As a result of the alleged role of polyphosphates as antioxidants and stabilizers of white color during the preservation of salted fish, within the Commission a proposal on the introduction of these additives, under the processing of cod has been discussed. However, polyphosphates hinder the extraction of humidity of cod in industrial units, increasing significantly the period of drying and associated energy costs and on the other hand, is not documented their complete removal during the soaking. Considering that there is no methodology set up in Portugal, which allow the detection and quantification of different types of polyphosphates and yet, it is not known what is the effect on the final levels of these additives during the industrial processing production of dry salted fish, the Polyphosphates project's first goal is to install a quick methodology to detect and quantify the different types of polyphosphates added to fishery products by ionic liquid chromatography with conductivity detection and chemical suppression of background conductivity. We further intend to address globally, the various aspects related to the quality and safety of frozen and salted-dried fishery products, particularly from the perspective of the use of polyphosphates, in particular the quantification of phosphates added intentionally to fishery products in general and in particular to cod and to study the effect of industrial and domestic processing on changes of polyphosphates in the final products. For this purpose the project is divided into five actions: 1) Separation and quantification of polyphosphates in fishery products, by rapid method of ionic liquid chromatography with conductivity detection and chemical suppression of background conductivity, 2) validation of the methodology of detection and quantification of polyphosphates, 3) effect of processing and control of polyphosphate levels in processed products from the fishing industry 4) activities managing and 5) dissemination of results.

The development of this project still aims to test the technical feasibility of a new methodology for analysis of different types of polyphosphates in conditions approaching actual conditions of inspection of official authorities of food quality control of fishery products, and the productive conditions of the industrial processing sector of salted and dried fish. Further with the information collected on the effect of different kinds and levels of polyphosphates in the industrial and domestic processing times of salted and dried cod and the screening of polyphosphate levels in fishery products in food wholesale or retail trade, the implementation of measures, in particular legislative and of supervision concerning the compliance of the use polyphosphates according published legal limits will be supported