Category: News

In order to ensure better quality and more valuable products, care must be taken with procedures and handling of raw materials and problems in the handling, processing and transport of fish products. Cooling from the time the fish is pulled from the sea and at all stages of the value chain is a key factor in maintaining maximum quality for as long as possible.

ChillFish is Matís' new information provider with practical guidelines and discussion on cooling and handling of fish at all levels of the value chain from target to market. The guidelines are presented in a user-friendly way and will hopefully be useful to fishermen, manufacturers and carriers and will also be useful in training and seminars in this field.

The guidelines are based on research carried out within the Chill on refrigeration projects (www.chill-on.com/), Simulating cooling processes (www.matis.is/verkefni//nr/2801) and Kælibótar which were funded by AVS, Tækniþróunarsjóður and Rannsóknasjóður Háskóli Íslands and also by regulations from Matvælastofnun. Four doctoral students and three master's students worked on the projects and Matís' staff is the first or second author in 10 scientific disciplines and more are expected. The results of many experiments have also been published as Matís reports and are very easy to access www.kaeligatt.is.

Among other things, Matís' research has shown that sea transport is a realistic possibility for Icelandic fresh fish producers. However, this is based on the fact that the temperature control in containers is as good as it gets. Computerized thermodynamics and hydrology have been used to develop new refurbished foam boxes that can extend both the freshness period and the shelf life of fresh products in air transport chains by two days. Significant developments have taken place in rapid microbiological analysis and it is now possible to diagnose various pathogens and pathogenic microorganisms in a much shorter time than was previously possible, which should be useful in the food industry. This development provides the possibility of using forecasting models developed in the Chill-on project in collaboration with the Wessex Institute of Technology (WIT, UK). Shelf life of fresh cod products can be predicted in the temperature range from -1 ° C to + 11 ° C based on the number of pests and known temperature history. Models were also developed that predict the growth of major pathogenic bacteria under similar conditions.

For further information Emílía Martinsdóttir.

"Our cooperation has mainly consisted of Matís identifying for us a relationship in the spawning stock of sand terns that we have here," says Jóhannes Hermannsson, who manages a company in southern China that specializes in sand tern breeding.

"The results of that will become apparent in the next two years," says Jóhannes.

The company has operated in its current form for three years and is owned by parties in Hong Kong and an Icelander who lives there. The fire is located in China, just north of Hong Kong. "We grow the fish in closed indoor circuits and can produce about 300 tons of sandeel a year. The environmental conditions here are quite far from the natural conditions of the sandeel because it thrives well in temperatures from 12 up to 17 degrees. Sea temperatures here in southern China may drop to 16 degrees when it is coldest in winter and well over 30 degrees in summer. We are therefore raising the fish in an environment that is far from its natural environment. Farming of sand eels in tanks on land is known, for example in Spain, France, South America and elsewhere, but eel is known as a quality raw material in better fish dishes, "says Jóhannes, whose company sells almost all the fish from the fire live to restaurants, hotels. and shops. "Here is the same sign between a fish being alive and looking good and being fresh."

Matís has specialized in technology to analyze relatedness in aquaculture and Jóhannes' company uses this knowledge. "Possibly we could have acquired this knowledge elsewhere, but in a way we have easier access to services at Matís as that company is neither very large nor complex. We can say that in this case both enjoy being Icelanders. We know where we are going and what we can get. It is most important for us to have access to knowledge that is significant within Matís' walls, "says Jóhannes Hermannsson, who expects that in the future samples will be sent regularly from his company in southern China for analysis by Matís.

For further information Ragnar Jóhannsson at Matís.

The first conference on environmental pollution in Iceland will be held in Reykjavík on Friday 25 February 2011.

The aim of the conference is to present the work and results of the main parties working to assess pollution in Iceland. Emphasis will be placed on all monitoring and research participants contributing to the conference.

The conference is divided into two parts. Before noon, emphasis will be placed on monitoring environmental pollution in Icelandic nature. After the lunch, there will be presentations of research on pollution in the air, uterus, soil, humans and animals. The arrangement of the conference is that in each section, several presentations from submitted abstracts will be selected, with an emphasis on monitoring on the one hand and research on the other. These presentations provide an overview of the state of affairs in Iceland today. There will also be a strong emphasis on posters where researchers are given the opportunity to present their projects. Conference guests will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the various monitoring and research projects on these posters and discuss these projects in person with researchers during coffee breaks and poster presentations.

The program can be found here.

The deadline for submitting abstracts was 1 December 2010 environ@matis.is

Registration without promotion is sent to the same email address.

