Food security can be defined as a measure of people’s access to food. However, this access to food should be interpreted not only in terms of affordability but also in terms of financial affordability. Food security is therefore fundamental for any nation to prosper and develop. Nations that rely more heavily on food imports to safeguard their food security are certainly more vulnerable to crises triggered by financial or energy issues, as well as political tensions and conflicts between nations. These scenarios easily disrupt food supply chains and ultimately have a negative impact on food security. The ongoing crisis triggered by the conflict in Ukraine could severely affect Portugal’s food security, particularly with regard to blue foods – sources of protein of aquatic origin. Although an avid consumer of blue foods, Portugal remains highly dependent on imports to meet its domestic demand. From cod to salmon, passing through most of the sea bass and sea bream sold in Portugal, along with shrimp and other shellfish, our country relies on imports to ensure reasonable levels of food security. The sharp rise in the price of raw materials used in formulated feeds (e.g., cereals) employed in fish farming will further compromise the accessibility of blue foods. Therefore, it is crucial to strengthen the resilience of blue food ecosystems in Portugal. While it is necessary to support those that already exist and sustain current supply chains, it is also essential to promote innovative business models that allow for the exploitation of the full potential of blue foods. The production of blue foods must, therefore, become a national priority, as the country needs, more than ever, to safeguard its food security! B2E has already taken a step forward to meet this challenge and will continue to pursue this objective with a view to producing accessible and affordable blue foods “made in Portugal”.

Ricardo Calado
Principal Investigator at the University of Aveiro
Director of B2E CoLAB