Organization

Centre Technologique des Produits Aquatiques (CTPA)
96, montee Sandy Beach
bureau 1.07
Gaspé, QC
CANADA G4X 2V6
Phone: (418) 368-7636
Fax: (418) 360-8514
Website: http://www.mapaq.gouv.qc.ca/Fr/Ministere/Info/structures/DGPAC/DIT/CTPA/

Overview

Established in Gaspé in 1983, the Aquatic Products Technology Centre (Centre Technologique des Produits Aquatiques -CTPA) is one of four research and industrial technology centres under the direction of Quebec’s Innovation and Technologies Directorate, and a branch of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.  CTPA supports the growth and development of a profitable fish and aquaculture sector, through the applied research and the development of value-added products, and process improvements for this important sector.

The scientific and technical team at CTPA is composed of professionals and technicians specializing in various disciplines of food science and technology, microbiology, chemistry, biology, and industrial processing. CTPA has an MOU with the University of Rimouski (UQAR) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ) whereby teams undertake research on identifying valuable extracts from marine biomolecules. CTPA also includes students and trainees interested in different aspects of fish and aquaculture product processing.

CTPA is focused on product conservation and valuation of shellfish and new marine biomasses, and plays an integral role in researching important areas that support the conservation of the fishery, including inhibition of food pathogens, bioconversion of fish oils, and antimicrobial properties of naturally occurring compounds in shellfish.

Core services

CTPA's principle areas of work include:

• Development of food products from aquatic biomass, and supporting processes 
• Improving plant productivity and efficiency with a focus on sustainability
• Quality and preservation of marine products
• Development of co-products (from byproducts of processing)
• Applied research in marine bioactivies (e.g., biomass fractionation, characterization of marine components, assessment of functional ingredients for health)

CTPA's technical and support staff provide a large range of services and applied technologies to industry and partners, including: 

• Research leading to commercialization 
• Optimization and establishment of new processes
• Support for industrial scale-up
• Technical trouble-shooting
• Loan and assessment of equipment
• Further development of novel species
• General technical and processing information
• Analytical laboratory services
• Sensory analysis and consumer test panels

Facilities

A four-part, 580 m2 facility is available to researchers and the industry, under controlled environments, including:

• A multi-purpose pilot plant for product and process development such as: cooking/pasteurizing, sterilizing, freezing, smoking, drying, and mechanical separation, etc; 
• A secure area for confidential precommercial production;
• A product development laboratory for prototype development;
• A fractioning platform for extraction, separation and purification of biomolecules; and
• Three analytical laboratories including:
  • Chemistry: for compositional analysis, freshness indicators and for specific biomolecules
  • Microbiology: for food safety and quality analysis
  • Sensory and Physical: for assessments of eating properties and to meet specific criteria

Recognition