OPI Life Sciences
Ocean Produce International (OPI) was established in 1995 to
cultivate unique sea vegetables for institutional and retail
markets and to develop associated culturing technologies. OPI
and its licensees are committed to ISO9000 and 14000
accreditation and this will be achieved at the earliest possible
date. OPI has been certified HACCP compliant since 1998.
OPI's first product is a small, burgundy floret with translucent
leaves which OPI has named Sea Parsley (Palmaria palmata).
Sea
Parsley Is sold fresh, sun-dried and oven-toasted. A highly
nutritious, attractive and versatile culinary product, Sea
Parsley or Nova Scotia Sea Parsley Can be used as a seafood,
vegetable, spice, herb or garnish. Depending on how it is used,
Sea Parsley Can be burgundy or different shades of green and
its
flavours run the gamut from celery heart leaves to mussels to
bacon or smoked oysters. Sea Parsley also serves as a natural
MSG and enhances the flavour of almost any food, including lemon
cake. The unique sea vegetable is grown in salt water tanks in
greenhouses by licensed artisanal growers who form part of the
OPI family. No herbicides, pesticides, fungicides or harmful
chemicals are used in the cultivation of Sea Parsley. This
unique Canadian food does not exist anywhere else in the world.
It is a natural mutation of dulse which was discovered by the
National Research Council of Canada's scientists in 1978.
Sea Parsley Has been on the market for almost a year. In
February, it was awarded a gold medal at Carnegie Hall as one of
'America's Top 100 Food Products of 1997' and it is being
featured at the American Tasting Institute's '1997 Tour de
Force'
tasting events in New York, Washington, San Francisco, Los
Angeles, Chicago and Las Vegas. In November 1996, Sea Parsley
Was showcased at Cuisine Canada's Northern Bounty II conference
in Vancouver. It has been favourably received by chefs and food
writers alike. Executive Chef John Higgins at the King Edward
Hotel in Toronto recently won the Culinary Grand Prix
(1997-Glasgow) gold medal using Sea Parsley In his creations.
OPI specializes in the cultivation of sea vegetables. Related
activities include:
-scientific and technological research
-marketing and sales
-product identification and development
-technology development and transfer
-quality control and process management
-business training and consulting
-processing and packaging
CURRENT GEOGRAPHICAL MARKETING ACTIVITY
OPI's primary product market in the short run is institutional
as
well as those who will know how to develop applications for a
new
food product. Chefs, caterers, menu developers, food and
beverage buyers are expected to form our primary market.
Airlines, cruise lines, hotels, restaurants, health clinics and
hospitals are among the first customers we are cultivating.
Retail packages will initially be directed to upscale grocery
stores, natural/health food stores and speciality stores. In
addition to the Canadian market, our two primary geographic
target markets include wealthier markets in Asia and key
culinary
centres in the United States. While OPI has interest in Europe
and the Middle East, these markets will only be pursued in the
short term in response to concrete expressions of interest.
OPI's primary technology transfer and consulting markets will,
in
the first instance, include our licensed growers. In the longer
term, OPI would be interested in identifying consulting
opportunities funded by IFI's or international agencies but
would
prefer consulting opportunities with private sector clients.
Keywords: Sustainable food production; Zero emissions (pollution); aquaculture; mariculture; coastal communities; Nova Scotia; Technology transfer; Feasibility studies; Organic food.
Company Details
Year Established:
1995
Number of Employees:
14
Company Information
Jason B. Goodwin
Title:
Sales and Marketing
Telephone:
(902) 875-4444
Fax:
(902) 875-4445
Email:
Click Here
A. Cayer
Title:
Vice President
Telephone:
(902) 875-4444
Fax:
(902) 875-4445
Email:
Click Here
Willa Magee
Title:
President
Area of Responsibility:
Management Executive
Products
Sea Parsley
Health Food Products
* Neutraceutical products using Nova Scotia Sea Parsley powders
for drinks, capsules, tablets or in formulations.
* Functional Foods -include Sea Parsley Rice Cakes, Sea Parsley
Beer, Sea Parsley Cheese.
* Formulas for Tube Feeding that provide omega 3s, vitamins,
minerals, antioxidants, proteins.
