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Reports

Holding of Sea Urchins and Scallops in a RAS Transport System

Published:

23/12/2019

Authors:

Guðmundur Stefánsson, Aðalheiður Ólafsdóttir

Supported by:

EIT Food

Contact

Guðmundur Stefánsson

Director of Research Groups

gudmundur.stefansson@matis.is

Holding of Sea Urchins and Scallops in a RAS Transport System

Trials were carried out at Matís on holding live sea urchins and scallops in a RAS system developed by Technion, Israel, which not only recirculates the water, but additionally controls the pH and removes toxic ammonia. The aim of the trials was to test the feasibility of holding sea urchins and scallops alive in the RAS system for 10 days at 4 ° C, with at least 90% survival. The project was funded by EIT food, and the participants were Technion and Matís. 

The survival of sea urchins held in the RAS system at 4 ° C was high during the first five days. Eight days from catch the survival was only 80%, after 12 days about 50% and after 15 days, 10%. Sea urchins, packed in the standard way of transporting live urchins (in polystyrene boxes at 4 ° C) were at similar quality as the RAS stored sea urchins, five days from catch and the roe was still edible at eight days from catch. All the urchins in the polystyrene boxes were dead after 12 days storage and the roe inedible.

Scallops had a high survival when held in the RAS system or about 89% after 24-days at 4 ° C.  

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Reports

Trendy fish with Nordic Flavors, Workshop in Ålesund, Norway 29-30 October 2019

Published:

20/12/2019

Authors:

Kolbrún Sveinsdóttir, Aðalheiður Ólafsdóttir, Ingebrigt Bjørkevoll, Wenche Emblem Larssen

Supported by:

AG Fisk 185-2019

Contact

Kolbrún Sveinsdóttir

Project Manager

kolbrun.sveinsdottir@matis.is

Trendy fish with Nordic Flavors, Workshop in Ålesund, Norway 29-30 October 2019

Salt-curing of cod is an ancient storage method. Today, salt-curing is not merely a storage method, but a method of producing high quality products of specific characteristics. To promote a product as salt-cured fish, with long tradition, history and strong connection to Nordic livelihoods, it is important to motivate the whole chain, from producers, to retailers, to chefs, to schools and the consumers.

AG-Fisk (Arbejdsgruppen for Fiskerisamarbedet) under the auspices of the Nordic Council of Ministers has provided funding for a project with the aim of increasing the knowledge of seafood, such as salt-cured cod, thus contributing to increased respect and thus increased value. The project is led by Matís and one of the project tasks was to organize a workshop in Norway in collaboration with Møreforsking and Klippfiskakademiet in Ålesund. The workshop was co-financed by The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries in Norway. The workshop was held on 29th and 30th of October 2019 and the focus was salted and dried cod. Culinary students together with chefs from Norway, Faroe Islands and Iceland, aimed to develop new trendy dishes with emphasis on Nordic raw materials combined with salted and dried cod. During the workshop, Nordic traditions and history were presented, the different salt fish products and their different sensory properties. The participants tasted different cod products (thawed, lightly salted, desalted salt-cured cod and desalted clip fish) with the aim of analyzing the different sensory properties of these products. The results clearly demonstrated the unique sensory properties of salt-cured and clip fish products.

Nordic chefs gave talks of their experiences, thoughts, visions and ideas for Nordic raw materials, to set the scene for the work ahead. Group work was focused on analyzing opportunities and barriers, todays status and ideas to increase consumption of traditional products, product ideas to make salt-cured and clip fish more known and attractive in home markets. One of the main targets was to increase the consumption among young people by inspiring them to create new, trendy recipes and dishes that they would like. Based on this, innovative dishes were made and evaluated during the workshop. The variety in the dishes, clearly demonstrated the enormous potentials of this traditional raw material, to be used in delicious trendy innovative dishes, from simple and easily prepared to challenging and ambitious.

The group discussions showed that traditions were considered a strength but a lack of ready to cook and ready to eat meals as well as changes in consumption habits were considered a threat. This kind of information is important when setting the scene for the future of salt-cured fish, both in home markets and export markets. The Norwegian participants were familiar with salt-cured fish and clip fish and it was not uncommon to prepare such dishes at home, and some variety was available in the supermarkets. However, to increase product variety and increased consumption of traditional Nordic foods such as salted fish, it is important to work with kids, both at home and at schools. It is of great importance to educate them about Nordic food and involve them in food preparation, both at home and in school. The emphasis on sustainability, health and positive climate impact, as well as adapting food trends from all over the world, can be used to inspire new innovative dishes made from traditional raw materials such as salted fish.

