Under the FP6UK framework in Europe, a considerable €14.4 million will be poured into the project which involves more than 70 partners from 16 European states and will examine wild and farmed fish and shellfish, of marine and freshwater origin.
"The total value chain is addressed by developing consumer driven tailor-made, functional seafood products to improve health and to ensure nutritional quality and safety by full utilisation of raw materials from aquaculture and from traditional fisheries," claims the project manifesto.
Meeting in Hambury, Germany in early December the project council reported that the achievements in SEAFOODplus since the project start in January 2004 'had been considerable' and that all activities are 'very well on track.'
Seafoodplus has been divided into six main sub-projects: seafood and human nutrition - to examine the significance of seafood for human nutrition, including its potential to protect against diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancers and inflammation of the intestine.
New research will also be conducted to discover if it could prevent other diseases or conditions such as obesity or osteoporosis.
Seafood and consumer behaviour and well being will look at factors that influence a consumer's seafood consumption, what image seafood has and how to communicate with consumers more effectively.
A raft of projects under the Seafoodplus umbrella will investigate the pathogenic bacteria or viruses in seafood and how to reduce or eliminate them.
Seafood from source to consumer product project will be concerned with developing seafood products tailored to the needs and desires of the consumer and seafood from aquaculture will look at the influence of feed composition on product quality, husbandry, various aquaculture systems and the physiology and genetic make-up of fish.
Finally, research will aim to identify how to implement traceability from the final ready-to-eat product back to the live fish, to ensure confidence among consumers.