Nutrition and Human Health

Seafood is a key component of a healthy diet. The generally high nutritional quality of seafood is not only associated with protein contribution, but also largely relates to its content of PUFAs, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, as well as to a range of essential micronutrients.

Fish intake has been associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. There is also some evidence that fish consumption is related to reduced risks of type-2 diabetes, impaired cognitive function and neurodevelopmental alterations in the fetus and in young children. The growing awareness of the relationship between health and diet, together with  advances in food analytics, nutrition-based diseases and -omic tools, have given rise to a new demand from consumers: personalized or precision nutrition products for target audiences.

However, nutrient contents differ depending on how seafood is produced, processed, prepared and consumed. Nutritional value is highly variable and depends on the species, the season and the product's origin. Although fish meals are being continuously improved, farmed fish usually show poorer nutritional profiles than wild fish because of differences in their diet.  Nutritional quality is also affected by post-harvest handling, processing, transport and packaging. Conservation techniques also influence the preservation of their original nutritional value. Traceability becomes again crucial to guarantee product quality and avoid food fraud.

While the nutritional value of fish is well recognized, there are also some concerns related to its consumption, such as the increasing appearance of seafood allergies and intolerances, as well as indirect risks related to emerging contaminants or the development of antimicrobial resistances.

The IIM-CSIC has a long experience in developing innovations together with the food industry to advance on all these challenges. You can read about all our capabilities and associated services below.