Emphasis must be placed on increasing knowledge among chefs, as well as consumers, of the different products made of salted fish, such as lightly salted cod, fully salt-cured and clip fish, as the characteristics of these products are very different. How consumers, and not least young consumers, are to be educated and motivated to consume such dishes needs thorough consideration. Newer means of communication deserve attention, with focus on how the young people seek, find and receive information.

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Reports

Holding of Arctic char in a RAS transport system

Published:

16/12/2019

Authors:

Guðmundur Stefánsson, Aðalheiður Ólafsdóttir

Supported by:

EIT Food

Contact

Guðmundur Stefánsson

Director of Research Groups

gudmundur.stefansson@matis.is

Holding of Arctic char in a RAS transport system

In September 2019 two live holding trials with Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) were carried out at Matís where the fish was kept for up to eight days in a RAS holding and transport system developed by Technion, Israel Institute of Technology. The RAS system, which recirculated the water, controlled the pH and removed accumulated ammonia, was set up in a 40 feet reefer tank to control the temperature at 4 ° C. The project was funded by EIT food and the participants were Technion and Matís.

The results show that Arctic char could be held at a density of 80 kg / m3 at 4 ° C for 8 days in the RAS system, without adverse effects on mortality. Moreover, no differences were found in the sensory quality (flavor, odor, appearance and texture) of the stored fish compared to fish before it was placed in the RAS system. The stored fish had however more gaping, higher cooking yield and marginally lighter color than fish before placing in the system. 

However, a bio-load of 135-145 kg / m3 Arctic char in the RAS storage and holding system led to a high mortality. Moreover, on slaughter the surviving fish had adverse sensory quality as indicated by loss of characteristic flavor and odor as well as firmer, drier and tougher texture. The fish had a high incidence of gaping, a high cooking yield and showed evidence of deformation on cooking.

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Handbook on the effect of herring

Contact

Guðmundur Stefánsson

Director of Research Groups

gudmundur.stefansson@matis.is

For many decades, the herring industry was one of the most important industries in the Icelandic nation, and entire communities relied on herring every year. Although there was more talk about catches, huge investments, slack, bankruptcy, collapse and the impact of herring on human life, rather than know-how and product quality, it was the knowledge that made the difference in prices and markets.

In the beginning, the knowledge came from outside, but gradually it became a work skill that made Icelandic processed herring sought after and valuable. Manufacturers and retailers took good care of the knowledge and made sure that it did not fall into the hands of foreign competitors, thereby damaging the competitive position of Icelandic producers.

Manufacturers had harmonized production instructions and unreservedly supported research at the Fisheries Research Institute, while at the same time pursuing strong product development and various experimental activities. The knowledge and skills are then reflected in detailed production instructions issued by SÚN (Herring Industry Committee) and distributed to producers all over the country.

Dr. Jónas Bjarnason, a chemical engineer who worked at the Fisheries Research Institute, worked diligently to disseminate knowledge to producers of Icelandic seafood. He was responsible, for example, for publishing manuals on the effects of salted fish and catfish, as well as various publications on important aspects of the production of seafood.

Around 1990, Dr. Jónas mostly finished writing a handbook on the effect of herring, but it was not considered in the interests of the whole to publish all this detailed information that Jónas had compiled, and therefore the material appeared in IFL's archive system.

This handbook that is published here is for the most part based on Jónas' material and it must be admitted that it was easier to embark on this work with all this material at hand, systematically set up and full of pictures with captions.

There have been enormous changes in the product composition of the herring since Jónas wrote his handbook, but then about 2/3 of the exported herring products were salted herring, but in recent years herring is processed at about 1% of the total amount. The knowledge presented here is perhaps still valuable as a result, as it is important to maintain the knowledge, even though it may be of use to fewer parties than was initially intended.

The manual can be accessed here.

Reports

Consumer survey on salted fish

Published:

30/08/2019

Authors:

Aðalheiður Ólafsdóttir, Kolbrún Sveinsdóttir

Supported by:

AG Fisk, AVS Research Fund

Contact

Aðalheiður Ólafsdóttir

Sensory evaluation manager

adalheiduro@matis.is

Consumer survey on salted fish

There is a long tradition for processing salted fish in this country, but before that the salt was used primarily to extend the shelf life of the fish. Today, salted fish is considered a gourmet product that is very popular in many parts of the world, not least in Southern Europe, where the traditions and quality of Icelandic salted fish play a major role. Matís ran workshops with salted fish producers and chefs in April and May 2019. Their goal was, among other things, to assess the position of salted fish in the domestic market. It was stated that information was needed on Icelanders' views on salted fish in order to better assess the opportunities in Iceland. Based on the results of the workshops, an online survey was conducted with the aim of researching the image of salted fish products in the minds of Icelanders, general knowledge of salted fish and its history, and the experience of salted fish. The consumption frequency of salted fish, lightly salted fish and night-salted fish was also examined, as well as attitudes towards salted fish compared to lightly salted and night-salted fish. The survey was conducted in May 2019 and was published by 17,000 Facebook users, 18 years and older. A total of 505 people completed the survey.

