INIAP/IPIMAR is one organic unit of the National Institute for Agriculture and Fisheries Research (INIAP) a governmental research institution constituted by two units – agro/rural (INIA) and fisheries (IPIMAR). IPIMAR is devoted to carry out research, technological development and dissemination activities on fisheries and aquaculture and to provide advice on sustainable exploitation of marine resources as well as on production, upgrading and processing of high quality seafood and seafood products. INIAP/IPIMAR acts as counsellor to the national authorities on Fisheries, the fishing industry and fishery organisations and is member of national and international commissions. It has 4 departments of which one is involved in SEAFOODplus: The Dept. of Technological Innovation and Seafood Quality (DITVPP). The DITVPP is responsible for investigations on fish as food and all other kinds of utilisation of resources harvested through traditional fisheries and aquaculture. This includes seafood preservation, processing and a better utilisation of fractions currently characterised as by-products. The department has also a deep expertise concerning the improvement and development of new analytical tools for seafood quality and safety, being today the national reference laboratory for bivalve mollusc microbiological quality and for chemical contaminants in farmed fish species. Additionally, the laboratories of DITVPP are accredited for several chemical and microbiological methodologies. The activities are commodity oriented food research taking up the whole value chain of fish and other aquatic organisms from catch/slaughter through all steps of handling, processing and distribution until the product is being prepared for consumption. The institution has approximately 270 employees and a budget of 17 million euros, of which 9 million euros is governmental funding and 8 million euros is external funding.