News

Matís leads a new project on resource utilization and protection of ocean areas

Matís og Hafrannsóknastofnun leiða nýtt alþjóðlegt 1.2 milljarða króna rannsókna- og nýsköpunarverkefni sem ætlað er að taka á loftslagsbreytingum og ógnun við líffræðilegan fjölbreytileika sjávar.

Verkefnið BioProtect sem leitt er af Matís og Hafrannsóknastofnun (Hafró) snýst um að þróa aðferðafræði og tæknilegar lausnir til að auðvelda ákvarðanatöku um auðlindanýtingu eða verndun hafsvæða. Áhersla er lögð á gott samstarf við hagaðila en þeir eru til dæmis útgerðaraðilar og sjávarútvegssamtök, sveitarfélög og þá sérstaklega sjávarbyggðir, innlend og alþjóðleg stjórnvöld, náttúruverndarsamtök, rannsóknaraðilar, stefnumótandi aðilar og sérfræðingar. Líffræðilegur fjölbreytileiki sjávar verður vaktaður svo hægt verði að gera grein fyrir stöðu hans og spá fyrir um mögulegar breytingar. Einnig verður farið í víðtæka kortlagningu á nýtingu og áhrifum manna á einstök hafsvæði og tegundir í hafinu. Þá verður gerð aðgerðaáætlun fyrir forgangsröðun verndunar- og endurheimtunaraðgerða, sem og mat á vistfræðilegum, félagslegum og hagfræðilegum áhrifum þessara verndaraðgerða á fimm hafsvæðum þ.e. við Ísland, Noreg, Írland, Portúgal og Azor eyjar.

Alls taka 18 fyrirtæki og stofnanir víðsvegar að úr Evrópu þátt í verkefninu, en því er stjórnað af Dr. Sophie Jensen, verkefnastjóra hjá Matís. Hún er svo dyggilega studd af Dr. Julian Burgos hjá Hafrannsóknastofnun, sem er vísindalegur leiðtogi verkefnisins. Það er mikill heiður og traust sem Matís og Hafrannsóknastofnun er sýnt með að vera kjörin til að leiða þennan hóp margs besta vísindafólks í Evrópu á sínu sviði.

Ljóst er að í verkefninu mun verða til mikil þekking sem mun nýtast íslensku samfélagi á komandi árum til að takast á við loftslagsbreytingar og ógnun manna við líffræðilegan fjölbreytileika sjávar. Þá er einnig gaman að segja frá því að í gegnum verkefnið er verið að tryggja 320 milljóna króna alþjóðlega fjármögnun inn í íslenskt samfélag.

BioProtect verkefnið stuðlar m.a. að því að Evrópuþjóðir nái helstu markmiðum Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework samningsins sem undirritaður var í lok árs 2022. Í honum er kveðið á um að ríki skuli vernda 30% haf- og landsvæða fyrir árið 2030 og hefur sá samingur verið undirritaður af fleiri en 200 ríkjum, þar á meðal Íslandi.

Af vef Hafrannósknastofnunar:

Meginmarkmið Kumning-Montreal samningsins er að vernda líffræðilega fjölbreytni sem minnkar nú mun hraðar en áður á þekktum jarðsögulegum tíma. Líffræðileg fjölbreytni er flókið hugtak sem getur átt við erfðabreytileika, tegundafjölbreytni, fjölbreytni í eiginleikum lífvera og fleira. Líffræðileg fjölbreytni er grundvöllur nýtingar auðlinda enda tryggir hún seiglu í vistkerfum, meðal annars gagnvart hröðum umhverfisbreytingum, s.s. loftslagsbreytingum og súrnun sjávar. Það er því mikið í húfi að þetta markmið náist.

News

Whitefish processing and land farming benefit from work in the Accelwater project

Last week, a project meeting took place in Spain in the collaborative project Accelwater, in which Matís participates. Two project managers from Matís, Sæmundur Elíasson and Hildur Inga Sveinsdóttir, attended the meeting and presented, among other things, the aspects of the project they have worked on.

