Mussel Industry Council at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics Winter Games

Mussels to be Served Daily at Atlantic Canada House on Granville Island

CHARLOTTETOWN, Feb. 15 /CNW/ - The Mussel Industry Council of Canada is pleased to announce that it will be providing fresh blue cultured mussels to one of the cultural pavilions during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Starting February 12, mussels will be on the menu three-times daily at Atlantic Canada House on Granville Island.

"We are shipping 3,000 pounds of fresh blue cultured mussels from Atlantic Canada to be served during Atlantic Canada House operations," says Linda Duncan, Executive Director, Mussel Industry Council. "For 15 days, chefs from the four Atlantic Provinces will be dishing up tastings of mussels three times daily."

Throughout the two week period, chefs will be providing visitors to Atlantic Canada House with a culinary tasting of mussels in a variety of sauces from the classic Mussels Marinara to the more exotic flavours of Thai-style Mussels.

"Mussels are a tasty and healthy food that can be prepared many different ways," says Duncan. "We are excited to be able to introduce visitors from around the world to the various flavours of fresh blue cultured mussels."

Fresh blue cultured mussels are not only delicious, they are high in Omega 3s, low in fat (2.2 g fat per 100 g mussel meat) and have high levels of daily requirements for zinc, vitamin C and Iron. Mussels have also achieved international recognition as sustainable seafood. Recently, Monterey Bay Aquarium has identified cultured Farm Mussels as "Super Green", meaning that it is good for human health and does not harm the oceans. The Super Green list highlights products that are currently on the Seafood Watch "Best Choices" (green) list. They feed naturally with no additives and their seed is also collected naturally from the environment where they are grown.

About The Mussel Industry Council

The Mussel Industry Council is a newly-established organization, dedicated to promoting mussels in the United States and Canada. The Council represents processors from the four Atlantic provinces and Quebec, including: AquaPrime Mussel Ranch Ltd., Atlantic Aqua Farms Partnership, Badger Bay Mussel Farms, Confederation Cove Mussels Co. Ltd., Country Harbour Sea Farms Ltd., L&C Fisheries/Green Gables Mussels, Indian Point Marine Farms Ltd., Norlantic Processors, Prince Edward Aqua Farms Inc., Tracadie Bay Aqua Farms Inc. To discover more about mussels and the people who grow them, visit www.discovermussels.com.

About Atlantic Canada House

Discover the best of Canada's East Coast at Atlantic Canada House on Granville Island. For two weeks during the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games you'll experience our famous East Coast hospitality, right here on the West Coast. From daily shows and nightly concerts, to incredible cuisine, Atlantic Canada House will highlight the rich and varied culture of this region.

Atlantic Canada House is a pan-Atlantic partnership comprised of the Government of Canada, represented by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and the Governments of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Come on over and join in the fun, you're always welcome at our house! For more information on Atlantic Canada House visit us at www.atlanticcanadahouse.ca

For further information: Marie-France LeBlanc, [phone], [email protected]