PEDIGREE (2019-2020) is a one year ‘research into use’ project funded by BBSRC International Flexible Interchange Programme (I-FLIP). It builds on findings of the earlier project IMAQulate (2015-2019, www.stir.ac.uk/imaqulate) which developed indicator-based prophylactic health product (PHP) inventory, risk & efficacy prediction tool based on label-information and secondary indicators.

Primary focus is on probiotic and prebiotic PHP class/categories. PEDIGREE will disseminate this tool and increase awareness of issues around risk & efficacy of PHPs in order to:

(i) support improved voluntary (industry) and statutory regulation of safety and quality assurance;

and (ii) deliver more effective and safe small-holder aquaculture health management in Bangladesh.

The project will implement the following activities: (a) promote uptake of a PEDIGREE PHP (probiotic) risk assessment tool by

(a) industry members as part of voluntary quality assurance commitment

(b) statutory regulation bodies

(c) development agencies offering advice to farmers on the effective and safe application of PHPs.

(d) support academic and industry exchange visits to the Institute of Aquaculture at the University of Stirling (UK).

Five successful candidates will receive a bespoke programme of training in the project field – covering risk analysis, better management approaches, and laboratory analysis of products against risk parameters (e.g. microbial culture, enumeration and identification; antibiotic susceptibility and detection of resistance genes; etc.).

PEDIGREE has five consortium members: (1) The Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling (PI), (2) WorldFish Center, Dhaka (3) Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh (4) Practical Action, Dhaka (5) Bangladesh Aquatic Products Companies Association (BAPCA, Dhaka). For further information contact project Co-ordinator Dr Francis Murray fjm3@stir.ac.uk