Fish Tell: Rapid Testing for Fish Freshness Outside of The Lab
Objective:
Freshness is everything in the fish industry—it affects taste, safety, and value. Yet, most current methods to assess fish freshness are either subjective (based on smell or appearance) or slow and expensive lab tests that destroy the sample. This causes uncertainty for restaurants, retailers, and distributors, leading to unnecessary waste and missed opportunities to ensure high-quality seafood reaches consumers.
Solution:
Fish-Tell is a portable, non-destructive, and cost-effective digital device that accurately measures fish freshness in real time. It checks two critical parameters: K value (the most reliable freshness indicator) and pH. With these measurements:
- Fish with K < 20% is safe for raw consumption (e.g., sushi).
- Fish with K between 20–40% should be cooked.
- Fish with K > 40% is not suitable for consumption.
Key benefits:
- Cut waste by identifying what’s still usable and when.
- Protect consumers with scientifically sound freshness checks.
- Make smart decisions about inventory and menu planning.
- Save money by avoiding unnecessary disposal of still-good fish.
Practical use:
Restaurants can test deliveries on-site to prioritize the use of the freshest items, while retailers and suppliers can sort and sell products based on actual freshness, not just delivery date. This boosts customer trust, improves quality control, and supports better planning.
Why it matters:
Fish-Tell empowers every player in the seafood chain—from dock to dish—to reduce spoilage, improve safety, and build a more transparent food system. And all this without expensive lab tests or guesswork. It’s a win for your business, your customers, and the planet.
Additional information
Looking ahead, the potential applications of Fish-Tell technology are vast. Currently focused on measuring K-value and pH levels in fish, the technology can be expanded to test many fish species and additional analytes. Future developments could include assessing nutritional value (such as total fat or total protein), detecting contaminants, measuring fatty acid levels (Omega-3 levels), and verifying the authenticity of fish species. Such advancements would further enhance the tool’s utility, contributing to even more sustainable practices within the seafood industry.
Fish-Tell’s ability to adapt and scale without changing hardware, but by simply adding new calibration models, means that it can evolve alongside industry needs. This scalability ensures that Fish-Tell will remain an asset for promoting sustainability in seafood supply chains for years to come.
Fish-Tell technology represents a significant leap forward in the quest for sustainability within the seafood industry. By providing accurate, real-time freshness assessments, it enables better inventory management, reduces waste, and supports environmental and economic goals. As the technology continues to evolve, its impact will only grow, helping to ensure that our seafood is fresh, safe, and sustainably sourced.
Authors: Isabel Hoffmann
Affiliation: Tellspec SAS
Transparency solutions for transforming the food system
Ongoing | 2022-2026
- Main funding source
- Horizon Europe (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Geographical location
- Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Spain, France, Finland, Poland, United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, Serbia