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Prosjektnummer

901307

Prosjektinformasjon

Prosjektnummer: 901307
Status: Avsluttet
Startdato: 01.02.2017
Sluttdato: 01.06.2023
Fagfelt: Villfisk; Industri, konvensjonell

Updating of analytical data for the nutritional labelling of traditional (klipfish, saltfish, stockfish) fish / Revisjon av analysedata om næringsinnhold i konvensjonelle produkter (klippfisk, saltfisk og tørrfisk)

Oppdatert analyse av næringsinnhold, mineraler, mikrobiologi og andre parametere for konvensjonelle produkter
Key project achievements
• The nutritional database for clipfish and rehydrated clipfish products of pacific cod and haddock have been updated.  Suggestions for labelling of these products have been made and presented in a factsheet in compliance to Brazilian regulation (2022). 
• The nutritional database for clipfish (saithe, ling, tusk, cod), saltfish (cod), desalted products, stockfish (cod, haddock, ling, saithe & tusk) and rehydrated cod stockfish, dried cod heads and lutefisk has been updated. Suggestions for labelling of these products have been made and presented in a factsheet. 
• It has been carried out the analysis and interpretation of the results of microbiological and contaminants hazards based on ​international criteria.  Stockfish contain high levels of aerobic mesophilic microorganisms, but are related to original fish bacteria strains and as a result of its particular prolonged drying process.
• Mercury levels are affected by the mass balance during stockfish rehydration and clipfish desalting in ling and tusk. Calculated mercury factors have been laid down. 
• A revision of literature for published microbiological studies in desalted products was performed and documented. 
• Shelf-life testing of desalted cod (without additives) resulted in adequate products after 17 days,  or even 33 days (sensory testing without microbiological data), by using MAP (CO2/N2) packaging and low temperature (2ºC) of storage
Sammendrag av prosjektutvidelse/tilleggsaktiviteter i mars–juni 2023
Næringsinformasjon er utført i henhold til merkingskriterier for klippfisk (stillehavtorsk og hyse), ved ANFACO-CECOPESCA sine laboratorier. Det er også foreslått næringsinnhold til klippfiskindustrien på etiketter i samsvar med det nye regelverket i Brasil som trådte i kraft oktober 2022.

Sammendrag av resultater fra prosjektets faglige sluttrapport 2018–2019
Oppdateringen av næringsinformasjon er utført i henhold til merkingskriterier for klippfisk (torsk, lange, sei og brosme), saltfisk (torsk), tørrfisk (torsk, lange, sei, hyse og brosme), tørkede torskehoder, lutefisk og bløytet tørrfisk (torsk) ved ANFACO-CECOPESCA sine laboratorier. Det er foreslått næringsinnhold på etiketter basert på analysert data.

Det ble funnet visse avvik mellom analyserte data og kriterier fastsatt i klippfisk- og saltfiskproduksjonsstandarder, slik at oppdateringen av norm kan være hensiktsmessig. I tillegg ble både mikrobiologisk kvalitet av disse produktene analysert samt organiske forurensninger (dioksiner og PCB) og tungmetaller (Hg, Cd og Pb).

Videre er det utført en litteraturstudie om utvanningsprosessen samt en holdbarhetstest i MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging) for utvannet klippfisk (uten tilsetningsstoffer). Kimtall var fortsatt lav etter 17 dager, med lagring ved 2 °C. Selv uten mikrobiologiske data etter 33 dager, så var den sensoriske testen ved dette utvidede avslutningstidspunktet fortsatt tilfredsstillende.

Results achieved
Summary from the project extension/ additional activities in March–June 2023
Analysis of dried salted pacific cod and haddock was complemented with desalting trials in order to update the nutritional database of clipfish products. Nutritional labels in compliance to new labelling standards in Brazilian markets were laid down for use by the industry.

 Summary of results from the project’s final reporting 2018–2019
The updating of nutritional information, according to labelling criteria, has been carried out at ANFACO-CECOPESCA’s laboratories in clipfish (cod, ling, saithe, tusk), saltfish (cod), stockfish (cod, ling, saithe, tusk and haddock) and dried cod heads, lutefisk and rehydrated stockfish (cod), and proposed nutritional labels were introduced with the obtained data.

