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In recent months, Matís has been responsible for experiments with logos on board fishing vessels to increase traceability and information flow within the value chain of marine products. 

Several types of tags have been tried, as well as the amount of information that appears on the tags and their utilization after the catch comes ashore. There is a growing interest among shipping companies to use data such as this, as all parties in the value chain are becoming much more aware than before of the values inherent in information and traceability.

For further information, contact Jónas R. Viðarsson at Matís, jonas.r.vidarsson@matis.is.

On December 7, 2007, the Minister of Fisheries appointed a committee to examine the status and possibilities of mussel farming in Iceland. The letter of appointment to the committee stated the following:

On December 7, 2007, the Minister of Fisheries appointed a committee to examine the status and possibilities of mussel farming in Iceland. The letter of appointment to the committee stated the following:

„The Minister of Fisheries has decided to appoint a committee to examine the situation and possibilities for mussel farming in Iceland with regard to both the biological and operational preconditions of the sector and environmental factors. The committee is intended to submit a report to the Minister and also make proposals for the measures that could be taken by the public sector to strengthen the general growth assumptions of the industry ".

The committee consisted of: Haukur Oddsson engineer, managing director of Borgun hf. (chairman), Ásta Ásmundsdóttir project manager at Matís ohf., Guðrún Þórarinsdóttir specialist at the Marine Research Institute, Jón Páll Baldvinsson from Skelrækt - an association of mussel breeders and Kristinn Hugason department manager, the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture.

This report is now available in English and a copy is available for download here.

Matís and Landsmennt, the educational fund of the Confederation of Icelandic Employers and workers in rural areas, recently signed a letter of intent for increased co-operation between them.

Matís has extensive experience and knowledge that grows every day and the company's goal is to disseminate that knowledge to the industry through seminars and retraining of employees of food companies. In this way, Matís intends to promote increased knowledge building within the business community, which can increase the companies' profitability and employee satisfaction at work.

Landsmennt is an educational fund for the Confederation of Icelandic Employers and workers in rural areas. There are 21 member associations, which are trade unions within the Icelandic Confederation of Trade Unions. Landsmenntar's main tasks are to carry out support projects and development and incentive measures in vocational education. The fund is intended to strengthen the operation of courses and promote innovations in curriculum development, as well as provide individuals, trade unions and companies with direct grants for continuing and re-education.

With the aim of ensuring the supply of professional courses and general retraining of employees, Landsmennt will subsidize courses under the auspices of Matís for general employees of food companies. 

The signatories declare that they intend to increase their co-operation and strive to offer companies and their employees the acquisition of knowledge that suits each individual's needs.

Attached is a photo from the signature.

Aðalbjörg Birna Guttormsdóttir, master's student in environmental science at the University of Iceland will today, at 15:15 in room V-157 in VR2, defend their master's thesis in environmental and resource science. The master's thesis bears the name Life Cycle Assessment on Icelandic cod product based on two different fishing methods.

Aðalbjörg's project is carried out in collaboration with Matís, the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Iceland and the fisheries companies Vísir hf and Fisk Seafood hf. The excerpt from the dissertation states, among other things:

Life cycle analysis (LCA) enables us to get a complete picture of the life cycle of a product or service. In this MS project, 1 kg of lightly salted loose-frozen cod fillets with red and bone caught with bottom trawls on the one hand and on the line on the other are compared. Information was collected from two Icelandic fisheries companies, FISK Seafood, which owned and operated the trawler Hegranes SK and Vísi hf, which owns and operates the liner Kristín ÞH. Data were collected from the processing sites of both companies, FISK Seafood in Sauðárkrókur and Vísir hf in Þingeyri. The product was then transported from processing through transport to Seville in Spain where the product is sold. The main results are that cod caught in bottom trawls have a significantly greater environmental impact within all the environmental factors that were taken into account. The greatest environmental impact is to be found in the fisheries themselves, which is due to the vessels' use of oil. To catch 1 kg of the finished product, the fishing vessel with the bottom trawl burns 1.1 liters of oil while a liner uses 0.36 liters. There is also a significant environmental impact within the cold stores, as the processing takes place mainly due to the refrigerants used there. The transport of the product is also a major factor in the environmental impact, as the product is transported by refrigerated long distances and transported by sea in refrigerated containers to Europe with the associated environmental impact. So-called soot traces were calculated, which indicate greenhouse gas emissions converted into carbon dioxide equivalents. The footprint of 1 kg of cod caught by bottom trawl is 5.14 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent, while the footprint of the same amount of longline cod is 1.58 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Matís and the research company Laxfiskar held a meeting to present the results of a joint study of the amount of mercury in trout from Þingvallavatn. 