There was a big difference in the participants' answers according to age. The results show that consumption of both fish and salted fish decreases with decreasing age. Only about 29% participants aged 18-29 eat salted fish once a year or more often than the corresponding proportion for the oldest group, 60-70 years, is about 94%. The main reason why participants do not eat salted fish is that they do not like it. Other reasons are that it is too salty, lack of supply, that there is little tradition for salted fish, and that fresh fish is preferred. In general, attitudes towards salted fish were quite positive and the experience of those who have bought salted fish in a restaurant, fish shop and grocery store was good. However, younger participants are generally more negative about salted fish and more likely to find the taste of salted fish bad than older ones. Knowledge and interest in salted fish also decreases with decreasing age, and the same applies to the purchase frequency of salted fish, lightly salted fish and night-salted fish. The results indicate that the taste of salted fish varies according to age. Older participants are more likely to want salted fish well salted and find it less salty than younger ones.

Saltfish has been intertwined with Icelandic history and food culture for centuries. The results of this survey, however, show declining knowledge, interest and consumption of salted fish in younger age groups. This development can be explained by an increased selection of foods, changed tastes, attitudes and habits. It is likely that the image of salted fish as a quality product will be affected and that great changes are taking place in the consumption of salted fish among Icelanders. In order to promote the consumption of salted fish, it needs to be better promoted and made more visible, not least among younger age groups, whether in canteens, supermarkets, fishmongers or restaurants.

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Reports

Increased quality and stability of frozen herring products

Published:

30/08/2019

Authors:

Magnea Karlsdóttir, Huong Thi Thu Dang, María Guðjónsdóttir, Ásbjörn Jónsson, Sigurjón Arason

Supported by:

AVS R&D Fund

Contact

Sigurjón Arason

Chief Engineer

sigurjon.arason@matis.is

Increased quality and stability of frozen herring products

Freezing and frozen storage has proven to be an effective method to preserve and prolong the storage life of seafood products. Production of frozen products provides all year around product availability although the catching is seasonal. There are several factors that can affect the quality and stability of frozen fish products, including the state of the raw material, processing methods and storage conditions.

The aim of the study was to explore how the physicochemical properties of frozen herring fillets are affected regarding the state of the raw material during processing as well as storage conditions. Atlantic herring was processed and frozen pre- and post-rigor and stored at stable (-25 ° C) and abused storage conditions. To investigate the storage stability and physical properties of the fillets, thawing drip, cooking yield and color were evaluated, as well as proximate composition, fatty acid composition, pH and lipid degradation of the light and the dark muscle.

The study demonstrated the importance of stable and controlled temperature during storage and transportation of frozen herring products. Processing and freezing pre-rigor, in combination with stable storage conditions, was shown to be beneficial in terms of preventing lipid oxidation, as well as reducing thawing loss and maintaining the cooking yield of the herring fillets.

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Reports

Temperature changes during processing, transportation and storage of frozen herring products

Published:

30/08/2019

Authors:

Magnea Karlsdóttir, Finnur Jónasson, Ásbjörn Jónsson, Sigurjón Arason

Supported by:

AVS R&D Fund

Contact

Sigurjón Arason

Chief Engineer

sigurjon.arason@matis.is

Temperature changes during processing, transportation and storage of frozen herring products

The main objective of the project was to maximize the qualiry and value of herring products. Quality and stability of frocen herring products seasonally and impact of pre-cooling, freezing and storage condition were explored. The results will not only lead to a less decrease in quality due to storage and transportation, but also increase understanding on connection between product defect and their influence on the raw material from catch to market.

The results showed thar frozen herring products did not get enough cooling through the process, from production to export, and in some cases the variation was too much. The freezing planti n Iceland was good, and all the pallets were kept at right temperature. The problem is, when they were taken out of the freezing storage in Iceland, the cooling was not sufficient, which was necessary to maintain low temperature. It is difficult to prevent heat stress when exporting frozen product.

