News

Seafood-Age 4th Project Meeting & 1st Training Session

4th Project Meeting

The fourth project meeting (18M) was celebrated via videoconference on the 3rd of November 2020. Thirty-three participants followed the presentations and participated in the discussions.

In the morning, the technical packages were addressed, while transversal topics were discussed after lunch.

Interesting progresses were presented in this meeting after one year and half of collaborative work, being rewarding to see that the different aspects of the RTE product are taking shape despite the restrictions to access the labs.

The 1st training session went successfully virtual on 4th November

Even though this kind of action was supposed to be face-to-face in order to get familiar with techniques and processes that take place at a lab or pilot scale, the partners involved were successful preparing very comprehensible and high quality home-made audiovisuals.

Researchers from IIM-CSIC presented the production of ingredients. IPMA showed the different methods to assess the bioactivity of ingredients. ICTAN explained the production of the RTE product, INL presented a demonstration of the microbial kit and IRMRS screened a video about the seaweed culture and harvest.

Two new papers released by INL in Open Access

Our colleagues from the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory have just published two new articles, both related to the detection of Listeria monocytogenes.

One of them is focused on a method of surface analysis and naked eye detection with lateral flow strips:

Application of Recombinase Polymerase Amplification with Lateral Flow for a Naked-Eye Detection of Listeria monocytogenes on Food Processing Surfaces

The second one develops a method consisting of a multiplex qPCR system to also detect other pathogens, using infant milk as a food model, although applicable to any type of food:

Multiplex Detection of Salmonella spp., E. coli O157 and L. monocytogenes by qPCR Melt Curve Analysis in Spiked Infant Formula

Seafood AGE workshop with Active Minds at Blackpool Carers

On 13 March 2020, Hayley Alter, Seafood Age Research Associate held a workshop with the Active Minds group at Blackpool Carers designed to explore practices and barriers to eating fish and seafood amongst group members.  Blackpool carers is a charity that supports, trains and brings respite, information and advocacy to people of all ages who care for dependents in the region. Active Minds is a group that meet for weekly sessions for older couples in which one spouse or partner has dementia and the other provides round-the-clock care.

Workshop with the Active Minds Group – Blackpool Carers – 13 March 2020

During the workshop, we used food-tasting and images of fish and seafood products and local places to prompt conversation about the memories, sensations and experiences they associate with eating fish and seafood. We also used a recipe proforma designed to help group members use a fish and seafood recipe they make to describe and exchange wider fish and seafood preparation and eating practices, barriers and how this contrasts with what they did in the past. The report linked below explores emerging insights from the discussion, reflections on the methods used and considerations for development. 

Key to the Seafood Age project is the learning from the workshop that group members rely on frozen, microwaveable and ready-to-eat products but see the ‘processes’ and ‘preservatives’ used in RTE fish and seafood as detrimental to taste, smell, and therefore, nutritional value. As a result, ready to eat fish and seafood products appear to make up a relatively small proportion of their overall diet. By contrast, the extent to which the prototype Seafood Age product will be ‘processed’ will be, in large part, to ensure its nutritional value when consumed. However, the poor perception of nutrition in processed fish and seafood products surfaced in this workshop indicates that a new design consideration for the prototype must be to address this barrier either through product or packaging.

Report on the Workshop with the Active Minds Group

Check out the report for more on the workshop and what we plan to do next.

First paper released by INL in the framework of SEAFOOD-AGE

picture provided by INL

Our partner, the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, is working to improve food safety. They have just published a novel multiplex real-time RPA method for the rapid detection of Listeria monocytogenes:

Comparative study of multiplex real-time recombinase polymerase amplification and ISO 11290-1 methods for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes in dairy products

The development of novel methods for the rapid detection of Listeria monocytogenes is of high interest due to due to particular concerns about this its ubiquity, resistance to sanitation processes and high mortality rates resulting from infection.

The evaluation of a novel multiplex real-time Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) method including an internal amplification control is reported in the paper released in volume 92 of Food Microbiology. The method performance was compared to that of the European reference method (ISO 11290-1) for the detection of the species in samples from 40 commercial dairy products. A limit of detection below 10 cfu/25 g or mL sample was achieved, and values higher than 90% were obtained for relative sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values and the index (kappa) of concordance. Analysis was achieved within one working day, compared to the six days required using the ISO method. Moreover, slight modification of the ISO 11290-1 method to include secondary enrichment in half Fraser broth resulted in the confirmation of all positive samples.

