Project Description
MusselsAlive will focus on development of best practices and new technology for grading, handling, transporting, conditioning and storing of mussels for SMEs and their associations in the European mussel industry.
As a consequence of the development of this innovative technology and best practices, the project seeks to increase the sustainability, profitability and the competiveness for the large number of SMEs in the European bivalve mollusc industry. The aim is to reduce the loss of mussels from harvest to market by 35%, representing a 7% increase output (close to 20.000 tons) from the annual European mussel production for the live market in Europe.
The economical benefits from the project are estimated to an annual € 61 M increase in market value, of which € 18 M is added directly the European mussel producers and € 6.6 M directly to the European mussel processors/packers.
To reduce the waste of live commodity from harvest to market, MusselsAlive will modify and improve existing mussel grading technology and develop a new storage and transportation unit and a wet-storage and conditioning system for live mussels. Furthermore, the project will provide the European mussel sector with new knowledge of best practices for optimal handling of live commodity from harvest to market.
The MusselsAlive project will focus on the blue mussel as this is the most economically important species in the European mollsuc industry. However, the knowledge and technology acquired through the project will be transferrable to related bivalve species, such as the Mediterranean mussel.
Facts about mussels production
- Europe: 30% of the world's mussels production
- The EU: most important consumer group of mussels in the world
- Main EU production countries: Spain, France, Italy, Denmark, Netherlands, UK, Ireland and Greece
- Chile: Currently the top supplier of processed mussels to the EU market
