Fréttir

Mjög góðar niðurstöður úr þjónustukönnun Matís

Með reglulegu millibili er lögð þjónustukönnun fyrir viðskiptavini örveru og efnamælinga, þjónustu sem boðið er upp á innan mæliþjónustusviðs Matís. Síðasta könnun var lögð fyrir viðskiptavini fyrir stuttu síðan og óhætt er að segja að viðskiptavinir Matís kunni að meta þá þjónustu sem fyrirtækið býður upp á. 

Niðurstöðurnar gefa góða heildarmynd af viðhorfi viðskiptavina Matís til þessarar þjónustu fyrirtækisins. Ef nokkur dæmi eru tekin úr niðurstöðunum þá voru viðskiptavinir mjög sammála um að Matís hefði staðist væntingar hvað varðar gæði og öryggi niðurstaðna, sömuleiðis mjög sammála um að afgreiðsluhraði hafi verið góður og mjög sammála um að starfsmenn hafi þá þekkingu og reynslu sem leitað var eftir. Auk þess voru viðskiptavinir mjög sammála um að viðmót starfsmanna Matís sé ánægjulegt, svo nokkur dæmi séu tekin. 

Þetta eru sannarlega góðar niðurstöður og eru Matís mikil hvatning. Jafnframt er þetta hvatning um að gera betur og þjónusta viðskiptavini okkar enn betur en nú er gert.

Heildar niðurstöður.

Ýmsar góðar og athyglisverðar athugasemdir bárust frá viðskiptavinum og verður reynt að bregðast við þeim eins og hægt er. Helstu athugasemdirnar sneru að eftirfarandi atriðum:

  • Athugasemdir bárust um útfærslu á könnuninni. Fram komu ábendingar um að meiri sundurliðun á viðskiptavinum hefði verið æskileg og verður það haft í huga við skipulagningu á næstu þjónustukönnun.
  • Óskir um fleiri tegundir af efnamælingum komu fram. Þó mikill og fullkominn tækjabúnaður sé til hjá Matís, er ekki hægt að koma algjörlega til móts við allar óskir, en hins vegar geta starfsmenn Matís fundið út og haft milligöngu um að senda sýni á systurstofnanir erlendis í þeim tilvikum sem ekki er hægt að bjóða upp á viðkomandi rannsókn hér heima.
  • Athugasemdir um viðmiðunarreglur og túlkun á niðurstöðum. Ekki er unnt að senda viðmiðunargildi út með niðurstöðum en viðskiptavinir eru hvattir til að hafa samband annað hvort með tölvupósti eða símleiðis, og er starfsmönnum bæði ljúft og skylt að aðstoða á allan þann hátt sem þeir eru færir um. Bæði hvað varðar túlkun og mat á niðurstöðum.
  • Athugasemd um að Matís kæmi sér upp notendasvæði, þar sem viðskiptavinur hefði aðgang að öllu varðandi sínar rannsóknir.  Þetta væri vissulega hægt og er bæði metnaðarfullt og spennandi en jafnframt kostnaðarsamt  verkefni sem vonandi verður að veruleika í framtíðinni.
  • Óskað var eftir uppfærslu á beiðnablöðum, en það er atriði sem verið er að vinna í.
  • Auk þess fékk Matís ánægjulegar athugasemdir þar sem þakkað var fyrir góða þjónustu, og kom greinilega fram að mikil ánægja er með þjónustu starfsstöðvar Matís í Neskaupstað.

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Enzyme-Enhanced Extraction of Antioxidant Ingredients from Algae

The effect of various protease and carbohydrase treatments on the extraction of polyphenols and other antioxidant ingredients from the red algae Palmaria palmata (dulse) was investigated. In addition, the relative contribution of different fractions to the overall antioxidant capacity of the hydrolysate was evaluated. Considerable differences were observed both in total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activities of the hydrolysates evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and ferrous ion-chelating ability assays. All the proteases tested had significant enhancing effect on the extraction of polyphenols and other active components compared to carbohydrases and cold water extraction (control). The Umamizyme extract had the highest TPC and consequently exhibited the strongest scavenging capacity against DPPH and peroxyl radicals. Further fractionation of the Umamizyme extract revealed that the crude polyphenol fraction possessed the highest peroxyl radical scavenging activity, whereas the crude polysaccharide fraction was more effective for chelating ferrous ions. The data from this study suggest the potential of protease treatment to improve value-added utilization of dulse extracts as antioxidants in functional foods and nutraceuticals.

