What are Blue Foods?

While current global food systems produce enough calories to keep pace with U.S. population growth, many Americans consume nutrient-poor diets that contribute to the rising incidence of diet-related obesity and chronic diseases. The Midwest, where the BiG project is located, has the highest rates of obesity in the country. Incidentally, it is also the area with fewest number of aquaculture farms, and that consumes the least seafood.

Blue foods, as a critical source of nutrition, can improve human health by reducing the risk of diet-related non-communicable conditions such as hypertension, heart attacks, certain cancers, and strokes. 

Blue food production systems are typically much more sustainable than other meat sources. Here are two examples:

Aquaponics is an integrated food production system that combines aquaculture and plant cultivation (often using hydroponics) into a single closed or semi-closed loop system. These systems can intensively produce diverse, high-quality seafood and specialty crops in controlled environments, aligning with the FAO’s criteria for climate-smart agriculture.

Aquaculture and capture fisheries generally produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions and require less land than red meat farming, with many aquaculture industries even outperforming commercial chicken production.

On average, blue foods offer significantly more nutritional benefits than land-based animal foods. They can help reduce micronutrient deficiencies (e.g., vitamin A, calcium, iron) and provide a critical source of omega-3 fatty acids, while also being an excellent protein source in most cases. Not only does this address malnutrition, but it also helps combat overnutrition by displacing the consumption of less-healthy red and processed meats, which can contribute to adverse health outcomes.

With over 800 million people worldwide relying on blue food production as their primary source of income, stable distribution is crucial. However, globalization has made the seafood system more vulnerable to systemic shocks that disrupt the flow of products, leading to price increases and shortages.

The U.S. is the largest importer of seafood (6.1 billion pounds in 2020), yet its domestic production ranks only 18th globally. This imbalance between relatively low domestic production and high import demand became even more evident during the recent pandemic and ongoing climate change. Low-income populations often struggle to access nutritious foods, including blue foods. It is essential for small farms and local communities to diversify and incorporate aquaculture into their farming portfolios to meet the growing demand from consumers, restaurants, and food services for locally produced foods.