Analytical methods for seafood

Platform for discussion

Fruitful co-operation within the WEFTA has been realized in the area of analytical methodologies. It was agreed that probably the best way to make progress was to arrange meetings at each laboratory in turn where experienced, practicing scientists could describe in detail how they carried out analyses.  
In this way, difficulties could be demonstrated or uncovered and the precision, accuracy, efficiency and costs of methods used in different laboratories could be compared.
One of the earliest activities of the WEFTA working group was the sensory assessment for fishery products. Part of the stimulus for this sensory work was the growing use within the European Union. In 1992 the multilingual guide to EU freshness grades for fishery products was published in collaboration with the WEFTA.

The working group is chaired by Horst Karl (MRI, Germany).The final results of some intercomparison exercises on the determination of TVB-N, nitrogen and sulfite organised by the WEFTA working group have been published.
The main advantages of the WEFTA working group Analytical Methods are: 

• concentration of fish as food, 
• working group is completely independent and is financed by the budgets of the member institutes
• all discussions are strictly confidential 
• results and recommendations will be brought to the public only when consensus is reached within the group