Europe: a big fish in the tide of food research

From cod liver oil to Omega 3 in salmon, the health benefits of eating fish have long been promoted, and still are by modern doctors. Eager to further propagate these 'fishy' benefits, the EU has been providing funding to research projects investigating the benefits of fish and seafood in the diet.

The biggest project to date in this area is SEAFOODplus, a one-of-a-kind, integrated seafood research project, or indeed series of projects, as it involves some 20 different studies. It has a strategic objective to minimise health problems for consumers and provide them with healthier, safer food products. With (€)14.4 million in European Commission support and headed by Professor Torger Børresen of the Danish Institute for Fisheries Research, SEAFOODplus will improve the use of by-products, ensure fish farming is ethically responsible, and that goods are tailor-made.

SEAFOODplus is already on the road to success, having made a number of breakthroughs, one of which relates to the dreaded food poisoning associated with eating shellfish. Professor Børresen explains how the team has successfully identified a new bacterium that produces histamine, effectively making it possible to avoid histamine poisoning in seafood.

Until now, he says, it was believed that chilling fish in ice would avoid the growth of bacteria producing histamine. 'However, many cases of histamine poisoning still occur each year even after proper chilling. This is because an important bacterium was overlooked,' Professor Børresen tells CORDIS News.

'We discovered this bacterium and called it Morganella psychrotolerance. This has been officially accepted as a new bacterium,' he says. Once the team studied the growth pattern of the bacterium, they were able to determine how fish should be packed and stored, effectively eliminating the growth of bacterium.

The team is also busy validating methods that could stop diners developing other diseases associated with shellfish contamination, and is designing rapid analytical techniques for detecting human pathogenic viruses, like noroviruses and hepatitis A, in bivalves (i.e. molluscs) in order to avoid contamination.

SEAFOODplus has also developed a new concept for farming fish with a consistent high level of selenium, which evidence suggests could help consumers to avoid cancer, says Professor Børresen.

Furthermore, the team has established new methods for ensuring full chain traceability in the production and marketing of seafood, allowing one to trace a product right back from fork-to-farm or from fork-to-fish. But in order to improve consumer confidence and health, understanding the demands and expectations of European consumers must first be a priority, emphasises Professor Børresen.

The chain approach is important, as it helps everyone to better understand where the researchers' efforts can best be applied and how they can provide consumers with key information. The end result is fewer health woes and improved well-being.