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Potential seaweed-based food ingredients to inhibit lipid oxidation in fish-oil-enriched mayonnaise

Brown seaweed Fucus vesiculosus has a high potential as a source of natural antioxidants due to a high diversity of bioactive compounds in its composition. In this study, four extracts were characterized with respect to composition of bioactive compounds, in vitro antioxidant properties and their partitioning between water and octanol. Additionally, the antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated in a fish-oil-enriched mayonnaise. Acetone and ethanol were found to extract the highest amount of phenolic compounds and carotenoids. Water used as extraction solvent, extracted some phenolic compounds but also higher amount of metals and chlorophyll derivates. It was proposed that extracts with high phenolic content and low iron content, such as the acetone and ethanol extract, would have the highest potential as antioxidants in foods. This was confirmed in the storage trial, where these extracts showed higher antioxidant activity.

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Blood pressure-lowering effects of long chain n-3 fatty acids from meals enriched with liquid fish oil and from microencapsulated powder

Diet plays an important role in the etiology of hypertension. Blood pressure (BP)-lowering properties of long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA) are promising. The aim was to investigate whether different formulations of fish oil differently affect blood pressure in community-dwelling adults. The hypothesis was that fish oil formulations would improve BP in comparison with a placebo.
In this 4-week randomized, placebo-controlled, doubly-blinded dietary intervention study, participants (N = 99, >50 years) from the capital area of Iceland were randomized into three groups. Group 1 (n = 38) received 6 meals/week fortified with a liquid fish oil and placebo powder. Group 2 (n = 30) received conventional (unfortified) meals and microencapsulated powder. Group 3 (n = 31) was the control group which received conventional meals and placebo powder. Calculated on a weekly basis, the amount of EPA + DHA provided was 1.5 g/d. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) were measured before and after the intervention period.
Seventy-seven subjects finished the study (77.8%). Drop-out rates were not different between groups. According to multivariate statistics, endpoint SBP was lower in Group 1 (-7.0 mmHg, p = 0.037) and in Group 2 (-7.2 mmHg, p = 0.037) as compared with Group 3. There was no significant difference in DBP between the groups.
Our study shows that LC n-3 PUFA from microencapsulated powder are equally effective to meaningfully reduce SBP as LC n-3 PUFA from meals enriched with liquid fish oil in comparison with a control group.

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Influence of thawing and storage methods and storage temperatures on bacterial diversity, growth kinetics, diversity and biogenic amine development in Atlantic Mackerel

Limited knowledge is currently available on the influence of fish thawing and subsequent storage conditions on bacterial growth kinetics, succession, and diversity alongside the production of biogenic amines. This study aimed to address these factors during the thawing and subsequent storage of mackerel. Thawing was either done fast in 18°C water for 2 h or slowly at 30°C overnight. Subsequent storage was at 30°C (ambient) for 36 h and 2 to 5°C (refrigerated) for 12 days. The cultivation methods used were total viable counts, hydrogen sulfide–producing bacteria, and Pseudomonas. Maximum growth rate, population density, and lag time were fitted on the counts using the Baranyi model. The bacterial diversity and succession were based on sequencing of 16S rRNA amplicons, and biogenic amines were quantified on high-pressure liquid chromatography–UV. The results show that lag time of hydrogen sulfide–producing bacteria was significantly affected by both thawing methods, and further, the interaction between thawing and storage significantly affected the maximum growth rate of these bacteria. However, the maximum growth rate of Pseudomonas was higher during refrigerated storage compared with storage at ambient temperature. Total viable counts showed longer lag time and reduced growth rate under refrigerated storage. Higher bacterial diversity was correlated to slow thawing and storage at ambient temperature compared with slow thawing and refrigerated storage. Overall, Acinetobacter and Psychrobacter genera were the dominant bacterial populations. The amine levels were low and could not be differentiated along the thawing and storage approaches, despite a clear increase in bacterial load, succession, and diversity. This corresponded well with the low abundance of biogenic amine–producing bacteria, with the exception of the genus Proteus, which was 8.6% in fast-thawed mackerel during storage at ambient temperature. This suggests that the decarboxylation potential is dependent on both microbial load and microbial community structure.

