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Monday 15 November next. Jón Óskar Jónsson, an employee of Matís, will give a lecture on his master's project at the Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland.

The project is called "β-Glucan Transferases of Family GH17 from Proteobacteria"And involved research into a special type of enzyme that converts glucan polysaccharides by switching with sugar transport.

Examiner is Dr. Jón M. Einarsson, research and development manager at Genis ehf. The supervising teacher and supervisor was Dr. Guðmundur Óli Hreggviðsson, lecturer at the Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Iceland and division manager at Matís ohf. Co-supervisor was Dr. Ólafur H. Friðjónsson project manager at Matís ohf.

The lecture will be held in room 130 in Askja and starts at 16.00.

Abstract
Enzymes belonging to the GH17 family in the glycemic enzyme classification system were studied from three types of bacteria: Methylobacillus flagellatus KT, Rhodopseudomonas palustris and Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Recent studies have shown that such enzymes from Proteobacteria show transferase activity, ie. they cut β-glucan polysaccharides and splice fragments at the end of glucose with the formation of new 1.3 bonds or form branches with β1,4 or β1,6 bonds. The genes of the enzymes were cloned and expressed E. coli. The enzymes were expressed as MalE fusion proteins, but after production and purification, the MalE moiety was digested with a specific Ulp1 protease. The enzymes were defined for their activity on laminarin sugars. Imaging materials were defined in terms of size and connection type using a variety of methodologies, TLC, Maldi-TOF, electrospray and NMR. The results of the research revealed that two of these enzymes, from Rhodopseudomonas palustris and Methylobacillus flagellatus KTs form β (1-3) bonds and are therefore elongation enzymes. The enzyme from Bradyrhizobium japonicum showed β (1-6) transferase activity and is therefore a branching enzyme. It was possible to show that the enzyme cleaves polysaccharides from the reducing end of the polysaccharide substrates, in contrast to the bacterial enzymes that have been studied so far. This property should degrade the enzyme Bradyrhizobium japonicumable to create oligosaccharide rings from β-glucan polysaccharides.

For further information, please contact Jón Óskar, jon.o.jonsson@matis.is.

Recently, there has been a timely discussion about the amount of trans fatty acids in foods. At Matís, quantitative measurements are made of trans fatty acids as well as other fatty acids and ingredients in food.

The government has decided to set rules on the maximum amount of trans fatty acids in food based on the Danish model.

Studies show that the consumption of trans fatty acids increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and therefore these rules are set. Some countries have set strict rules or standards for trans fatty acids in food to reduce their quantity and imposed labeling requirements on packaging, such as Denmark, the United States, Brazil, Switzerland and Canada.

What are trans fats?
The production and use of trans fatty acids in food has a history of over 100 years, but the process was designed by the German Wilhelm Normann in 1901, who was also the first producer of such fats on an industrial scale. Trans fatty acids are formed when liquid fats (mainly vegetable fats) are partially hardened by mixing them with hydrogen gas and nickel under high temperature and pressure. Such fats have a much longer shelf life than liquid fats and have been used in many different products and for frying and baking for many decades. Trans fatty acids can also be found in the fat of ruminants from nature. The new rules in Iceland only apply to trans fatty acids in industrial raw materials. The proportion of trans fatty acids in the fat of ruminants is never high and this fat has been in the diet of man for centuries.  

Effects of trans fatty acids on health
Saturated fatty acids increase the risk of cardiovascular disease such as trans fatty acids, but the latter are considered worse. A 2006 study indicated that 30,000 to 100,000 deaths in the United States could be attributed to trans fatty acids. When removing trans fats from foods or reducing their levels, care must be taken to increase the proportion of saturated fatty acids as little as possible. Dietary advice is published on the Public Health Institute's website.

It is recommended that people choose oil or soft fats as often as possible instead of hard fats that include both saturated and trans fats. Discussions about the negative health effects of trans fatty acids have been growing rapidly in the last 10 years, and both hardened vegetable oil producers and food producers have contributed to reducing the amount of trans fatty acids in food. However, the situation can still be improved considerably and consumers better informed.

