Oliveira, HelenaCristóvão, MariaNabais, AlexandreCamacho, CarolinaSapatinha, MariaPires, CarlaLourenço, Helena M.Fernandes, Maria H.Fernandes, Maria J.Fraqueza, Maria J.Augusto, Helga C.Viegas, CláudiaDuarte, Maria P.Marques, AntónioGonçalves, AmparoNunes, Maria L.2025-07-022025-07-022025-05Oliveira H, Cristóvão M, Nabais A, Camacho C, Sapatinha M, Viegas C, et al. Development and characterization of nutritious and sustainable canned fish meal prototype for different population segments. Sustainability. 2025;17(11):5050.2071-1050http://hdl.handle.net/10400.21/21948This work was developed within the scope of “BLUE BIOECONOMY INNOVATION PACT” (Project Nº. C644915664-00000026), funded by NextGenerationEU, under the incentive line “Agendas for Business Innovation” of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR). It was also supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P. (FCT) through the following strategic projects: UIDB/04077/2020, UIDP/04077/2020, UIDB/04423/2020, and UIDP/04423/2020.Canning is an excellent solution to provide convenient, affordable, nutritious, and safe seafood with a long shelf life. However, many canned products use tuna, sardines, and Atlantic chub mackerel, species that raise sustainability concerns and whose overuse can put additional pressure on them. Hence, this study aimed to i) develop and assess a nutritious and sustainable canned meal prototype using the Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) (whose EU allowable-catch amounts have increased, particularly, in Iberian waters) and vegetables in light brine in terms of stability, sterility, and physicochemical and sensory properties over 4 months at room temperature and ii) evaluate its nutritional contribution for different population groups. After preparation, the meal was stored for one month at ≈20 °C and ≈40 °C (to simulate the 4 months). Although the pH was not stable, the meal was considered commercially sterile according to the challenge accelerated tests. Moreover, aging did not significantly affect the meal’s physicochemical and sensory properties. This innovative meal prototype can be claimed to be “low-fat”, “reduced in NaCl/Na”, a “source of protein, phosphorus, iron, selenium and vitamin D”, and “high in vitamin B12”. It proved to be both nutritious and appealing for consumption, with the potential to be scaled up.engNutritionAtlantic horse mackerelEco-innovative productAccelerated agingStability and sterilityPhysicochemical propertiesNutritional contributionSensory attributesjournal article10.3390/su17115050