Frequently asked questions about Blue Food
Blue Food - Center for the future of seafood arouses curiosity. Here we collect and answer questions from seminars and meetings.
What is the Blue Food vision?
"To support increased production, value creation and consumption of innovative, sustainable and healthy seafood in Sweden through pioneering research, capacity building and co-creation of knowledge with all parts of society."
Which organizations make up Blue Food?
Blue Food consists partly of the so-called consortium:
Partly by more than 40 external partners—companies, regions, and other organizations with operations and interests in the seafood sector. Among these are both co-funders and what we call supporting partners. The co-funders contribute money, goods, or services—and, not least, their time. The supporting partners are involved in Blue Food but do not currently provide funding.
How is Blue Food funded?
Period 1: 2021-2024
We were one of four center initiatives awarded funding in the Formas Research Council’s 2020 call for proposals, “Center Initiatives for Sustainability and Competitiveness in the Food System.” Formas provided a total of 48 million kronor in funding for the center from 2021 through 2024. The Västra Götaland Region co-funded “ Blue Food ” with 4.2 million kronor during the same period. KTH also contributed 4 million kronor during this period.
In addition to the three funding organizations, a large number of consortium members and Blue Food partners contributed their time, infrastructure and other resources.
Period 2: 2025-2028
As one of three of the original four centers to receive funding from the Formas Research Council, the Center for Food and Health ( Blue Food ) was granted additional funding for a second term. This time, the center received 40 million kronor over a four-year period. In addition, co-funding is provided by a number of Blå mat’s partners.
What does Blue Food want to achieve?
You can read more about our impact goals and overall goals on the “About Blue Food” page .
What do you research?
We have a broad perspective, and Blå Mat's areas of interest include:
- Wild caught and farmed fish
- Extractive species such as algae, mussels, oysters, sea cucumbers and scallops
- Saltwater, freshwater and brackish water species
- Species found in seas and lakes, and species grown in terrestrial facilities
- Co-cultivation of species and the health and welfare of farmed organisms
- Interaction with agriculture
- Impact of production on the local environment
- Consumer behavior and fears of unfamiliar foods
- Legal, laws and regulations
- AI and digitalisation
Do you include animal welfare aspects in your projects, how?
One of our research areas in Period 1 was 'Animal and consumer health and welfare'. This included creating optimal environments for farmed organisms. Animal health and welfare issues remain an important part of Blå Mat's research.
Research area 6 - Animal and consumer health and welfare (period 1)
What about residues from seafood production? Can it be used efficiently?
Residual raw materials are a major focus and we will work with different technologies to add value to these valuable raw materials such as protein ingredients, oil and ferments.
Do you address the issue of transportation? Seafood has an expiry date.
We addressed, among other things, transportation issues in our overall research area 2: Food safety during period 1.
How do you involve businesses in your large network? How do they contribute to your center?
Among other things, the companies have helped formulate the research questions that the doctoral students are now tackling. Several companies are actively involved in the doctoral students’ mentoring teams. You can find Blå mat’s external partners at the bottom of the “About Blue Food ” page.
How do you plan to interact with other existing FOI projects and programs?
Blue Food builds on several existing or completed research projects and programmes, including Swemarc, Seafarm and Stabilizing seafood side-streams. There are personal links to a research actor in the seafood sector.
We also see good opportunities for collaboration with our sister centers Pan Sweden, Sustainimal, Agrodrive, Force, Knowledge Center for Food Security, Plate and Plenty.