Amount of trans fatty acids in Icelandic food
Matís ohf offers measurements of numerous fatty acids in food, including trans fatty acids. Measurements are made for companies, regulators and individuals. In 2008 and 2009, Matís carried out an assessment of fatty acids in food on the Icelandic market. The audit covered 51 samples and was carried out in collaboration with the Public Health Institute and the Food Administration and was intended, among other things, to obtain information for the Icelandic database on the chemical content of food (ÍSGEM) operated by Matís. It was found that trans fatty acid levels in food varied greatly. Trans fatty acids were found in table margarine, baking margarine, fried baked goods, vegetable ice cream and micro-popcorn. Only some brands of these products contained trans fatty acids, while others were completely free of these fatty acids. This shows that it is possible to get rid of the trans fatty acids from these products and the food industry is well on its way in this respect.

The audit included biscuits, sweets and food from fast-food restaurants without trans fatty acids. This is a big change from what it was about 15 years ago. A study conducted in 1995 found that trans foods were high in many foods on the Icelandic market. The results of the study from 1995 can be seen here:

www.matis.is/media/utgafa/matra/Matra_-02-09_-Fitusyrur.pdf

How to reduce the amount of trans fatty acids?
The food industry now needs to take action to ensure that trans fatty acids do not exceed 2 g per 100 g of the remaining products. It depends on the type of food how the composition will be changed. In some products you can use liquid oils and it is the best solution from a nutritional point of view. In other cases, solid fat must be used, but it can be highly saturated. Semi-hardened fats contain trans fatty acids, while fully saturated fats do not contain trans fatty acids but a lot of saturated fatty acids. One way for food manufacturers to mix solidified fats with oil is to obtain trans-fat-free fats with comparable properties to semi-hardened fats. It can be assumed that the general public will not be affected by changes in the food supply, as the food industry will simply choose other raw materials for production.

The general public is increasingly interested in the type of fat in food. There are many questions about trans fatty acids and how it is possible to find out if foods contain these fatty acids. Measurements of fatty acids always give the safest answer, but information on the packaging can be used. If the description of the ingredients only indicates oils as fatty ingredients, they are not trans fatty acids.

Ólafur Reykdal, one of our Icelandic experts on trans fatty acids, works for Matís. For further information, please contact Ólafur, olafur.reykdal@matis.is.

On Wednesday 10 November. rather Sigríður Sigurðardóttir lecture his master's project in industrial engineering from the University of Iceland. The project is called Industrial engineering and milk processing.  The lecture will be given in Verin Vísindagörður on Wednesday 10 November at 14:00.

The aim of this project is to investigate how industrial engineering methods can be used to streamline milk processing. The project was carried out for Mjólkursamlag Kaupfélag Skagfirðinga (MKS) and in collaboration with Matís ohf, but the collaboration between the two companies had proved extremely successful in a research project on the processing of milk proteins obtained from whey produced by cheese production. Therefore, there was interest within the association in continuing to collaborate with Matís. In the beginning, many ideas for possible projects were presented to MKS's representatives, as various data are collected during the production and therefore there could be opportunities for optimization in many places. The ideas included an inspection of inventory to streamline operations, an examination of seasonal fluctuations in milk with the aim of increasing profitability and utilization, and an assessment of what equipment and changes are necessary in the production process to produce whey protein from the whey that is produced. the cheese making. Solutions to all these tasks can be obtained using the methods of industrial engineering. But the tasks that were ultimately decided to undertake were the following:

1. Examination of Samlag's shift schedule
2. Simulation of cheese production to confirm bottleneck
3. Design of a control bar to reduce fluctuations in the weight of the final product

The lecture will be given in Verin Vísindagörður, in Sauðárkrókur, and is open to everyone. The project was carried out by Sigríður for the milk cooperative of Kaupfélag Skagfirðingar within Líftæknismiðja Matís in Verin vísindagarðar in Sauðárkrókur in the summer of 2008.

Sigríður's supervisors were Páll Jensson PhD, professor of industrial engineering at the University of Iceland and Sveinn Margeirsson PhD, division manager at Matís.

The representative of the faculty is Gunnar Stefánsson, associate professor of industrial engineering at the University of Iceland.

The generic pharmaceutical manufacturer Actavis uses service research at Matís. Actavis is one of the 5 largest generic pharmaceutical companies in the world and the collaboration between Matís and Actavis has been very successful.

"Ever since Matís came into being, the company has been conducting microbiological research on raw materials and finished products for us, as well as research on environmental samples. The collaboration is therefore a regular part of Actavis' production and has been successful from the beginning, "says Herborg Hauksdóttir, responsible for the quality assurance department of the pharmaceutical production company Actavis. She says a service agreement with Matís saves the company a costly development of its own research facilities.