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Skýrslur

Leiðbeiningar um kæligetu ískrapa til kælingar á fiskafurðum í kerum / Instruction for the cooling ability of slurry ice intended for chilling of fish products in fish containers

Útgefið:

01/06/2016

Höfundar:

Björn Margeirsson, Sigurjón Arason, Þorsteinn Ingi Víglundsson, Magnea G. Karlsdóttir

Styrkt af:

AVS Rannsóknasjóður í sjávarútvegi (R 034‐14)

Tengiliður

Sigurjón Arason

Yfirverkfræðingur

sigurjon.arason@matis.is

Leiðbeiningar um kæligetu ískrapa til kælingar á fiskafurðum í kerum / Instruction for the cooling ability of slurry ice intended for chilling of fish products in fish containers

Markmið verkefnisins Bestun ferskfiskflutninga er að bæta meðferð ferskra fiskafurða í gámaflutningi og auka þar með geymsluþol þeirra og möguleika á frekari flutningum á sjó frá Íslandi. Í verkþætti 1 er markmiðið að áætla hæfilegt magn og gerð ískrapa til að halda fiskhitastigi í –1 °C í flutningi í kerum. Smíðuð eru varmaflutningslíkön af 340 PE og 460 PE matvælakerum frá Sæplasti til að áætla nauðsynlegt magn ískrapa til að viðhalda –1 °C innan í kerum, sem er ákjósanlegt hitastig fyrir geymslu á ferskum hvítfiskafurðum.   Forkæling fiskafurða fyrir pökkun í ker hefur afgerandi áhrif á það magn af afurðum, sem koma má fyrir í keri ef gerð er krafa um að viðhalda fiskhitanum –1 °C. Þetta skýrist af því að með hækkandi fiskhita við pökkun þarf aukið magn af ískrapa til að lækka fiskhitann í –1 °C og þar með minnkar rýmið fyrir fiskinn innan kersins. Rúmmálsnýtingu kersins, þ.e. magn af fiskafurðum í keri, þarf vitaskuld að hámarka til að lágmarka flutningskostnað og gera sjóflutning fiskafurða pökkuðum í ískrapa í ker raunhæfan valkost við sjóflutning í frauðkössum.   Þessar leiðbeiningar eiga að nýtast til að áætla það fiskafurðamagn, sem pakka má í 340 PE og 460 PE Sæplast ker. Miðað er við að pakka fiskinum í ískrapa með hitastigið  –1 °C, íshlutfallið 35% og salthlutfallið 1,2% og magn ískrapans nægi til að viðhalda –1 °C í ískrapa og fiski í fjóra daga við umhverfishita milli –1 °C og 5 °C. Taka ber fram að leiðbeiningarnar taka einungis kæliþörf með í reikninginn en ekki mögulegt, óæskilegt farg sem getur skapast á neðstu fisklögin í keri og getur mögulega valdið nýtingar‐  og gæðatapi.

The aim of the project Optimisation of fresh fish transport is to improve handling of sea transported fresh fish products, thereby improve their quality and increase the possibility of sea transport from Iceland. The aim of work package no. 1 is to estimate the suitable quantity and type of slurry ice in order to maintain the optimal fish temperature of –1 °C during transport in fish containers (tubs). Heat transfer models of 340 PE and 460 PE fish containers manufactured by Saeplast are developed for this purpose.   Precooling of fresh fish products before packing in slurry ice in containers has a dominating effect on the maximum fish quantity, which can be packed in each container assuming a maintained fish temperature of –1 °C. This is because an increased fish packing temperature increases the required amount of slurry ice in order to lower the fish temperature down to –1 °C, thereby decreasing the volume for fish within the container. The fish quantity within the container must certainly be maximized in order to minimize the transport cost and make sea transport of fresh fish products in slurry ice in containers a viable option. These guidelines should be useful to estimate the fish quantity, which can be packed in 340 PE and 460 PE Saeplast containers. The temperature, ice ratio and salinity of the slurry ice assumed are –1 °C, 35% and 1.2%, respectively. Furthermore, it is assumed that the amount of slurry ice applied is enough to maintain the slurry ice and fish at –1 °C for four days at ambient temperature between –1 °C and 5 °C.