The Accelwater project is about accelerating the cycle of water in the food and beverage industry across Europe, but the main goal of the project is to use value from water and reduce fresh water consumption during food processing. Numerous food producers and research partners are involved in the project, but Matís leads the work package that relates to Iceland, and here the emphasis is on land processing of whitefish and land farming of salmon. In addition to Matís, the Icelandic participants in the project are the University of Iceland's Faculty of Food and Nutrition, Útgerðarfélag Akureyri and Samherji Fiskeldi.

At the workshop, Hildur and Sæmundur presented the latest news about the Icelandic work package. The main news was about the installation of flow and energy sensors in whitefish processing in order to measure changes and achieve both water and energy savings in the processing. There, a master's student from Denmark is working on his final project around this work.

During the land fire, progress was reviewed in experiments with the utilization of sludge for fertilizer production. There is a system that filters the sludge and results in a mass of dry matter that can be used, among other things, in biogas or fertilizer. Experiments with dry bleeding of salmon and the possible use of salmon blood for value creation were also reviewed.

Finally, the results of the life cycle analysis, which is being worked on with the University of Iceland, were reviewed. The water use and environmental impact of the aquaculture industry and feed production are currently being analyzed there using the methodology of life cycle analysis.

In addition to this presentation, partners in the project located in Spain were visited. The meat processing company BETA was visited and the conditions were examined, but they are working to convert waste from the processing into value. MAFRICA's meat processing plant was also visited and they could see the waste treatment process developed in the Accelwater project. The waste/pig excrement is then put through a water purification process and a biogas plant, and the result is reusable water and energy, among other things in the form of biogas.

At the end of the trip, they had the opportunity to see the beautiful Montserrat mountain.

More information about the Accelwater project can be found here: Accelwater: Accelerating Water Circularity in Food and Beverage Industrial Areas around Europe

News

Fresh fish for weeks with dry embrittlement

Fish news birtu á dögunum grein þar sem fjallað er um spennandi verkefni sem unnið var að hjá Matís í samstarfi við Dóru Svavarsdóttur matreiðslumeistara og snerist um tilraunir með þurrmeyrnun eða svokallaða dry-age verkun á fiski sem þykir lofa góðu.  

Í greininni er rætt við Dóru en hún vann að rannsóknarverkefninu ásamt Cecile Dargentolle, verkefnastjóra á sviði virðiskeðju hjá Matís með sérhæfingu í fiski. Dry-age verkunaraðferðin er vel þekkt og hefur verið beitt á kjöt til að fá það til að mýkjast og meyrna en í þessari rannsókn var hún notuð á fisk til þess að halda honum ferskum lengur auk þess sem áferðin verður þéttari.

Í verkefninu voru tilraunir gerðar með heilan fisk en einnig fiskflök. Þær skoðuðu sérstaklega eina hvíta fisktegund og eina feita ferskvatnstegund og urðu ýsa og bleikja fyrir valinu. Markmiðið var að finna rétt hita- og rakastig til að auka geymsluþol fisksins í algjörlega stýrðu umhverfi.

Með þessari dry-age verkun er alls ekki um að ræða þurrkaðan fisk líkt og harðfisk eða að fiskurinn verði siginn enda ekki um gerjun að ræða. Útkoman er ferskur fiskur sem matreiddur er á hefðbundinn hátt og getur orðið spennandi hráefni fyrir fjölbreytt veitingahús.

Verkefnið var unnið með styrk frá Matvælasjóði og stefna þær nú á að sækja um styrk fyrir framhaldsverkefni til þess að gera frekari rannsóknir og útbúa leiðbeiningar um þessa verkunaraðferð fyrir mismunandi tegundir af fiski sem væru þá aðgengilegar fleirum.

Greinina má lesa í heild sinni á vef Fiskifrétta hér: Tilraun með þurrmeyrnun á fiski sögð lofa góðu

News

A new circular economy project is off to a good start

Dagana 5.-6. febrúar síðastliðinn fór upphafsfundur verkefnisins BIO2REG fram. Verkefnið snýr að því að umbreyta stórum iðnaðarsvæðum yfir í hringrásarhagkerfi.

Jülich Forschungszentrum í Þýskalandi leiðir verkefnið og eru þátttakendur samtals 9 að Matís meðtöldu. Hlutverk Íslands er að halda hér á landi sérhæfða vinnustofu eða svokallað Expert Workshop þar sem við kynnum, ásamt samstarfsaðilum okkar frá RISE í Svíþjóð, hvað það er sem vel hefur farið hérlendis þegar að kemur að upptöku hringrásarhagkerfis og hvað ber að forðast. 

