European integration of new technologies and social-economic solutions for increasing consumer trust and engagement in seafood products

Project Information

FishEUTrust

Grant agreement ID: 101060712

DOI

10.3030/101060712

Project closed

EC signature date 30 May 2022

Start date 1 June 2022

End date 31 May 2026

Funded under

• Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Total cost

€ 5 234 758,46

EU contribution

€ 4 629 816,25

Coordinated by

INSTITUT JOZEF STEFAN
Slovenia

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - FishEUTrust (European integration of new technologies and social-economic solutions for increasing consumer trust and engagement in seafood products)

Reporting period: 2022-06-01 to 2023-11-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Seafood is a vital contributor to global animal protein production, and aquaculture now a major source of these foods in Europe. However, research has largely focused on technical production challenges, overlooking environmental, social, and trust-related dimensions. Eurobarometer data shows that European consumers remain concerned about the origins of products and transparency of supply chains. Given the EU is also the world’s largest importer of seafood, addressing these concerns is essential to build confidence and increased consumption of high-quality protein and micronutrients otherwise lacking in European diets.

FishEUTrust is tackling this challenge by linking technology providers, supply chain actors, regulators, policymakers, and consumers through a shared digital platform. Five Co-creation Living Labs in Mediterranean, North Sea, and Atlantic regions are real-world testbeds, addressing specific challenge — from traceability (ABT) and fish health (CETGA) to data provision (OXY), business-to-business models (Bugenvila), and consumer engagement (IPMA). Together, they are validating new solutions, developing business models that protect cultural and culinary heritage, strengthen short supply chains, promote underutilised fish species, and co-design behavioural interventions to help guarantee seafood quality, safety, and traceability. To achieve these goals, FishEUTrust combines sensors, metagenomics, genetic biomarkers, isotopic techniques, and digital tools, such as product passports and blockchain. The project also aims to provide an integrated impact assessment and life cycle analysis measuring environmental, health, and socio-economic benefits.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

At month 36, most planned outputs have been delivered: Living Labs are fully operational with a sustainability roadmap under development, a stakeholder platform has been created, and virtual and real consumer experiences have been tested. A process model for seafood value chains has been developed using business process model and notation, is a standardised graphical method for visually representing business processes from beginning to end, and EU legislation on sustainability and food labelling reviewed.
An exploitation strategy, including a digital tool to manage IPR and training materials, has been defined alongside a framework for business model assessment, which is important for future exploitation of outputs including key exploitable results. The databases FISH-EU-TrustBase and IsoFoodTrack have been upgraded to integrate seafood data, and state-of-the-art analytics now combine metagenomics, SNP genotyping, and isotope data with machine learning to verify origin, assess freshness, and monitor safety. Proofs-of-concept have demonstrated freshness sensors for consumers, retailers, and farms as well as biosensors for detecting biotoxins, antibiotics, and pathogens. A comprehensive assessment of seafood safety, nutrition, contaminants, health and environmental impacts, and socio-economic performance has been completed, supported by a semantic framework for data integration and FAIRness. A beta version of the FishEUTrust platform and the first release of its gamification solution are now online.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The FishEUTrust project has delivered a range of innovative outputs with significant scientific, societal, and market potential:
• AI Workflow for Food-Chemical-Disease Knowledge Graph (KG): Enables structured representation of food-health interactions, offering valuable insights for researchers and potential for cross-sector application. Further development and validation could support commercial exploitation, despite similar solutions on the market.
• Virtual Reality for Seafood Transparency: Combines virtual environments and sensorial feedback to study and influence consumer preferences and trust. Further user testing and market exploration are recommended.
• Advanced Tools for Seafood Quality, Safety, and Traceability: Integrates targeted (16S rRNA) and untargeted metagenomics, SNP genotyping, stable isotope analysis, and machine learning. A novel K-mer-based traceability strategy represents a leading innovation. Future efforts should focus on regulatory validation and integration into end-user workflows.
• Low-Cost Biosensor Fabrication: A reliable screen-printed process for creating biosensors tailored for fish samples offers strong potential for aquaculture and fisheries. It holds high scientific and business potential.
• Integrated Smart Control Systems: Lab-tested prototypes for detecting pathogens, antibiotics, and marine toxins now require scaling and demonstration in real-world conditions via the CLLs. Support from investors or partnerships with regulatory users will be key to enable broader testing and practical use.
• Freshness Detection Sensor: A smart sensor based on electrochemical chemotransistors enables real-time freshness monitoring. Future work should target industrial validation and end-user adoption.
• FishEUTrust Game: A customizable, data-driven puzzle and quiz game that educates users on seafood nutrition and safety. Its integration into the platform supports behavior change strategies; broader dissemination and educational partnerships could increase uptake.
• FishEUTrust Platform: A modular, blockchain-enabled system offering full traceability, real-time monitoring, and decision support tools across the seafood value chain. Includes a dynamic product passport, knowledge module, and data analytics. Commercialisation and international scaling will require business model refinement, and IPR strategy.

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