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In 2013, Matís took over the management and operation of the SAFE Consortium, a European co-operation platform for research institutes in the field of food safety. The participants in SAFE all have in common to emphasize the importance of food safety and the societal benefits that result from research and knowledge building in that field.

SAFE strengthens international relations

Through the collaboration, SAFE's participants will gain a stronger foothold in the international arena and an increased importance in public policy regarding food safety.

 "There is a risk that the debate on food safety will be lost in the general debate on health and the environment and will therefore lose its weight as a separate issue. Through our participation in SAFE, important connections are created with stakeholders, international organizations and the university community around the world. Relationships that strengthen our potential to influence the debate on food safety and focus on the importance of long-term research in that field, "says Oddur Már Gunnarsson, Head of Business Development and CEO of SAFE.

"Secure access to sufficient safe food is fundamental to public health and it is important for the industry not to question the safety of the products traded. In this country, it directly affects the export interests and economic situation if our largest export product, fish, is not safe to consume and therefore insecure foods can not only threaten our health and fitness, but also cause market damage. "

Oddur says that the short-term effects of unhealthy foods are usually quickly apparent, but the long-term effects are less well known. Therefore, one of SAFE's goals is to draw attention to the influencing factors in food that can harm people's health slowly and sharply. Together, SAFE's participants place heavier weights on strengthening this issue internationally and creating a deeper knowledge of food safety and the value of research in this field.

As a leading member of SAFE, opportunities are created to have a positive impact on policy in this area, in addition to strengthening Matís' image when it comes to multinational research projects related to food safety.

For further information Oddur Már.

SAFE Consortium website: www.safeconsortium.org/

It has been about a decade since a policy was set for ambitious research and development in the Icelandic fisheries sector, with the establishment of the AVS Fisheries Research Fund in 2003. Since then, science and value creation in the fisheries sector have gone hand in hand to exploit untapped opportunities for land and sea. 

Outcome: The utilization of catch in export products is about a quarter higher than before and more than twice as much export revenue comes into the country from each tonne of catch. This is a great achievement, which truly shows how profitable investing in research and innovation can be.

What's behind it?

Improved utilization has been achieved as a result of improved handling of raw materials and investment in improved processes, for example in transport and refrigeration. Emphasis has been placed on linking the value chain of seafood so that it is possible to provide information on the origin of raw materials and utilize the experience of previous years for continuous improvement. For this purpose, information technology is practical, for example with a new ice calculator for smartphones in the form of an app, which gives those who handle fish the opportunity to see in an instant how much cooling power is needed. The subjects have taken a toll on the environment since men and women tried to save the valuables.

Products or waste?

At the same time as every effort is made to allocate as much of each fish as possible to the production of the most valuable main product, the focus has been on what is not as valuable. 10 years ago there was talk of products and waste. If whole fish is exported from the country, products in addition to the main product will not be produced in Iceland and it is completely uncertain whether they will be produced at all. Today we see opportunities in all raw materials and produce products of the highest quality. Exports of canned liver are close to 30 million cans a year, worth about 3 billion. Dried products are the mainstay of exports to Nigeria, with a value of about 16 billion a year. The application of biotechnology has spread and the opportunities there are enormous. What used to be an emerald has become a bioactive peptide today, from valuable enzymes and skin used to the production of medicinal products. Progressive companies such as Kerecis, Zymetech and Primex have seen the light of day, to name a few, and have patiently established themselves on specific shelves.

Human resources are the most important resource

In a knowledge industry such as the production of marine products, human resources are the most important resource. Today, well-educated people are hired to work in the fishing industry and related industries, as it creates added value for the companies and local communities in which they work. Companies support and participate in doctoral studies, which bring together research institutes, companies and universities. With Matís' collaboration with the University of Iceland, including the University of Iceland on food science studies and the University of Akureyri on resource utilization and the connection between postgraduate studies and innovation in the fisheries sector, the foundations are laid for the pioneers of the future.

Whether looking at catfish, pelagic fish or other seafood, there are plenty of opportunities ahead if you play the right game. Increased product development, where emphasis will be placed on utilizing the uniqueness and wholesomeness of Icelandic seafood, is one of these opportunities. Since the establishment of the AVS Fund, the export value of Icelandic seafood has more than doubled. By taking advantage of opportunities in collaboration, one can improve, repeat the game, and evaluate the benefits by international standards.