Certain divergences were found between reported data and criteria laid down in clipfish and saltfish production standards, so the updating of the norms might be appropriate. In addition microbiological quality of these products was confirmed by the analysis, as well as for organic pollutants (dioxins & PCBs), and heavy metals (Hg, Cd, Pb).

A literature review on desalting prosess was performed. A shelf-life test in MAP (modified atmosphere packaging) desalted fish (no additives) was carried out. After 17 days and 2°C storage, microbiological loads were still low. Despite lack of microbiological data at day 33, the sensory test at this extended end-point was still satisfactory.
Prosjektet har bidratt til å oppdatere næringsinnhold, mineraler, mikrobiologi og andre parametere for konvensjonelle produkter. Resultatene har bidratt både til anbefalinger for merking og dokumentasjon som kan brukes internt i bedrifter og til eksport basert på “Regulation (EU) No ​1169/2011​​ of the European Parliament and of the Council​”​, som trådte i kraft 13. desember 2016. Dette er av sentral betydning for næringen.
Background
Nutritional labelling has become mandatory in the present EU regulation of information to food consumers (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council), and this regulation has fully entered into force (after transitory periods) on 13 December 2016. Thus, the nutritional information should be transferred across the trade chain in order to assure the consumers become informed about the product features.
 
The mandatory data should include energy value, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugars, protein and salt. This could be complemented by mono / polyunsaturated fat, starch, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, other components associated to health claims (authorized and present in list defined by Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012).
 
There are two different present nutritional databases available for labelling purposes in Norwegian traditional products, which correspond to the Norwegian Food Database / Matvaretabellen (references in stockfish from 1958) and the Institute of Marine Research's Seafood data / Sjømatdata (from 2003). Therefore, nutritional data labelled by companies should be accurate and needs be updated. In fact, the EU has published guidance for the tolerances (allowable variations) in nutritional labelling that official control carried out by European authorities shall consider, and producing companies should be aware of this.
 
One important topic regarding the presentation of the nutritional information, especially in salted products, is that data should be presented as the product is sold (heavy salted, dried-salted, etc.). Complementary, other presentations could be done in the cases where the product needs to be reconstituted (desalted), but this needs to be accompanied by the detailed instructions.
 
The labelling regulation for the Brazilian markets is defined in some legal documents, and has many similarities with the EU regulations.
 
Complementary, producing companies must perform controls within their internal management to assure the safety, quality and traceability of their commodities. Some examples of this are hygiene, microbiological and contaminant analysis. Microbiological criteria in food products across the EU have been derogated with the exception of the criteria included in Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005, leaving the responsibility of the safety of food products to the producers, who shall apply their internal control in accordance to the known and potential risks. 

The updating of nutritional database and screening of food safety parameters is one of the keypoints in the priority issues of the  Norwegian dried-salted fish & dried fish industry. This project supports the industry in addressing their present necessities.
 
Project extension July–August 2017
After getting the analytical results from the samples, it became necessary to extend projext tasks to desalting of clipfish products since these are also presented as ‘ready-to-use’ for consumers. A shelf life study will be performed as well as measuring the Processing factor for Mercury in these products.

A revision of scientific literature in the topic will be carried out in order to put a frame to the expected activities and annexed to the results discussion of the project report.

Project extension June–July 2018
After the submission of the analytical results, the industry see the needs to continue on the revision of the analytical data for other species produced of  stockfish (saithe, tusk, ling and hake). Mandatory requirements of labelling regulations and microbiology will be submitted and a complementary rehydration trial will be performed in order to measure the mercury rehydration factor for stockfish.

Project extension March–June 2023
The updated  nutritional database of some clipfish species (Atlantic cod, saithe, ling, and tusk) as well as stockfish was performed during the 2017 and 2018. The nutritional information required for labelling in exported clipfish products, specially for the case of the Brazilian market was updated. Moreover, there are some other clipfish species in the market like haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) and Pacific Cod (Gadus macrocephalus) which should also be characterized with the same purpose. In addition recent legal changes in the Brazilian food labelling criteria have been put into force (October 2022), which require additional information regarding the nutritional value of ready-to-eat desalted products. Desalting trials and subsequent analysis of these food commodities should therefore be carried out.
Objectives
Main objective
To update the analytical data for nine products belonging to 6 species of “traditional” products exported by Norwegian companies, regarding food nutritional components required by EU and Brazilian labelling regulation.
 
