Norwegian Seafood Export Council Sets New Record at Shanghai Expo in Celebration of the Arrival of Norwegian Salmon No. 10,000,000 to China
Shanghai, October 15, 2010 — Thousands of visitors to the Norwegian Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo were thrilled to witness the setting of a new Guinness World Record for the largest sushi mosaic today. The record-setting sushi mosaic was created by the Norwegian Seafood Export Council (NSEC) in celebration of the arrival of Norwegian Salmon no.10,000,000 to China. Guinness World Record adjudicator Ms. Wu Xiaohong, confirmed the new world record and presented a certificate to confirm the record. Zhonghua Vocational Chef School of Shanghai and Fursetgruppen restaurant group collaborated in creating the new record supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy and initiated by Norwegian Seafood Export Council. The Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Lisbeth Berg-Hansen attended the event.
The record-setting sushi mosaic featured 8,374 pieces of sushi made from different types of Norwegian seafood, primarily salmon, but also cod, mackerel and prawns. The mosaic covered 20.13 m2, used 120 kilos of rice and 65 kilos of Norwegian Salmon, and took 6 hours and 15 minutes to complete (not including preparation time). Hundreds of enthusiastic visitors to the Norwegian Pavilion at the World Expo cheered as they witnessed the assembly of the mosaic. After celebrating the new Guinness World Record, spectators could enjoy the delicious sushi from the mosaic.
In China, most Norwegian Salmon is eaten as sushi or sashimi, so creating a record-breaking sushi mosaic accords with Chinese consumers’ favorite way of enjoying Norwegian Salmon. The bilateral relationship was also prominently displayed in the sushi mosaic, which integrated the national flags of Norway and China in a creative design.
The World Expo in Shanghai is the largest Expo ever held. As a sponsor of the Norwegian Pavilion, the NSEC came up with the idea of setting a new world record for the world’s largest sushi mosaic as a way of celebrating the arrival of Norwegian Salmon no. 10,000,000 to China. The successful setting of the new Guinness World Record for the world’s largest sushi mosaic represents a new milestone for the NSEC since its establishment in China in 1998.
Norwegian Salmon has become popular in China because of its high nutrient content, safety, delicious taste and fresh supply year round. It is raised in clear, cold waters and arrive China in 3-4 days. The majority of Norwegian Salmon in China is eaten raw as sushi or sashimi which makes good quality paramount.
Norway is the second largest exporter of seafood in the world. In 2009 Norway exported 2, 6 million tons of seafood valued at RMB50billion. Every day 35 million meals of Norwegian Seafood are served worldwide, 10 million of these are Norwegian Salmon. Norwegian Seafood is exported to 150 countries.
In 2009, Norway exported 144,578 tons of seafood to China and Hong Kong valued RMB2.37 billion, an increase of 42% in value and 55% in volume from 2008.
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About Norwegian Seafood Export Council (NSEC)
The Norwegian Seafood Export Council (NSEC) was established as an organization under jurisdiction of the Ministry of Fisheries with the legal approval of the Norwegian parliament. Its purpose is to foster global interest in Norwegian seafood. It broadly provides wide-ranging information by maintaining a close relationship with the fisheries industry and simultaneously conducting marketing activities. For more information: www.seafoodfromnorway.no or www.fishoflove.com
About the Previous Guinness World Record for the World’s Largest Sushi Platter
The previous Guinness World Record for the world’s largest sushi platter was set in 2008 by 20 students from a chef school in Bombay, India. Their sushi platter comprised 5,814 pieces of sushi, covered 15.16m2, used 60 kilos of rice and 15 kilos of Norwegian Salmon, and took 9 hours to complete.