficial Omega-3.
About Canned Food
Ayam Brand™ Going BPA-FREE
(1) Ayam Brand™ is compliant with the most stringent regulations in the world covering BPA and all Ayam Brand™ products are totally safe for consumption.
Most cans come with linings to protect food from contact with the metal used in the can. For decades, these linings have been made of epoxy, containing BPA (Bisphenol A).
Independent laboratory analyses have demonstrated that for most of Ayam Brand™'s reference products there is no migration of BPA to food even after each can's expiry date.
In 2009, France was the first country to prohibit BPA lacquers in contact with food. In some USA states like California, presence of BPA lacquers should be indicated on the packaging label.
Since 2017, we have been working on the implementation of BPA-FREE lining in all its cans.
(2) Ayam Brand™ is switching ALL its canned products to BPA-FREE CANS.
At the beginning of 2012, Ayam Brand™ took the decision to switch all its products to cans with linings containing neither BPA nor any similar family of components such as BPF, BPS etc. Ayam Brand™ is therefore setting even higher standards in this regard than consumers' expectation.
However, at the time the decision was taken, alternative BPA-free linings were not readily available. Ayam Brand™ took it upon itself to extensively test alternative linings with Real Time Aging analysis to ensure that the new lining is better and safer than the existing coating. It took several years for the can industry to formulate the new linings and for Ayam Brand™ to test them.
- All our sardines range are in BPA-free cans.
- All our mackerel/saba range are in BPA-free cans.
- All our canned coconut milk are in BPA-free cans.
- All other products in different packaging (like glass jars or Tetra Pack) are BPA-free.
- Our tuna range is in the process of completing the switch.
We have been able to progressively switch all of our products to BPA-free linings. However, there are still some products which have yet to fully switch to BPA-free cans. Please be assured that there is no BPA migration into our food for all of our product range. They are completely safe for consumption even though it has not yet been converted to BPA-free linings.
Do I Need To Cook Canned Food
Canned products are cooked in the can as part of the canning process. This means that they are always fully cooked in the sealed can and may be eaten straight from the can without the need for additional cooking. However, you can warm them up or use them as ingredient in your favourite cooking recipe.
How To Store Canned Foods
Unopened canned products should be stored in a cool, dry place where they can last for up to three years in your pantry unless the “best before” date says sooner.
Use a clean and rust-free can opener, or look for pull-tab cans, and wipe the top of a can before opening.
Do not store foods in opened cans in the refrigerator, instead, transfer unused contents to a safe storage container and place immediately in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Why There Are No Preservatives In Canned Food
A can is the best way to preserve the texture, presentation and taste of processed food for long, without adding preservatives.
Canning process uses sterilization, invented by a French cook in 1810 to preserve perishable food in such a stable manner that it could be stored and shipped overseas all year long.
Cans are vacuumed then sealed in air tight conditions and go through a high temperature and controlled heating process.
The heating process kills bacteria and preserves the food. The product can be the safely consumed without the help of preservatives.
More info: HTTP://WWW.MFCA.ORG.MY/