Seafood-Age 3rd Project Meeting

The Seafood-Age consortium has adapted to the current circumstances of lockdown and border closures and held its third project meeting (12M) via videoconference on the 13th of May 2020. The meeting was organised by Eva Balsa-Canto, who acted as Lead Partner and moderator of the meeting, consisting of a series of sessions all day long. Twenty seven participants followed the presentations and participated in the discussions.

In the morning, partners reviewed the progress achieved in the framework of the technical work packages. Carla Pires (IPMA), Silvia Blanco/Mick Mackey (IRMRS) and Xosé Antón Vázquez (IIM-CSIC) showed the first results of the work performed during the previous 6 months regarding the production of ingredients and the assessment of their bioactivity.

Carmen G. Guillén (ICTAN-CSIC) and Hayley Alter (ULANC) gave an overview on the optimization of RTE production and the co-design workshop that have been running respectively. Ina Bremenkamp (UCC) presented the progress on eco-packaging solutions. Harri Määtä (OAMK) talked on the development of the Smart Predictive Label and Pierre Rodault (TQC) proposed a plan for the training sessions to be celebrated during the next year.

In the afternoon, transversal work packages were presented by Uxía Vázquez (Communication), Elena Couñago (Capitalization) and Eva Balsa-Canto (Coordination). Different aspects were discussed and agreements were reached, thus allowing to continue progressing despite the slowdown caused by the current pandemic, that still keeps most of the labs closed. Several technical meetings will take place online in the coming weeks to strengthen collaboration and move forward with the project activities.

Our partner OUAS involved in Printed Intelligence industry seminar “PRINSE’20” in Oulu, Finland

SEAFOOD-AGE project has been presented at the PrinLab’s stand at the PRINSE’20, the Printed Intelligence Industry seminar that was in Oulu this week.

PRINSE’20 Printed Intelligence Industry seminar has covered topics including structural electronics, intelligent diagnostics and the emerging R2R manufacturing industry.

This inspiring international event has hosted 300 participants around the world, while offering an excellent setting for networking and matchmaking. More than 50 industrial companies were presented.

To facilitate collaboration with the top experts from industry leaders, there were also an interactive Innovation Market Place and company booths and demos.

Seafood-Age project promoted in the Business2Sea event

The Business2Sea yearly event was carried out in Porto between 11th and 13th of November. Its agenda offered as usual a broad variety of activities, including conference, workshops, pitch presentations, business-to-business meetings, exhibition area and gastronomic seafood experiences. In addition, this year’s edition hosted the 6th Atlantic Stakeholder Platform Conference and the Annual Event of the Interreg Atlantic Area Programme. The Portuguese Minister of the Sea, Mr. Ricardo Serrão Santos, was visiting the Business2Sea on Tuesday 12th.

CETMAR and IIM-CSIC played a relevant role in the organization and development of the event, and both organizations participated in all the proposed activities, including both stands in the exhibition area. The Seafood-Age was presented in a number of meetings and interviews and the project poster was displayed during the three days of the event.

Seafood-Age 2nd Project Meeting

The Seafood-Age consortium met in Lisbon (Portugal) on the 6th and 7th of November to host the 6M Project Meeting. The meeting consisted of a 2-day event in which partners reviewed the progress achieved and designed the Execution Plan for 2020. The meeting was held at the IPMA’s premises and was co-organised by IIM-CSIC, IPMA and INXENIA.

The first day started with a Co-creation workshop led by CETMAR. The workshop aimed at exploring, together with our stakeholders, the desirable properties of Seafood-Age products (RTE seafood, eco-packaging and smart predictive labels).

Seafood-Age 2nd Project Meeting

In the afternoon, we discussed technical aspects related to Work Packages WP4-WP6; while WP7 and WP8 were addressed during the second day.

Transversal activities on Project coordination, Communication and Capitalization were discussed at different moments during the meeting and formally introduced the second day.

Seafood-Age project partners holding their kick-off meeting in Vigo

The first coordination meeting of the SEAFOOD-AGE project took place on 14 May in CETMAR’s facilities.

During the session, the eight work packages leaders presented the objectives, the responsibilities of the partners involved, a breakdown of the activities and the timetable in which they will be executed, as well as the expected results and deliverables. 

This first contact served to launch the project, create working groups and start the execution of scheduled tasks.