Sub-objectives
• To analyse additional data regarding some heavy metals (Hg, Cd, Pb), organic pollutants (dioxins & PCBs) and microbiology in a subset of samples.
• To include further, an interpretation of the results complemented by the compilation of data (available from the project ‘Development and implementation of technical criteria for the differentiation of light salted vs. fully salted/desalted cod products: How to disseminate appropriate information and avoid misleading consumers (SALDICOD)’​ (FHF-900985)) regarding desalted products for some nutrients.
Expected project impact
The following impact is expected:
• Updated analytical data about the nutritional status of several cod products will be obtained in according to the requirements of the information to consumers and labelling of food products regulations in the EU and Brazil.
• Variations inside each type of product will also be calculated and compared to tolerances admitted by Authorities. Suggestions for the appropriate labelling will also be introduced.
• All this will be complemented by screening data in certain contaminants and potential pathogens for the products supplied by Norwegian companies.
Project design and implementation
The project include the following tasks:

Task 1: Sampling
Sample set will consist in nine products from four different species:
Gadus morhua: Two products corresponding to salted fish and dried-salted fish (10 replicates/each product), two products of dried cod (heads and stockfish) and two ‘ready-to-use’ products (rehydrated stockfish and lutefisk).
Molva molva, Pollachius virens, Brosme brosme: Dried salted fish (ten replicates/each product). 
 
Sampling will be carried out by Norwegian producers and coordinated by FHF with the assistance of ANFACO-CECOPESCA.
 
Task 2: Materials analysis
Reference, validated and certified analytical methodologies will be applied on the materials received.

All the samples received (nine products x ten replicates) will be analysed for the mandatory requirements of labelling regulations:
• humidity, fat, protein, ash residue, carbohidrates (as the difference), energy value
• salt (sodium)
• fatty acid profiling

In addition, part of the materials will also be complementary analyzed for the presence of additional minerals (K, Ca, Mg, P, Zn, Se), some contaminants (Hg, Cd, Pb) and bacteria (Aerobic mesophilic microorganisms, Total Enterobacteria, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococus positive coagulase). 
 
Task 3: Interpretation of results and reporting
Final reporting with an interpretation of the results, and appropriate documents for dissemination will be submitted to FHF.
 
Task 4: Project extension July–August 2017
After getting the analytical results from the samples, it became necessary to extend project tasks to the desalting process in all the products, since these are also presented as ‘ready-to-use’ for consumers.
 
The mandatory requirements for labelling of desalted clipfish products (task 4), shelf life study, processing factor for mercury and revisjon of scientific literature regarding desalting of clipfish will be will be added to the final report.

Samples of wet salted cod, dried salted tusk, dried salted ling and dried salted saithe will be used.

Task 5: Project extension June–​July 2018
After the submission of the first analytical results, it became necessary to continue the characterization of stockfish to other species. Dried ling, tusk, haddock and saithe samples will be sent to ANFACO-CECOPESCA​​´s laboratories, codified after reception and submitted to analysis which consists of  mandatory requirements of labelling regulations and microbiology. Complementary, a small rehydration trial will be performed in order to measure the mercury rehydration factor for stockfish.

Results will be presented in a detailed report and a factsheet.

Task 6: Project extension March–​June 2023
The task basically consists on sampling of clipfish raw materials (Pacific cod and haddock), sample preparation and codification, laboratory analysis according to the legal changes requiredin the Brazilian marked and reporting of the obtained results.

Results will be presented in a detailed report and a factsheet.
Dissemination of project results
Dissemination of the results will be carried out through the FHF channels, relevant meetings to the industry and information sheets.

All materials will be available to companies and made public at FHF website.

Relaterte FHF-prosjekter

Studies on moisture levels in clipfish (cod and saithe) and methodologies applied by customs authorities (CLIPTURE) / Dokumentasjon av vanninnhold i klippfisk og saltfisk for eksport til Brasil (CLIPTURE) Prosjektnummer: 901638
Development and implementation of technical criteria for the differentiation of light salted vs. fully salted/desalted cod products: How to disseminate appropriate information and avoid misleading consumers (SALDICOD) Prosjektnummer: 900985
Kvalitetsstabilisering av lettsaltet og fullsaltet torsk: Videreføring av storskala uttesting av fosfat som prosesshjelpemiddel og tilsetningsstoff Prosjektnummer: 900732