The study was based on human nutrition and was carried out to draw a picture of the amount of mercury in Þingvallaurrið, taking into account their size and prehistory. The meeting was held on Wednesday, 27 May 2009, at 14:00 in Sjávarútvegshúsið, Skúlagata 4, on the 1st floor.

The results of the study show that mercury is measurable in Þingvellir trout. Mercury can be very toxic, especially for brain development. The maximum level of mercury in salmonids according to Icelandic and European regulations is 0.5 mg / kg. Foods that exceed the maximum levels set in Icelandic regulations may not be distributed or sold because such foods may be harmful to the health of consumers. The amount of mercury in Þingvallaurrið is in the range of 0.02 - 1.02 mg / kg. The results of the study showed that there is a strong correlation between the length of Þingvellir trout and the amount of mercury. Trout longer than 60 cm are very likely to contain mercury in quantities exceeding the permissible limits. The smaller trout is on average below the permitted limits and is therefore safe to consume. It is recommended that trout that are longer than 60 cm are not used for food but that they are released back into the water as they are important for the growth and development of the trout stock in Þingvallavatn. The results showed that the mercury pollution was found in comparable amounts in trout all over Þingvallavatn. However, evidence was found that mercury pollution may be higher in one area. It is therefore considered desirable to carry out further research to investigate possible regional differences in the concentration of mercury in the vicinity of Þingvallavatn.

Regarding the risk of consumers consuming foods with higher mercury concentrations, it is worth noting that it is especially important that individuals in certain risk groups, such as pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding, avoid such foods.

The study was funded by Orkuveita Reykjavíkur's Environment and Energy Research Fund (UOOR).

Franklín Georgsson, Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir and Hrönn Ólína Jörundsdóttir, Matís and Jóhannes Sturlaugsson, Laxfiskar.

The main problems with the use of marlin in fillets have been related to its stability and other quality factors. With improved marrow properties and stability for injection, it is a more promising option as a raw material in various products leading to its added value.  

This involves both improved utilization of by-products and improved utilization of products. When injecting into fillets, the marlin has become part of a more expensive product and the export value is therefore more compared to the export value of the marlin.

The aim of the project "Membrane blasting" was to develop a new production method for a blending mixture for injection into fish products based on leveling (membrane blasting), but the project is now complete. The process developed is successful in terms of stability, water resistance, appearance and sprayability of the mixture. The effects on micro-organisms varied according to the raw materials and processes used, but they were not noticeable in all cases. If the pressure is sufficient, however, the number of microorganisms can be reduced. The benefits of injecting fish products lie in the increased utilization and quality of injected products that can yield significant benefits at minimal cost. Injected products were more sensitive to freezing than cooling in terms of weight loss after injection. However, the risk with chilled products is always that the shelf life is reduced as microorganisms spread easily around the muscle by injection.  

The benefit of this production method is not only the increased utilization of fish products for injection. The value of the marlin also increases significantly just by becoming part of a more valuable product such as fillets or fillet pieces.

The project was funded by AVS and Tækniþróunarsjóður. Partners were Matís ohf, Síldarvinnslan hf and Iceprotein hf. 

List of project results, as well as reports, articles and manuscripts.
Process for handling marlin for injection into fillets.
Part of Magnea G. Arnþórsdóttir's master's project in Food Science at the University of Iceland.
Zhao Qiancheng's final project at the United Nations Fisheries Academy.

Reports
Zhao Qiancheng. 2009. Effects of salt and protein injection on yield and quality changes during storage of chilled and frozen saithe fillets. A report of final project submitted to the UNU-Fisheries Training Program in partialfulfillment of the requirements for the specialist line: Quality Management of Fish Handling and processing. In preparation

Kristín Anna Þórarinsdóttir, Magnea G. Arnþórsdóttir, Irek Klonowski, Arnljótur Bjarki Bergsson, Sindri Sigurðsson, Sigurjón Arason. 2009 Alignment - increased quality and improved properties of the marrow. Matís report xx-09. In preparation. 

Technical reports
1. Experimental report from pre-experiments: Pre-experiments with leveling of marrow and injection into fillets.
Experimental report in step 1: Development of processes for leveling marrow for injection.
3. Experimental report in activity 2: The effect of fish species and raw material quality on the balancing of marrow.
4. Experimental report in sections 2 (and 3): Experiments with injection of marrow mixtures (I).
5. Experimental report in step 3: Experiments with injection of mortar (II).
6. Experimental report in work step 3: Experiments with injection of marrow mixtures (III).
7. Summary in section 4: Patent patentability process for balancing marrow.

An article was recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Food Chemistry on the antioxidant activity of Icelandic seaweed (Tao Wang, Rósa Jónsdóttir, Guðrún Ólafsdóttir. 2009. Total phenolic compounds, radical scavenging and metal chelation of extracts from Icelandic seaweeds. Food chemistry, 116, 240-248).