Recently, Landsbankinn launched a magnificent website dedicated to the fishing industry, Sagan um fisk, which among other things discusses value creation in the industry.

It is good to say that Matís has worked with most of the companies discussed on this glorious website. The collaboration between these companies and Matís has been of a different nature, but the purpose of the collaboration has always been to improve or create new processes that have led to increased value creation.

Matís is a proud partner of these companies, and Landsbankinn (This is something else competition), and congratulates the banks of all Icelanders on a magnificent website.

Loose frozen vegetables, cauliflower and broccoli, was a project carried out in the autumn of 2012 by Matís and the Gardeners' Sales Association. Now, about a year later, all the results of the market's response have been reached.

At the beginning, a consumer survey was conducted among about 120 families who gave an assessment of Icelandic and imported vegetables in a blind test. The vegetables were also tested in food processing as they were used in composite dishes where imported vegetables are usually used and most recently the vegetables were offered for sale in selected stores.

It is the unanimous opinion of everyone who has tried this Icelandic loose-frozen vegetable, that it is much better than the imported one, first and foremost it is the freshness and it is also much lighter in itself than the imported ie. that it contains much less water.

In the Westman Islands, it was Grímur the chef who tried to combine the vegetables with the fish in his wonderful fish dishes, he says "that the vegetables turned out extremely well" primarily due to the low water content but it should be noted that no water is added to the vegetables. the processing or used materials that bind the water in the vegetables.

Gunnlaugur Karlson at Sölufélag garðyrkjumanna says that the market's response has been very good in the stores where the product was offered and it is quite clear that this is a competitive product and not a question that the product's quality and freshness is much higher than imported.

For further information Óli Þór Hilmarsson at Matís.

Fisheries-related companies have worked together to solve bottlenecks that are narrowing, from having to save valuables to increasing valuables.

Companies in the fisheries sector have increasingly implemented processes aimed at increasing value creation in the Icelandic fisheries sector, and they are based on solutions that have been developed in collaboration between different companies and researchers. A few years ago, Icelanders lived with the plight of surfers and did not put all their effort into quality and utilization, but were more preoccupied with quantity. Fisheries companies have traditionally worked together on research and development, always emphasizing the bottlenecks that narrow the most at any given time, from the time it was said that valuables need to be saved until today when we strive to increase the value .

Icelandic seafood is sold daily at sought-after prices around the world. Although Icelanders do not produce most of their seafood products, the production of the Icelandic fisheries sector is quite valuable. We have succeeded with a focus on quality instead of quantity. Knowledge has increased efficiency in the fisheries sector and at the same time increased efficiency and contributed to greater value creation.

Every seller of Icelandic seafood aims to sell their products repeatedly. No one is forced to buy Icelandic fish. Icelandic fishing companies and fish processing plants sell in exceptional cases to those who actually swallow the bite. As a container loaded into a port by the North Sea crosses several borders on its way until it is spread on a dining table by the Mediterranean, several parties handle Icelandic fish from processing to trade. Whoever eats, wherever he swallows, must be content with the price. Satisfaction with product quality increases the likelihood of repeat business. The key is that consumers are satisfied with consumer goods in the condition in which they are delivered. Anyone who handles fish needs to be disciplined and follow proper procedures. Insufficient cooling hinders the possibility of the highest price for products, just as poor workmanship in handling catches reduces product quality.

Cooling is a check on value

Every single fish that is pulled from the sea around Iceland has the potential to be sold at a high price. Whether the hearth will be of the greatest possible value depends on the handling. It is necessary to work hard, cool the catch on board and maintain the cooling of the fish during processing. Chilled fillets can be packed in insulated packaging with refrigerant to preserve the cold state of food. It is possible to transport such a product by ship out of the country.

With systematic cooling from the time the fish is caught through the processing of the fish and during the transport to the fish processing plant, it is possible to transport fresh fish fillets by ship (ffms) instead of transporting fresh fish fillets by air (ffmf). Transport by ship is much cheaper than transport by air. There was a significant increase in ffms' exports in 2012, when ffms' exports were about 41% of all fresh fillet exports and ffms' exports returned about ISK 13.4 billion or about 38% of the export value of all fresh fillets. This export would not be possible if people were involved in depleting fish and freezing catches. Out of respect for the raw material, people do not offend with careless handling and out of respect for consumers, people strive to make the best possible use of the product that the consumer buys in order to increase the chances that the person in question will seek fish from Iceland again.