Á fundinum var farið yfir skipulag verkefnisins, hlutverk hvers þátttakanda og hvað liggur fyrir að gera næstu mánuði og ár. BIO2REG mun ryðja brautina fyrir hagaðila í að hefja og móta umskipti að umhverfisvænni framleiðslu með virkum hætti á grundvelli svæði-til-svæða nálgunar. Framundan eru spennandi tímar og mikil tilhlökkun er fyrir því að fá erlenda sérfræðinga í heimsókn í Expert Workshop í byrjun september.

Verkefnasíða Matís: BIO2REG: Umbreyting iðnaðarsvæða í hringrásarhagkerfi

Verkefnasíða verkefnisins (á ensku): BIO2REG

News

Impact of the NextGenProteins project

The NextGenProteins project ended at the end of 2023. It is the largest project that has ever been funded by Matís, and work on it lasted from 2019. One of the final products of the project is brochure where the main results of each part of the project are reviewed and it is now available as a pdf. form on the NextGenProteins website.

The NextGenProteins project was funded by the Horizon 2020 fund and aimed to develop, optimize and optimize the production of three sustainably produced neoproteins, and validate their use in various foods and feeds. The proteins that were examined in the project were insect proteins made from by-products of food production, a single-cell protein that is a yeast mass that thrives on sugars from forestry products, and microalgae that are grown largely on CO2 emissions from geothermal energy production.

The aim of the project was, among other things, to examine the government's regulations and policies when it comes to new protein sources, analyze production obstacles and submit strategic proposals to simplify and change the government's regulations and policies towards a more sustainable food system. NextGenProteins also aimed to produce high-quality, safe, nutritious and sustainable protein sources by utilizing industrial by-products that are traditionally wasted.

Vegetable buns with single-cell protein (torula) produced in collaboration with chef Grím.

Research and experiments were carried out to examine the possibilities of using these proteins in various food products and animal feed. Market research and consumer surveys were also carried out as well as sensory evaluation of products containing the new proteins. The sustainability of new protein sources was also examined and compared to more traditional protein sources as well as their environmental and economic impact, production efficiency and resource utilization.

All the main goals of the NextGenProteins project were achieved and such success can pave the way for innovation and new solutions to the challenges facing the current world food system. The production of the proteins examined in the project has less negative environmental impact than most traditional protein production. It is important to take that factor into account when thinking about how to meet the increased demand for protein production along with increased population growth in the world.

In the attached booklet, which is in English, the supervisors of each part of the project review the main results. In addition, Birgir Örn Smárason, professional manager at Matís and project manager of NextGenProteins, tells about his experience of the project work and its outcome.

Verkefnasíða NextGenProteins er aðgengileg hér: NextGenProteins – Þróun á næstu kynslóð próteina úr vannýttum auðlindum til notkunar í matvæli og fóður

Reports

Processing utilization of abalone roe

Authors:

Gunnar Þórðarson, Jónas R. Viðarsson, James Kennedy and Axel Helgason.

Contact

Gunnar Þórðarson

Regional Manager

gunnar.thordarson@matis.is

View report

Reports

100% fish in the Great lakes region: Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) full utilization

Published:

30/11/2022

Authors:

Cécilie Dargontolle and Jónas Viðarsson

Supported by:

Islenski Sjávarklassinn ehf.

Contact

Jónas Rúnar Viðarsson

Director of Business and Development

jonas@matis.is

View report

Peer-reviewed articles

Development of a responsive fisheries management system for the Portuguese crustacean bottom trawl fishery: Lessons learned.

Contact

Jónas Rúnar Viðarsson

Director of Business and Development

jonas@matis.is

A prototype for a Responsive Fisheries Management System (RFMS) was developed in the context of the European FP7 project EcoFishMan and tested on the Portuguese crustacean trawl fishery. Building on Results Based Management principles, RFMS involves the definition of specific and measurable objectives for a fishery by the relevant authorities but allows resource users the freedom to find ways to achieve the objectives and to provide adequate documentation. Taking into account the main goals of the new Common Fisheries Policy, such as sustainable utilization of the resources, end of discards and unwanted catches, a management plan for the Portuguese crustacean trawl fishery was developed in cooperation with the fishing industry, following the process and design laid out in the RFMS concept. The plan considers biological, social and economic goals and assigns a responsibility for increased data collection to the resource users. The performance of the plan with regard to selected indicators was evaluated through simulations. In this paper the process towards a RFMS is described and the lessons learned from the interaction with stakeholders in the development of an alternative management plan are discussed.