Herborg says that updates to microbial measurement methods have always been successful with the help of Matís staff. "We work under the requirements of the pharmaceutical authorities, both in Iceland and in our other market areas, to make microbial measurements and have chosen to utilize both first-class facilities and Matís staff for this project. The measurements are very specialized and Matís has that specialization, "says Herborg.

In addition to microbiological measurements of raw materials and finished products at Actavis, Matís takes care of measurements of environmental samples where, for example, water is monitored, as well as other environmental aspects within the company. "We are subject to very strict requirements for drug production, so we also choose the best research services we have available," says Herborg Hauksdóttir at Actavis.

The project has now been completed at Matís, Hraðfrystihúsið Gunnvöra hf. and 3X Technology ehf. which aims to increase the value of catfish catches by developing a process that increases the utilization and quality of marrow made from by-products such as ridges falling from filleting machines and cuttings falling from cosmetic lines.

The main focus of the project is the development and construction of the following units to be able to produce high quality marrow from ridges. The following units / work components are involved:

Spine cutting machine> Marning washing machine> Marning press> Marning packing machine

Description of the marrow system:  The vertebrae are showered on the inner table in front of the spinal cutting machines. The ridges are arranged in the cutting machines, the columns are cut off and extend from the machine into a conveyor belt that transports them away. The trunks fall under the machine and are transported to the crusher, where they are crushed into crusher and bone and debris. The marlin is transferred to the washing drum where it is rinsed and then transferred to the marlin press where it squeezes the water from the marlin. After the press, the idea is that the marrow will have a standard water content (setting on the front of the press). The marlin is then transported by conveyor belt to the marlin packaging machine, where it dispenses the right amount into specially made marlin boxes.

The ultimate goal of the line is to reach the white marrow and thus increase its value.

The whitening of the marrow is obtained by rinsing it vigorously with water in the washing drum and then "squeezing" the water out again in the marrow press.

The partners of the project are Matís ohf, Hraðfrystihúsið Gunnvör hf and 3X Technology ehf.

A report from the project can be found here.

The project was for one year and was funded by AVS (www.avs.is) the research fund.

For further information, please contact Róbert Hafsteinsson, robert.hafsteinsson@matis.is.

The project "Processing of longline vessels" has now been completed, which aimed to develop and design new technical solutions for the application and handling of fish after fishing on board longliners with the aim of maximizing raw material quality, increasing work efficiency and reducing the cost of the process.

We went on a voyage on board Stefni ÍS 28 to test the refrigerator and the bleeding vessels on board, which are built and manufactured by 3X Technology. The purpose of that trip was to find out which processing method yielded the best results in terms of the quality of the raw material. Different methods (different groups) were tested with bleeding, gutting and cooling of the raw material on board. To assess the quality, the color and release of the fillets were then assessed in the processing of Hraðfrystihús Gunnvarar in Ísafjörður.

The main results of this project indicated that by allowing the fish to bleed in the sea, with a lot of water exchange, after the fish has been gutted and before it goes into cooling, it gives a better color quality to the fillet. When the release of the fillets was examined in the sensory evaluation, there was not a sufficiently significant difference between the groups, ie no single processing method differed in quality in terms of release.

The graph below shows a plot of three temperature sensors for group no. 1. One sensor in each fish. The fish were then arranged in a 440L tank at the bottom of the train, one fish located at the bottom, one in the middle and one at the top. You can also see from the graph how fast the fish cools down to approx. -0.5 ° C in 25 minutes when using the sludge coolers. The fish is then placed in a train where the temperature remains well below zero degrees until processing takes place a few days later.

The partners of the project are Matís ohf, 3X Technology ehf, Vísir hf, Brim hf, Hraðfrystihúsið Gunnvör hf and Samherji hf. AVS Research Fund (www.avs.is) and the Technology Development Fund support this project.

A report was published on the project, but it is closed. A summary of the report can be found here.

For further information, please contact Róbert Hafsteinsson, robert.hafsteinsson@matis.is.

Matís recently took part in International Marine Ingredients Conference which took place in Oslo, Norway. There, Matís received an award for a poster that was shown at the conference.

The poster can be seen here.

Information on more posters, leaflets, brochures and more publications from Matís can be found here.