Benefits of extensive collaboration

In terms of cooling, the track was paved with a multifaceted collaboration. This collaboration included Matís, the fish processing plants Tangi, now HB Grandi Vopnafjörður, Útgerðarfélag Akureyringa and Festi nú Rekstrarfélagið Eskja Hafnarfjörður. Then the equipment manufacturers participated; The peninsula in Akranes, developed supercooling equipment and finally the packaging manufacturer, Promens, has been involved, whether maintaining raw materials or refrigerated products. The collaboration was funded by the AVS Fisheries Research Fund and the Rannís Technology Development Fund, as well as foreign research and development funds.

Cooling opens more doors

The result of cooling lies in the fact that with the systematic cooling of whole fish, there is a greater chance that value can be gained by producing by-products from the raw material.

Further information on cooling can be found on Matís' website, ChillFish. In addition, provides Arnljótur Bjarki Bergsson at Matís information on cooling.

Matís has received a grant from the Herring Fisheries Research Fund to compile practical information on the processing of fresh catfish from fishing in products and publish it in electronic form. The project is called "Comics from fishing to product". 

The educational material is based on graphic and voiced material where individual aspects of the processing of fresh fish and different products will be systematically reviewed. The results of research projects in recent years will be utilized and this knowledge will be disseminated. The production of educational material on the processing of frozen catfish would at a later stage be a natural continuation if the production of educational material on fresh fish is successful.

Good access to information strengthens innovation and the search for new opportunities in the production of seafood, but research and knowledge acquisition are the basis for increased value. This electronic educational material will of course be useful to those who work in the industry and will be a good contribution to education about the processing of Icelandic seafood.

For further information Margeir Gissurarson at Matís.

Matís has now created a special app for smartphones and tablets that makes it easy for fishermen to calculate the need for ice due to catch. The program was presented at the Fisheries Conference last. week.

The applet is particularly convenient and easy to use and is useful to fishermen to calculate how much ice is needed for the catch caught. The program takes into account conditions such as sea temperature, air temperature and days at sea, as well as instructions regarding the amount of ice kg issued in addition to the number of shovels and the number of dishes.

Now it has never been easier to find out how much ice cream is needed to get the most out of our precious ingredients.

The program can be accessed at Google Play or by scanning the QR code below. The application is available for phones with Android operating system, but in the near future it will be available for phones from Apple and phones with Windows operating system.

Related material

• The ice calculator for computers
• News Viðskiptablaðið about the new ice calculator (video).

Héðinn, a knowledge company in the metal industry and mechanical engineering, has developed a relatively small protein factory (e. Hedinn Protein Plant - HPP) in collaboration with Matís and a fisheries company, which is ready for use, but the factory produces protein flour and fish oils from extra raw materials that are processed into extra raw materials. The factory was developed with support from the AVS Research Fund.

Development work for the protein factory began about five years ago. During this time, there were many obstacles that had to be removed, especially with regard to the process of the raw material through the factory, where good knowledge and ingenuity came from Matís 'employees, especially Sigurjón Arason, Matís' chief engineer.

Experiments with HPP were divided into two main components: 1) testing of new equipment and production processes and 2) evaluation of material and energy flow in the production process. The main emphasis is on extra raw materials that are created in fish processing for human consumption, such as slag and bones from white fish. Tests have also shown the excellence of the factory for processing flour and fish oil from by-products from shrimp processing, salmon processing and pelagic fish processing, but these raw materials have been used in the production of fishmeal and fish oil for decades and their properties are known.

It is important to seize all opportunities for value creation, as Icelandic ingenuity and technical knowledge are paramount. The export of technical know-how and the fact that a new factory will be developed and built here, which will be sold largely on foreign markets, is an example of important and lasting value creation. Precisely such factors, which are based on research and development, will, in most people's opinion, weigh heavily in the turnaround of Icelandic society.

Matís is a proud partner of Héðinn, a knowledge company in the metal industry and mechanical engineering, and sincerely congratulates the owners and employees on the new factory.

For further information Sigurjón Arason, Matís' chief engineer.