Peer-reviewed articles

Is Europe ready for a results-based approach to fisheries management? The voice of stakeholders

Contact

Jónas Rúnar Viðarsson

Director of Business and Development

jonas@matis.is

The reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), adopted by the European Union in 2013, aims to achieve sustainable exploitation of marine resources. Beyond the mainstream of stakeholders' engagement, the literature increasingly calls for shared accountability in fisheries management. In such scenarios, identifying stakeholders' insights becomes critical for a successful design of innovative management approaches. This paper analyzes how the stakeholders perceive a results-based management system for four fisheries in different European sea-basins as well as at a pan-European level. The results indicate a need for adaptive spirit participatory management approaches, building on regional adaptations within transparent and plural frameworks for fisheries. To succeed, the system should explicitly address its associated public and private costs; neither participation nor accountability comes for free.

News

By-products of horticulture can become raw materials for valuable products

Horticultural farms produce a huge amount of by-products that can be used in a variety of productions. Leaves can be used in spice mixes and fiber can be extracted from them to be added to foods. Antioxidant activity was measured in various by-products and it was found that rose cuttings can be used in cosmetics such as facial creams. This is stated in the recently published final report of the project Valorisation of side streams from Icelandic horticulture which Matís led and finished at the end of 2023. The project was carried out in collaboration with the Farmers' Association of Iceland and Orkídea with a grant from the Food Fund.

The aim of the project was to explore the possibility of using diverse by-products from gardening as ingredients for food, nutritional supplements or cosmetics. The side products under investigation were cucumber and tomato leaves, leaves of outdoor cauliflower and broccoli as well as leaves and stems from floriculture. It was also examined whether the use of second-class carrots and potatoes could be improved. All this was studied with a view to increasing the value of vegetable production, improving utilization and increasing sustainability.

Nutritious leaves and low heavy metal concentration

It was surprising how much various nutrients were measured in the side products. Significant amounts of fiber were measured in leaves, stems and carrot grass. The diet of Icelanders often contains too little fiber, but it would be possible to use these substances to improve it. The by-products were generally found to be rich in minerals, particularly potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and iron. Heavy metals were not measurable or their concentrations were extremely low. These results encourage the utilization of by-products in food. When using new products for food, however, food safety must always be considered, as some plants contain unwanted natural substances to protect the plant. When plant parts have not previously been used for human consumption, it is necessary to check which rules apply to food.

Premium raw materials with the right processing methods

In the project, freeze drying was used to pre-process the raw material for various product development. For example, a special spice mix containing freeze-dried leaves of cauliflower and broccoli was created for meatballs to improve both the taste and wholesomeness of minced meat. The product concept is that the consumer only needs to mix one portion of spice mixture against 600 grams of raw mince and one egg, then it is possible to form buns and fry. This is a simple, nutritious and tasty dish with very little effort. 

Deep-fried carrot strips could be a premium product to top off fancy dishes, as a snack or side dish. In the project, experiments were carried out with this processing method, and lightly salted, deep-fried beet strips turned out to be the most delicious. The taste was roasted/roasted, slightly bitter and reminiscent of coffee bean notes. The texture was crispy and the taste extremely delicious. Comparable products on the market are, for example, fried onions and potato straws (pik-nik).

Rose petals and branches with unexpected functions

Exciting opportunities lie in the use of rose petals and rose branches in skin care products, as the antioxidant activity is high in these side products of gardening that are usually thrown away. Rose leaves and branches had the highest antioxidant activity compared to leaves of cauliflower, broccoli, tomato and cucumber. It is therefore an extremely interesting future project to create skin care products with this ingredient and to better measure the effectiveness and conduct consumer tests.

A report on the results of the study can be accessed in its entirety on Matís' website here: Valorisation of side streams from Icelandic horticulture

EN