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Biogeography of Marine Microorganisms

Marine microbial biogeography describes the occurrence and abundance of microbial taxa and aims to understand the mechanisms by which they are dispersed and then adapt to their environment. The development of novel technologies, such as Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) in combination with large-scale ocean sampling campaigns, generated a vast amount of taxonomic data that allowed for in-depth analyses of biogeographic patterns. Globally occurring groups of microorganisms were detected that dominate the marine environment (e.g., SAR11, SAR86, Roseobacter, and Vibrio), however, NGS data revealed the presence of distinct eco- and phylotypes inside these clades and genera that showed clear ecological niche adaptation and different biogeographic distributions. Genome analyses of these marine microorganisms helped to understand potential adaptive mechanisms that could explain why certain taxa are occurring ubiquitously and others are limited to certain regions and ecosystems. Marine microorganisms can employ a vast variety of adaptive mechanisms to deal with environmental parameters such as temperature, light or nutrient availability, for example through exploitation of specific energy sources or protective mechanisms against UV radiation or viruses. The availability or lack of physiological pathways and traits in ecotypes is then responsible for shaping the marine microbial biogeography.

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The ability of in vitro antioxidant assays to predict the efficiency of a cod protein hydrolysate and brown seaweed extract to prevent oxidation in marine food model systems

BACKGROUND

The ability of different in vitro antioxidant assays to predict the efficiency of cod protein hydrolysate (CPH) and Fucus vesiculosus ethyl acetate extract (EA) towards lipid oxidation in haemoglobin-fortified washed cod mince and iron-containing cod liver oil emulsion was evaluated. The progression of oxidation was followed by sensory analysis, lipid hydroperoxides and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in both systems, as well as loss of redness and protein carbonyls in the cod system.

RESULTS

The in vitro tests revealed high reducing capacity, high DPPH radical scavenging properties and a high oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) value of the EA which also inhibited lipid and protein oxidation in the cod model system. The CPH had a high metal chelating capacity and was efficient against oxidation in the cod liver oil emulsion.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that the F. vesiculosus extract has a potential as an excellent natural antioxidant against lipid oxidation in fish muscle foods while protein hydrolysates are more promising for fish oil emulsions. The usefulness of in vitro assays to predict the antioxidative properties of new natural ingredients in foods thus depends on the knowledge about the food systems, particularly the main pro-oxidants present. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry

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Exploring the Microbiology of the Deep Sea

In this chapter the current knowledge of the diversity of piezophiles isolated so far is reviewed. The isolated piezophiles originated from high-pressure environments such as the cold deep sea, hydrothermal vents, and crustal rocks. Several “stress” conditions can be experienced in these environments, in particular high hydrostatic pressure (HHP). Discoveries of abundant life in diverse high-pressure environments (deep biosphere) support the existence and an adaptation of life to HHP. At least 50 piezophilic and piezotolerant Bacteria and Archaea have been isolated from different deep-sea environments but these do not by far cover the large metabolic diversity of known microorganisms thriving in deep biospheres. The field of biology of piezophiles has suffered essentially from the requirements for high-pressure retaining sample containments and culturing laboratory equipment, which is technically complicated and expensive. Only a few prototypes of HHP bioreactors have been developed by a number of research groups and this could explain the limited number of piezophiles isolated up till now.

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Potential seaweed-based food ingredients to inhibit lipid oxidation in fish-oil-enriched mayonnaise

Brown seaweed Fucus vesiculosus has a high potential as a source of natural antioxidants due to a high diversity of bioactive compounds in its composition. In this study, four extracts were characterized with respect to composition of bioactive compounds, in vitro antioxidant properties and their partitioning between water and octanol. Additionally, the antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated in a fish-oil-enriched mayonnaise. Acetone and ethanol were found to extract the highest amount of phenolic compounds and carotenoids. Water used as extraction solvent, extracted some phenolic compounds but also higher amount of metals and chlorophyll derivates. It was proposed that extracts with high phenolic content and low iron content, such as the acetone and ethanol extract, would have the highest potential as antioxidants in foods. This was confirmed in the storage trial, where these extracts showed higher antioxidant activity.

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