The Spanish Xunta of Galicia (regional government) authorized last week the signing of an agreement for close collaboration between the Innovation, Industry and Trade Council and the National Association of Canned Fish Producers together with the National Technical Center of Canned Fish Industry (ANFACO-COPESCA).
The pact’s main objective is to improve the scientific equipment used by the technological center for the seafood processing and aquaculture sectors. The agreement will be signed shortly by the main representatives of the Innovation, Industry and Trade Council and of ANFACO.
In the agreement, the Xunta of Galicia will finance the acquisition of a series of heavy metal analyses equipment to be used to develop projects in the canning sector and to supply specific laboratories.
The total subsidies granted to ANFACO for 2004 is Eur 250.000. According to the current European norm, Eur 205.000 of the Eur 250.000 total will be designated to the acquisition of a chromotograph for liquid analyses, which will allow detecting and confirming the presence of heavy metals and certain polluting substances in food products. This instrument will be used by CECOPESCA. The remaining Eur 45.000 will be invested in scientific equipment for the research lab.