<p>The United States Department of Agriculture&rsquo;s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) seeks to identify methods or technologies capable of reducing or eliminating instances of off-flavor in farmed catfish raised in ponds. The Protecting the Natural Flavor of Catfish <a href="https://www.for9a.com/en/opportunity/category/Competitions-and-Awards" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Challenge</a> will award a total prize purse of $60,000 for the most compelling approaches for preventing or eliminating these off-flavors which cost farmers millions of dollars each year. USDA-ARS believes that exciting new technologies and innovations are possible and welcomes the global community to provide insight in all forms to this topic, regardless of approach.</p><h3>The Problem</h3><p>Exposure to certain varieties of blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, can cause undesirable changes to the flavor of farmed catfish. This off-flavor delays the harvest for roughly 50% of catfish pounds each year in the <a href="https://www.for9a.com/en/country/United-States" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">United States</a>. Annually, this delay alone can cost catfish farmers millions of dollars in lost revenue and expenses to maintain the fish until flavor quality returns.</p><h3>Categories:</h3><p>USDA-ARS has identified three different points in the process where new methods or technologies could be implemented to address off-flavors in catfish:</p><ul><li><strong>Pre-harvest management practices:</strong> new methods/technologies that work to prevent the development of off-flavor causing blue-green algae in catfish ponds.</li><li><strong>Pre-harvest treatment technologies:</strong> new methods/technologies to remove off-flavor from catfish once it has been detected in sampled fish prior to harvest.</li><li><strong>Post-harvest treatment technologies:</strong> new methods/technologies that would allow processors to remove off-flavors from catfish after harvesting.</li></ul><h3>Performance Criteria:</h3><p>Ideally, the proposed approaches will meet the following performance criteria:</p><ul><li>Reduce or mask off-flavor compounds to a level undetectable to professional flavor testers (~100ng/kg).</li><li>Cost the same or less than current treatments (currently ~$177/acre-ft, which translates to ~$8000 per pond. The average catfish pond is a 10-acre pond, 4 ft deep).</li><li>Maintain catfish well-being.</li><li>Be neutrally or positively viewed by consumers.</li><li>Environmentally safe for both pond and surrounding areas.</li><li>Safe for operators and other personnel.</li></ul><h3>Prizes:</h3><p>ARS will award up to $60,000, to be split among the top-scoring and eligible submissions, with at least one prize winner in each category. Each prize awarded will be up to $30,000 and no less than $5,000.</p><p>Furthermore, it is the intention of ARS to facilitate the implementation of new technologies in the field to the benefit of the industry. To that end, ARS will consider post-challenge discussions between ARS scientists and winners, engaging with winners in joint publication efforts or in collaborative work to further develop proposed technologies. The USDA-ARS Office of Technology Transfer will assist with cooperative research agreement options as warranted.</p><h3>Participation Eligibility:</h3><ul><li>The Prize is open to anyone age 18 or older participating as an individual or as a team. Individual competitors and teams may originate from any country, as long as United States federal sanctions do not prohibit participation. If you are a USDA-ARS employee, a Government contractor, or employed by a Government Contractor, your participation in this challenge may be restricted.</li><li>Submissions must be made in English. All challenge-related communication will be in English.</li><li>No specific qualifications or expertise is required. Prize organizers encourage outside individuals and non-expert teams to compete and propose new solutions.</li><li>To be eligible to compete, you must comply with all the terms of the challenge as defined in the Challenge-Specific Agreement.</li></ul><p><span>About HeroX:</span></p><p>HeroX was co-founded in 2013 by XPRIZE founder Peter Diamandis, challenge designer Emily Fowler and entrepreneur Christian Cotichini as a means to democratize the innovation model of XPRIZE. HeroX exists to enable anyone, anywhere in the world, to create a challenge that addresses any problem or opportunity, build a community around that challenge and activate the circumstances that can lead to a breakthrough innovation.</p><p><strong>See more available <a href="https://www.for9a.com/en/opportunity/category/Grants">grants</a> on For9a</strong></p><p><strong>See more available <a href="https://www.for9a.com/en/opportunity/category/Trainings-or-Workshops">workshops or trainings</a> on For9a</strong></p><p><strong>See more available <a href="https://www.for9a.com/courses">online courses</a> on For9a</strong></p>

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Chance to Win up to $30,000 at the Protecting the Natural Flavor of Catfish Challenge 2021