European Commission GoldFish investigation finds fraud in glazing and net weight labelling of frozen fish products

Brussels news, a coordinated investigation by the European Commission shows that the labelling of frozen fish products often fails to comply with regulations. The preliminary results disclosed on 12 November 2026 show that regulations on added water (water injection) are often not complied with, and the investigation also found deviations in net weight; by contrast, compliance on additives was generally good.

The investigation, named GoldFish, is coordinated by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) and focuses on added water and whether the mandatory net weight declared on the packaging matches the actual contents. The investigation tested frozen pangasius, cod and whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei), covering net weight, water-to-protein ratio, labelling and additive use.

The net weight must be declared on the packaging of frozen products. Based on the GoldFish project, DG SANTE concluded that fraud exists in frozen fishery products with regard to added water, glazing and net weight. One reason is the lack of standard operating procedures, which means that measurement results currently differ between laboratories. For example, standard procedures need to be established for removing the glaze layer and determining net weight.

The European Commission is still assessing the investigation results and has held discussions with the Seafood Importeurs & Processors Alliance, in which the Dutch fisheries association Visfederatie is represented. The publication date of the final GoldFish report has not yet been determined and is expected in 2027.

The main cause of the fraud lies in the unclear water-to-protein ratios for fish products and shrimp. Unprocessed fish consists on average of 80% water and 20% protein, and this ratio is an important basis for subsequently measuring the amount of added water. During the meeting, the investigation results on the water-to-protein ratio of whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) were discussed; this ratio can vary greatly depending on the processing method and the size of the shrimp.

Mike Turenhout, director of Visfederatie, said that the association is critical of pre-determining standard protein-to-water ratios in seafood. "These values can differ enormously between species and within the same species, for example in relation to season, production form or region. We want thorough consultation first at national and European level."

Visfederatie recommends that companies promptly assess their own controls on net weight, labelling and water-to-protein ratios, and points out that the analytical methods used, supplier information and the results for each production batch must be properly documented. The association expects that in the coming years companies may face more attention on these issues from regulators (such as NVWA, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority) and from buyers.