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Conflicting assertions are therefore unfounded. This is the result of a quality survey that Matís conducted for the Consumer Association and the National Association of Cow Farmers. The survey and its results are described on the Consumer Association's website.

Following discussions on the quality of ground beef, the National Association of Cow Farmers and the Consumers' Association decided to conduct a quality survey of this product. The Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture partially supported the project. Matís carried out the survey, which covered eight types of ground beef.

The report and the results of the survey can be found in their entirety here.

For further information, please contact Ólafur Reykdal, olafur.reykdal@matis.is and Óli Þ. Hilmarsson, oli.th.hilmarsson@matis.is.

On Tuesday 9 March. 18 students graduated from the United Nations University of Fisheries and this is the 12th grade to have completed six months of study at the university.

The school is a collaborative project of four institutions / companies: the Marine Research Institute, Matís, the University of Iceland and the University of Akureyri, but in addition Hólaskóli is involved in the collaboration. The day-to-day operation of the school is part of the Marine Research Institute and Tumi Tómasson is the director of the school.  

At Matís, all students at the school have received instruction in the basic course on the quality and processing of fish, and in direct continuation, students at the school's quality line, who this year were five, have received instruction and practical training. Four of these five students have worked on their final projects at Matís in Reykjavík. This year, the projects focused on the design of a quality factor scale (QIM) for mackerel, the effect of sorbates, chitosan on the shelf life of mackerel, teaching materials for the design of a HACCP system for use in the North Korean fishing industry and the installation of a traceability system suitable for China's domestic market. The students usually work on projects with needs in their own home country in mind.

These projects, authors and mentors are listed below.

Quality control in fish handling and fish processing:

Patricia J. Nobre leads Miranda Alfama - Cape Verde

UNU-FTP Project title: Quality Index Method (QIM) for frozen-thawed Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombus) stored in ice: development and application in a shelf life study
Supervisor: Emilia Martinsdóttir, Matís and Kolbrún Sveinsdóttir, Matís
Specialist line: Quality Management of Fish Handling and Processing
Lanlan Pan - China
UNU-FTP Project title: A Model of traceability of fish products for the domestic market in China based on traceability studies in Iceland and China
Supervisor: Margeir Gissurarson, Matís
Specialist line: Quality Management of Fish Handling and Processing

Mun Hyok Ho - DPR Korea
UNU-FTP Project title: The effect of dipping treatments on preservation of fish (mackerel) using chitosan, sorbate and acetic acid.
Supervisor: Heiða Pálmadóttir, Matís , Irek Klonowski, Ingibjörg Rósa Þorvaldsdóttir and Páll Steinþórsson, Matís
Specialist line: Quality Management of Fish Handling and Processing

Kwang Bok Jo - DPR Korea
UNU-FTP Project title: The understanding of the HACCP and the application method of the HACCP system in DPR of Korea
Supervisor: Margeir Gissurarson, Matís
Specialist line: Quality Management of Fish Handling and Processing

Further information about the graduation and the school can be found here

Due to the coverage of a report that Matís recently prepared for the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and which has been published on online and news media in recent days, Matís wants to make it clear that the report does not take a position on one form of fishing at the expense of another. 

The report is intended to highlight facts about the utilization of raw materials in the Icelandic fisheries sector, so that it would be possible to formulate a sensible policy on the utilization of marine catch for the future and how to create as much value as possible from it.

It is a key issue for increased value creation in Iceland that the utilization of marine catches be as optimal as possible. On the other hand, there are various factors other than utilization that are important in terms of value creation, such as catch management, choice of processing methods and products, market access and business relationships. It is also clear that costs need to be considered, as well as income, as it is the profitability of fishing, processing and marketing that must support the necessary future investment, for example for research and development.

The Icelandic fisheries sector is doing well internationally when it comes to comparing profitability and utilization of catches. It is gratifying that Matís' report is showing interest and I encourage everyone to familiarize themselves with its contents. It is my hope that in the future there will be an open and honest discussion about the possible ways to increase utilization, value creation and profitability even further.

The report can be accessed here: Improved utilization of marine catch, 2nd edition

Sjöfn Sigurgísladóttir, CEO of Matís.

Matís is organizing a conference on sensory evaluation on 20 and 21 May. at Hilton Reykjavík Nordica Hotel. The conference deals with the communication between different groups such as food producers, restaurateurs, marketers, scientists and consumers.