The results of the project indicated that the temprature in freezing trawls was stable during the sailing. Also the results indicated that it is a need for improvements in the freezing plant in Poland, where the temperature in freezing storage is higher compared to Iceland. Transportation in containers was much better than in freezing trawlers, but much more expensive.

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Reports

Chemical composition of silver - Seasonal fluctuations

Published:

26/08/2019

Authors:

Þóra Valsdóttir, Karl Gunnarsson

Supported by:

Fisheries Project Fund, AVS

Contact

Þóra Valsdóttir

Project Manager

thora.valsdottir@matis.is

Chemical composition of silver - Seasonal fluctuations

The aim of the study was to examine the amount of nutrients, minerals and trace elements in oats by season to assess when it is best to harvest them from a nutritional point of view. Samples were taken at two locations, Tjaldanes by Saurbær in Dalasýsla and Herdísarvík by Selvogur in Reykjanes in the period from October 2011 to April 2013.

Seasonal fluctuations were detected in the content of nutrients in silver in both Herdísarvík and Tjaldanes and then followed the same process. In early spring, fiber, protein, fat, ash and water levels peaked. Measurements also indicated seasonal fluctuations in some of the minerals and trace elements measured; potassium, phosphorus, iodine, selenium, cadmium and lead. Heavy metals were within the limit limits with the exception of cadmium in winter.

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Reports

The effect of mortality on fish quality ll

Published:

15/08/2019

Authors:

Gunnar Þórðarson, Sigurjón Arason

Supported by:

AVS Fisheries Research Fund (R 17 019-17)

Contact

Gunnar Þórðarson

Regional Manager

gunnar.thordarson@matis.is

The effect of mortality on fish quality ll

The purpose of the study was, on the one hand, to investigate the effect of supercooling on the death-hardening process of cod and salmon fillets and to compare with conventional cooling; and, on the other hand, to examine whether filleting at different times in the death solidification process (before mortality, in mortality and after the process ends) had a product quality. For salmon, a preliminary experiment was performed on which the main experiment was based, while in cod an experiment was performed on wild cod and farmed fish.

Supercooling of cod is based on cooling down to -0.8 ° C and salmon at -1.2 ° C, while conventional cooling is based on 0 ° C for both species. Differences between groups were examined and also differences within groups were compared. Small differences within groups indicate a more accurate and credible conclusion.

The results of a survey carried out by a sensory evaluation team show that the effect of supercooling is considerable as there is less contraction in the death solidification process, and the effect on quality is therefore smaller. There is a difference between wild cod and farmed cod, as it is known that the water content between cells is less in farmed development than wild. It might be interesting to look at the difference between farmed salmon and wild salmon, but that was outside the scope of this study.

It can be concluded that with supercooling it would be possible to process salmon for freezing to death without degrading quality, which could be important in the marketing of fresh products in the future, as the salmon could be processed immediately at slaughter and thus increase shelf life in foreign markets.

One of the aims of the project was to prepare promotional material on the death solidification process and its impact on the quality of products for salmon and cod producers in Iceland, which could benefit them in the future in tackling new challenges in the production of high-quality products.

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Smoked lamb

Contact

Óli Þór Hilmarsson

Project Manager

oli.th.hilmarsson@matis.is

Professional Guide

Guidelines on good practice and internal control in the production of ham by small producers. 

According to Art. food legislation to encourage food producer professions, such as industry associations, shop and restaurant associations and fish processing associations to provide guidance on good practice, internal control of GÁMES, which is “Risk factor analysis and important control positions”. In English it is called HACCP which stands for "Hazard analysis and critical control points". The aim is for disciplines to define a standard that the industry wants companies to meet and to make it easier for companies to set up and implement internal controls based on GÁMES. Matvælastofnun should review such guidelines to verify that they meet the requirements. The implementation of official supervision is based on the guidelines of the companies that have built up their GÁMES system. However, a company that uses such guidelines must always be aware that there may be aspects of the company's operations that do not comply with the guidelines, and therefore they must always be adapted on a case-by-case basis.

Professional guidelines, as presented here, are guidelines on good practice, internal control and GÁMES for the production of ham in small meat processing plants.

The professional guidelines state how dangers can be prevented and what procedures are most suitable for salting and smoking ham in the traditional way. The guidelines are intended to help the manufacturer achieve the goals of healthy foods.

The work is carried out by Matís, in collaboration with the National Association of Sheep Farmers, the association Beint frá býli and the Food Administration, which has approved these professional guidelines.

The manual can be accessed here:

Hangikjöt - professional instructions (PDF)

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