BLUE HEALTH

Project Information

BLUE HEALTH

Grant agreement ID: 696526

DOI

10.3030/696526

Project closed

EC signature date 31 August 2015

Start date 1 September 2015

End date 29 February 2016

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

CONSERVAS FREDO S.L.
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BLUE HEALTH (BLUE HEALTH)

Reporting period: 2015-09-01 to 2016-02-29

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Objectives of BLUE HEALTH:
The project’s overriding aim is to develop a new system for the processing of semi-preserved anchovies, produced by a salting process, which allows creating a new kind of anchovy that has a reduced salt content, and does not need to be refrigerated for its retail and storage.
The new processing system will be largely automated, and will enable the new anchovy to fulfil the following requirements:
• Reduce salt to 2.25%. The highest quality anchovies from the Bay of Biscay (referred to in Spanish as anchovy del cantábrico) available today have a salt content of 9%.
• Store at room temperature for at least 12 months.
• No content of histamine (allergen), and no artificial preservatives. A 100% natural product.
• Maintain or reinforce the anchovy’s nutritional and organoleptic properties.
• Reduce production costs by at least 20%.

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

Task 1 Analyze with distributors the way for reaching end consumers
Task 2 Benchmarking as regards all other anchovies
Task 3 Determine the mechanism for removing the histamine risk
Task 4 Automation process packaging definition
Task 5 Draw up a complete design of the new anchovy processing system
Task 6 Hold a professional tasting organoleptics proprieties
Task 7 Microbiological, physico-chemical, nutritional and shelf-life analyses
Task 8 Draw up a complete business plan with SWOT analysis
Task 9 Conduct a feasibility study

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)

Main results achieved:
The anchovy del cantábrico variety of anchovy is one of the healthiest foodstuffs currently being marketed, but its traditional processing method has three drawbacks: a high salt content (NaCl) that diminishes its potential as a healthy foodstuff, the need to keep it refrigerated and its price, due to its labour-intensive manufacturing process. This project remove all the above drawbacks and reinforce the anchovy’s position as a totally healthy and more economical foodstuff.
The project achieves put in place a high degree of automation of processing anchovies, which can be a model of industry 4.0 for this sector. Conservas FREDO will increase your productivity with this new product and in a second stage will license the process to other companies of canned anchovies thereby to increase the impact of innovation on the market and increase its turnover.
The main economic benefits for the users, will be:
• Major benefits for the health of consumers, providing them with an extremely healthy and nutritional product, without the drawbacks of salt.
• The removal of refrigeration costs during transport and distribution will have a very positive impact on major supermarket chains and retail businesses. These are highly concerned over the energy costs associated with products that require cold storage.
• Canning companies in Europe will be able to take part in the processing and sale of this new product, which will provide them with a source of new income. The European sector will be revitalised by this project.

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