Among other things, emphasis will be placed on how food companies and restaurants can approach or talk to their customers and consumers and find out what they want. Internal communication in companies, such as between product development and marketers, will also be discussed.

In the discussion, the quality of food will be measured by sensory evaluation, consumer research and its significance for food companies and restaurants.

Among the speakers is Ulf Larsson from University of Örebro in Sweden and he will discuss how important a description of food can be, for example on menus. Peter Kreiner from NOMA Restaurant in Copenhagen will talk about how Nordic values can be promoted in cuisine. Valdimar Sigurðsson from Reykjavík University intends to talk about consumer behavior and how marketing is done in stores. Johan Unuger from Saltå Kvarn which will discuss how the media can be used in communication with consumers. Several speakers come from large Nordic companies, such as Arla Foods and Valio and the Finnish market research company Taloustutkimus.

If companies are interested, companies' logo markings on the conference content are offered to them free of charge.

Further information about program, registration, etc. can be found on Matís' English page, www.matis.is/nsw2010.

In Iceland, statements about the ingredients of food may only be used if it is permitted in the relevant regulations or if a permit for such has been obtained from the Food Administration (MAST).

Before distributing foodstuffs labeled with claims, such as low-fat, low-cholesterol, low-calorie or other claims, check whether this is permitted. If an authorization is not found within the regulation, the declaration must be applied for to the Food Administration on special forms which can be found on the Administration's website, www.mast.is. Permission has been obtained for several claims in this country, which can also be seen on the MAST website.  

Matís took part in a Nordic project where the goal was for the Nordic countries to come up with a common view on what kind of labeling would be allowed as "positive labeling". An opinion poll was conducted among Nordic consumers on health claims, how consumers understand them and on food labeling and how they affect marketing.

Matís conducted the survey in Iceland and interpreted the results as well as holding meetings with stakeholders, representatives of food companies and consumer associations. This autumn, a peer-reviewed article was published that explains the results of the consumer research. The article is called Perception of Health Claims Among Nordic Consumers and is published in the magazine Journal of Consumer Policy. The article can be accessed here. 

Another article from this study was published in the journal Food Policy sem nefnist Impact of helath-related claims on the perception of other product attributes. The article can be accessed here.

Búnaðarþing was set up at a solemn ceremony in Bændahöllinn today. Addresses were given by Haraldur Benediktsson, chairman of BÍ, Jón Bjarnason, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, Brita Skallerud, one of the two vice-chairmen of the Norwegian farmers' association Norges bondelag, and Sjöfn Sigurgísladóttir, director of Matís.

An agricultural prize was also awarded, which the residents of the farms Hraun á Skaga and Grænhóll in Ölfus received this time. The folk band of the Music School in Akranes came and won with lively violin tones.

Capacent poll results:
The future of Icelandic agriculture affects people's attitudes towards Iceland's membership of the European Union, with 55.9% Icelanders opposing the country's accession to the European Union and 33.3% in favor of membership. 60% Icelanders say they have no or little trust in the government when it comes to protecting the nation's interests in the application process for Iceland's membership of the European Union. This was stated in a speech by Haraldur Benediktsson, chairman of the Farmers' Association of Iceland, at the inauguration of Búnaðarþing 2010 earlier today, and the title of Búnaðarþing is "Aftur kemur vor í dal".

In his speech, Haraldur presented the results of a recent survey that Capacent conducted for the Farmers' Association. There were five questions in Capacent's questionnaire. The results of the survey underline the importance of Icelandic agriculture and the negative attitude towards Icelanders' membership of the European Union.

The main results of the survey are:

• 95.7% respondents believe that it is very important that agriculture is practiced in this country in the future.
• 84.3% believe that it is very important that Icelanders are not dependent on others for agricultural products.
• 55.9% respondents oppose Iceland's membership of the European Union, 33.3% are in favor of Iceland's membership of the European Union and 10.8% are undecided.
• 62.8% say that the future of Icelandic agriculture has a large or some effect on its position on Iceland's membership of the European Union.
• 57.9% respondents say they trust the Icelandic government poorly or not at all to protect the nation's interests in the application process for Iceland's membership of the European Union, only 26.8% say they trust the government well or in full.