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Aquaculture farming systems are very diverse in the EU and worldwide. Aquaculture now accounts for over half of the world's fish for direct human consumption and is expected to approach two-thirds by 2030 (Anderson et al., 2019). With aquaculture's growth, a number of high-profile concerns have arisen, including pollution, feeding practices, disease management and antibiotic use, habitat use, non-native species, food safety, fraud, animal welfare, impacts on traditional wild fisheries, access to water and space, market competition, and genetics. Managing these concerns requires thoughtful and well-designed policies and regulations (Anderson et al. 2019). The European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy underline the potential of farmed seafood as a source of protein for food and feed with a low-carbon footprint, which has an important role to play in helping to build a sustainable food system (COM(2019) 640). At the same time, Knowledge and innovation (including the use of digital technology) are key to achieve a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy for the EU aquaculture sector. Digital technologies are especially important for building the resilience and competitiveness of aquaculture and ensuring its green transition by successfully implementing digital transformation for people and businesses (COM(2021) 205). In that context, the iFishIENCi Research & Innovation project aims to provide the European aquaculture sector with a competitive advantage and growth stimulation through breakthrough innovations supporting sustainable aquaculture based on enabling technologies and circular principles for representative fish species and farming systems. The objective of the current iFishIENCi public report D4.13 (September 2021) is to analyse Gap and Opportunities for the regulatory framework of European aquaculture and to evaluate the role of informal institutions in the regulatory process. The current review is specifically accessing the regulatory framework, which affects circularity within EU aquaculture, supporting the iFishIENCi task on Zero waste and Valorisation of by-products and sludge (iFishIENCi Task1.5). This report takes into account the recently published Strategic guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture (COM (2021) 236 final), extensive literature research on regulatory framework as well as views expressed by aquaculture experts on policies, practices, and regulations along the entire value chain of aquaculture production in the frame of the Horizon4Aquaculture event.&nbsp

The overall objective of iFishIENCi is to provide the European aquaculture sector with a competitive advantage and growth stimulation through breakthrough innovations supporting sustainable aquaculture based on enabling technologies and circular principles. In that context, it is important to identify and assess the regulatory framework and requirements linked with the Fish farming industry and the nutrition and breeding in the European aquaculture. As the European aquaculture companies operate in complex markets with multifaceted interface at local and global level, the current report D4.12 focuses on the EU regulation, both sector specific and cross-sector regulation, for nutrition and breeding in the European aquaculture, followed by national regulations seen from a Maltese, Norwegian, Danish, Spanish, Greek, Hungarian, German and French (the countries of the consortium members) perspective. Although the European national regulations for a large part are implementation of EU regulation, there are differences, which influence the competitiveness of the national industry. iFishIENCi will also look out at responsible legislation of other countries such as Ireland, Scotland and Turkey (to start with) in order to identify lessons to learn from those countries. The objective of iFishIENCi project is also to develop and demonstrate a disruptive IoT/AI based innovations, considering the feeding value chain of aquaculture as a whole, and addressing four commercially-important species, with fish quality as focus. Limitations, constraints and opportunities in terms of Standardisation and Certification as well as the evaluation of informal institutions will be implemented along the lifetime of the iFishIENCi project. The existing framework is described in the current report D4.12, whereas the detailed methodology to be used and the results will be described in follow-up deliverables D4.13 and D4.14 (Report on regulatory framework and requirements 2nd and 3rd version).&nbsp

In order to ensure food safety, it is important to consider the whole food chain from farm to fork. All the aspects and players within the supply chain, starting from the production of animal feed and primary production, through production, distribution and sales of food to the consumers influence food safety. This open report is based on the EU regulation for feeds, 767/2009 as well as other regulations governing the production, safety and application of alternative proteins as feed materials. The report highlightsknowledge gaps and regulatory safety barriers with a focus on the three NextGen Proteins, microalgae, single cell protein and insects. In interviews with the industrial partners in the consortium the following main conclusions were drawn: : • Consumer health is the most important and therefore scientific information about e.g. toxicology, microbiological and chemical safety and quality of the new proteins is needed. • Traceability and labelling of the products (e.g. allergens) is important. • Associations can be beneficial in providing information and training. • Education of consumers/farmers/other stakeholders about new protein sources is needed. Information about sustainability, Eco footprint, LCA, safety and nutritional value should be available for these purposes. A harmonized coalition of alternative protein producers (like the Sustainable Seafood Coalition SSC) and stakeholders would be beneficial in sharing of information about sustainability and other important consumer issues. • Novel proteins might be more easily accepted by the consumers in feed applications (e.g. aquafeed, broilers, companion animals, pet food) than in human food. • Organic certificate would benefit the industrial partners both in food and feed applications. • Different retail trade operators can have their internal guidelines where they specify e.g. quality limits and requirements for the products. These can be different compared to the legislative limits.

In this deliverable, the RRI framework for the NextGenProteins project is established. First, the objects and impacts of the NextGenProteins project are placed in relation to the concept of RRI. This is done by elaborating on the global grand challenges related to alternative proteins and the ethical, responsibility and sustainability dimensions therein. Next, a matrix consisting of the conceptual dimensions of the RRI framework for the project is rolled out. Finally, the process, actions and interactions that constitute the RRI framework in practice are presented. The RRI framework of the project is summarised and explained in the conceptual matrix. The dimensions of the matrix relate to the process, product, purpose and people of the research and innovation activities, whereas the components of the matrix consist of anticipation & analysis, reflection & reason, engagement & inclusion and act & responsiveness. Furthermore, the Societal Readiness Thinking Tool0F 1 , developed in the New HoRRIzon project2 , is applied to the R&I process of the NextGenProteins project. RRI approaches inform the project in various ways, for example through regular and ad hoc meetings with the executive board and work packages. The RRI framework is further discussed via webinars and workshops organised during the project. In addition to the internal RRI processes of the project, the responsibility issues related to alternative proteins are discussed together with societal stakeholders. Finally, the RRI framework also covers the developmental evaluations of the R&I processes in the middle of the project and in the end of the project. In summation, the process of applying the RRI framework in the NextGenProteins project is envisioned to be highly co-creative process between the project actors and the societal stakeholders. The aim of the process is to develop and ensure high quality R&I project and outcomes, which will be acceptable and desirable for the society and environment.

International audience

International audience

International audience

FREEZEWAVE project proposes a highly innovative technique which showed that a small amount of emitted microwave energy combined to a slow freezing rate is able to refine ice crystal size in frozen meat. FREEZEWAVE project aims at expanding & optimizing the concept to several foods and also at designing industrial equipment. Herein, the structure and the directions of the project as well as the initial results of this study and the preliminary results of the previous study will be illustrated. More specifically, the application of microwaves during cooling the samples caused oscillated decrease of temperature and had a significant impact on the crystallization process as the degree of supercooling was decreased circa 92% under the tested conditions. The meat microstructure evaluation showed a 62% decrease in the average ice crystal size when samples were frozen under a microwave field as compared to the conventional freezing process.