These are results from the project Gold in Aegir's fists (Novel antioxidants from Icelandic marine sources) sponsored by the AVS fund.

Algae contain polyphenols that have high bioactivity, including antioxidant activity. Two years ago, many algae species were collected, the total amount of polyphenols was determined, and their antioxidant activity was assessed by several antioxidant assays. The brown algae, seaweed, seaweed, seaweed, seaweed, seaweed and algae were collected, as well as salsa and seaweed, which are red algae, and marijuana, which is green algae. It was found that the highest levels of polyphenols were found in the brown algae, especially in the seaweed, and there was a strong correlation between the levels of polyphenols and the antioxidant activity of the algae. Preliminary evidence also shows that seaweed has an antihypertensive effect (ACE inhibitory activity), but this needs to be examined further.

Based on these results, it was decided to collect more seaweed and saliva and research further. The next article from the project is ready for publication, but it only deals with salts and the isolation of anti-corrosion substances from them.

For further information Rósa Jónsdóttir, rosa.jonsdottir@matis.is

The master's degree defense in food science at the University of Iceland will be held on Tuesday 26 May 2009 at Matís' premises at Skúlagata 4 and starts at 15.00. Guðjón Þorkelsson will present and direct the defense.

Master's student Cyprian Ogombe Odoli from Kenya, a former student at the United Nations Fisheries Academy (UNU), has now completed his project in this field.

Supervisors were: Sigurjón Arason and Emilía Martinsdóttir

The Arctic Tilapia project that has been worked on at Matís is funded by the Technology Development Fund and the goal of the project is to develop products that make tilapia whitefish fish in a closed farm that uses cooling water from a large steam power plant economically in Iceland. Ragnar Jóhannsson division manager at Matís ohf. runs the company Arctic Tilapia together with others and their goal is to grow tilapia fish in Iceland. In order for this to happen, product marketing channels must be in place and secure. It is not possible to compete in frozen fish markets because competition from East Asia is too fierce. A prerequisite for cost-effectiveness is to sell the fish in valuable markets in Europe, such as the market for fresh fillets, but in order to do so, the fillets must be transported by sea and certain associated freshness problems must be solved. The future vision is that low heat from the steam power plants can be used to produce large quantities of fillets for valuable markets. 

Master's graduate student Ofred, JM Mhongole from Tanzania, a former student at the United Nations University of Fisheries (UNU) has now completed his master's project and will defend his dissertation at 14 on Tuesday 26 May at Skúlagata 4.

Guðjón Þorkelsson from Matís will present and manage the defense.

Ofred's Master's student, JM Mhongole from Tanzania, a former student at the United Nations Fisheries University (UNU), has now completed his project in this field.

Supervisor was: Franklin Georgsson

The project “Microbiology and Spoilage Trail in Nile perch ( Lates niloticus) "Lake Victoria, Tanzania" was worked on at the Fisheries Inspectorate's laboratory in Tanzania and at Matís. The project was funded by the United Nations Fisheries University (UNU) and by the National Fish Quality Control Laboratory (NFQCL) -Nyegezi "in Tanzania.

The main objectives of the project were to study the natural microflora of Nile perch and the shelf life of raw fish and processed fish fillets under ideal laboratory conditions and under normal processing conditions in four fish processing companies on Lake Victoria in Tanzania.

Nile perch is a very important commercial fish for the countries that have fishing rights in Lake Victoria and is important for the export income of these countries. The fish is mostly exported in fresh or frozen fillets. Most exports are to EU countries and fresh fillets are exported by air. As limited studies have been performed on the microbial condition and shelf life of Nile perch, the aim of the study was to obtain basic information on the microbiological factors that most affect the shelf life. Specific culture methods were used to investigate which microbial groups had the greatest effect on the spoilage process, in addition to which certain chemical measurements and sensory assessments were used to assess the freshness of the product. The results can then be important in evaluating the success of new processing and transport methods in the production and distribution of Nile perch.

Matís runs courses all over the country for restaurant staff and hotel and tourism operators who handle food.

The purpose of the courses is to prepare restaurant staff for the upcoming tourist season by reviewing the main issues regarding food handling and food safety. The course covers the main pathogens found in food and the food environment and how they can be prevented and multiplied. In addition, the requirements regarding internal control and how internal control can be set up and activated in restaurants and at hotel and tourism providers that handle food.

Further information can be found here (click to see more - pdf file).

Other courses on the agenda at Matís:

General course for employees in fish processing and Internal control in fish processing.

• General course for fish processing workers (click to see more - pdf file).
• Internal control in fish processing (click to see more - pdf file).

Clicked here for further information about these courses and others offered by Matís.

For further information Margeir Gissurarson, margeir.gissurarson@matis.is.