Sea Grasses And Sea Plants
Ocean Produce International (OPI) grows two sea plants known as
Nova Scotia Sea ParsleyTM and opika-1TM. These are new strains
exclusively cultivated by OPI in our greenhouses. Male plants,
they grow vegetatively. Both plants as dried or processed
products with culinary, functional food, nutraceutical, personal
care product, medical food, pharmaceutical and life science
research fine chemical applications.
Sea Parsley, Whole Or Ground, Sundried And Roasted
Unique dwarf strain of the alga Palmaria palmata cultivated in
greenhouses. Burgundy coloured tufts of plant material with
exceptional culinary applications. Winner of American Tasting
Institute Gold Medals at Carnegie Hall in 1997 and 1998 and the
Canadian Grand Prix for Produce in 1998, Sea parsley is a
culinary chameleon with a versatile array of culinary
applications.
Sea Parsley is also exceptional as a nutritious product with
over 80 identified nutrients including omega 3 fatty acids, a
full range of amino acids, antixidants including zeaxanthin,
vitamin E, Beta and Alpha Caroteins, minerals and trace minerals
as well as other essential viatmins not normally found in plants
such as B12, soluable and insoluable fiber. See our web page for
more nutritional information at http://www.oceanproduce.com
Opika-1tm Kainic Acid
This is an excitatory Amino Acid used in neurological research.
OPI produces the highest quality lowest priced product in the
world. opika-1 Kainic Acid is the chemical of choice for
neurological research in more than 35 countries nowsupplied by
OPI tomore than 200 of the leading neurological research centres
in the world.
Conformationally restricted analog ofL-glutamic acid is the
prototype agonist at the kainate class of ionotropic glutamate
receptors. Induces seizures and neurodegenerationin vivoand is
used to induce experimental epilepsy in rodents and to study the
mechanisms of excitation-induced neuronal apoptosis. Glutamate
and aspartate free.
Literature References
Coyle, J.T., Kainic acid: insights into excitatory mechanisms
causing selective neuronal degeneration Ciba Found. Symp. 126,
186-203 (1987)
Hampson, D.R., and Manalo, J.L., The activation of glutamate
receptors by kainic acid and domoic acid Nat. Toxins 6, 153-158
(1998)
Gluck, M. R., et al., CNS oxidative stress associated with the
kainic acid rodent model of experimental epilepsy. Epilepsy Res.
39, 63-71 (2000)
Simonian, N.A., et al., Kainic acid induces apoptosis in
neurons. Neuroscience 75, 1047-1055 (1996)
Kondratyev, A., and Gale, K., Intracerebral injection of
caspase-3 inhibitor prevents neuronal apoptosis after kainic
acid-evoked status epilepticus. Brain Res Mol. Brain Res. 75,
216-224 (2000)
Ferrer, I., et al., Differential c-Fos and caspase expression
following kainic acid excitotoxicity Acta Neuropathol. 99, 245-
256 (2000)
Nakai, M., et al., Kainic acid-induced apoptosis in rat
striatum is associated with nuclear factor-kappaB activation. J.
Neurochem. 74, 647-658 (2000)
Nakai, M., et al., Kainic acid-induced apoptosis in rat
striatum is associated with nuclear factor-kappaB activation. J.
Neurochem. 74, 647-658 (2000)
Opika-1 Tm Dihydrokainic Acid
An excitatory amino acid derivative used in neurological
research. Nontransportable glutamate analog that blocks
glutamate receptors. opika-1 dihydrokainic acid provides the
highest purity, consistency and availability as well as best
prices world-wide. For Specifications and MSDS see our web page
at http://www.oceanproduce.com
Mariponics: The Controlled Production Of Sea Vegetables On Land In Greenhouses Using Seawater
As the world population grows and arable land is lost, producing enough food is becoming a serious concern. The increases in food production necessary often come through the increased use of chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers.
Ocean Produce International (OPI) has developed a method of cultivating a new food source. OPI's method of cultivating is referred to as 'Mariponics' and the food grown is referred to as 'Sea Vegetables'.
Mariponics is the controlled production of sea vegetables such as the nutritious Sea ParsleyTM in tanks of seawater. The tanks are situated in greenhouses and no chemicals are used.
Mariponics results in a biomass of sea vegetables that can double every week. Mariponics results in zero pollutants and cleaner filtered water being returned to the ocean. As well, oxygen is produced as a by-product.
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