TraceMyFish D2.1 User requirement specification (v1.0)

The objective of WP2 "Tracking hazards and potential measures" is to track potential hazards across the Bluebio value chain affecting food quality and safety along three crucial value chains in Europe, and more precisely: 1) the Atlantic salmon value chain, 2) the Atlantic whitefish value chain, and 3) the Mediterranean seabream/seabass value chain. In addition to tracking potential hazards, WP2 is targeting to map the critical parameters affecting the quality and also the safety by employing a non-destructive sensor (VideometerLight), a multispectral imaging instrument; meaning the use of non-destructive measures to be included in the iFish Management System (iFMS) for hazard control and prevention and alerting mechanism to be developed in the project.
The present report presents data from Task 2.1, focusing on the current situation, stakeholders' needs for non-destructive quality and safety sensors, and intelligent managing systems. All data used was collected through semi-structured interviews with Icelandic, Norwegian, and Greek stakeholders covering the Atlantic Whitefish, Atlantic salmon, and Gilthead seabream/European seabass value chains, respectively, as well as searching the literature and the partners' knowledge and experience. More specifically, this report defines the value chains of interest, summarises the current practice for quality and safety measurements, and unwanted incidents and hazards occurring along the defined value chains. Moreover, this report presents identified user requirements for non-destructive sensors, intelligent management systems, a tentative sampling protocol, and analytical data acquisition as input to Deliverable 2.3.
Both the salmon and the whitefish industry highlighted parameters such as blood spots, brushes, gaping, texture, and residual bones to be of high interest for improved traceability. Moreover, parasites are highly important for whitefish, whereas microbial pathogens such as L. monocytogenes, and spoilage microbiota are relevant for the Atlantic salmon industry (salmon is often eaten raw or minimally processed). Concerning seabass and seabream, microbial hazards are defined as most important. However, the presence of parasites (Seabass) and environmental and aquaculture drug hazards (for farmed fish) are also significant.
Identified hazards and quality parameters of interest will be further studied in well-designed pilot studies (described in Deliverable 2.3) to investigate and evaluate the potential of the VideometerLite system to identify and quantify these parameters. All measures will be evaluated by traditional methodology to evaluate the novel methodology and to make predictions for systematic use in the iFMS system to be developed.