The Planning Committee answers questions
Gunnar Steinn Jónsson Environment Agency, gunnar@ust.is
Hrönn Ólína Jörundsdóttir Matís, hronn.o.jorundsdottir@matis.is
Taru Lehtinen HÍ, tmk2@hi.is

Scientific Committee: Hrund Ólöf Andradóttir UI, Taru Lehtinen UI, Kristín Ólafsdóttir UI, Gunnar Steinn Jónsson UST, Hermann Sveinbjörnsson Ministry of the Environment, Anna Kristín Daníelsdóttir Matís, Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir Matís, Hrönn Jörundsdóttir Matís.

Development of the web application "What's in the food - www.hvaderimatnum.is” is not finished, but due to the wishes of many parties, it is already made available on the web.

You can use the program to view the chemical content of food and make various calculations. These instructions should make it easier for people to use the program.

General items

1. The Java application is required to be on a user's computer.
2. To the left of the screen is a list of foods from the ÍSGEM database in alphabetical order. You can select individual food categories from the list by clicking on the drop-down list above it.
3. The following options appear at the bottom of the screen: (1) Feed. (2) Nutrients. (3) Composition. (4) Recipes. The last two options still have limited functionality: (5) Me and friends. (6) Meals.  
4. The search at the top of the screen is not active.

Need to find the chemical content of food?

1. Click on FOOD at the bottom of the screen. Then on the right side of the screen you will find a table showing the chemical content of food. The content is stated for 100g of edible part of the food. On the other hand, if you add nutrients to a recipe or meal, the results are added to the bottom of the table and apply to the total amount of recipe or meal.
2. Note that you need to use the list on the left to select (click on) the type of food you want to view. The lists on the left and right are together even though they are separated by a line and the blue cross is only in the list on the left.
3. All foods can be sorted by increasing or decreasing the amount of one ingredient. Then click on the box under the name of the topic on the right.
4. If you select NUTRIENTS at the bottom of the screen, you will get a list of nutrients in one food type. Remember to have the correct food choices in the list on the left. It is offered here that the program downloads a picture of the food in question, but this possibility is not advanced. The column to the right lists the desired amount, but keep in mind that this information may be incorrect if you are not defined in the correct group by age and gender.
5. If you select COMPOSITION at the bottom of the screen, you can view a graphical representation of the nutrients. However, do not use the image that shows the energy distribution because the calculations are incorrect.

Need to calculate the amount of nutrients in a recipe?

1. By pressing + in the center field, you create a new recipe. Click on the line for the new recipe to name it.
2. Select the ingredients in the recipe from the list on the left and drag it to the box on the far right.
3. You change the quantity of the raw material by clicking on the appropriate line under QUANTITY. In some cases, the dose can be selected under UNIT.
4. The calculations happen as soon as you add new ingredients and state their quantity. The new recipe is added to the bottom of the list on the left. If you sort the list, the recipes are included. You need to select DIET or NUTRIENT to view the results. You view them as described above. The results are the amount of nutrients in the whole recipe or meal and not 100g as is the case for the foods (ingredients) in the list.
5. You can copy the results to an Excel document. Then choose NUTRITION. Mark all the boxes you want to copy. You can copy with Ctrl-C and insert into an Excel document with Ctrl-V.

Do you need to calculate the amount of nutrients in a meal or meals for one day or several days?

1. While the program is not advanced, the easiest way is to use the RECIPES option to calculate the amount of nutrients in a meal or daily intake.

For further information Ólafur Reykdal.

In Sauðárkrókur, Matís operates a biotechnology center that opened at the end of 2008. It works in close collaboration with the food companies in Skagafjörður on increased value creation and utilization of by-products.

Líftæknismiðja Matís ohf. is located in Sauðárkrókur. Matís' activities at Líftæknismiðjan are multifaceted. First, Matís has set up a specialized laboratory in the field of biotechnology and biochemicals. Secondly, Matís operates a pilot plant in the processing hall of Líftæknismiðjan, where the company Iceprotein ehf. has built up its operations. Finally, Matís' staff at Líftæknismiðjan works with companies in Skagafjörður and NV-landi on various improvement and optimization projects.

With Líftæknismiðjan, research facilities have been created with associated processing facilities where scientists and pioneers in biotechnology can develop their products and processing processes in collaboration with Matís. The Biotechnology Center's laboratory is working on measuring the bioactive properties of biomaterials from Icelandic nature. The biotechnology center is open to all Icelanders, and individuals and companies can have facilities there for a shorter period of time for product production. The workshop will be a kind of hatchery for new start-up companies in biotechnology and important in shortening the process from idea to market. By choosing the location of Líftæknismiðjan, one looks at the local area, which is Skagafjörður's food pantry.

Targeted development of research facilities is taking place at Líftæknismiðja Matís, which is already a participant in extensive multinational collaboration. The biotechnology center is intended to contribute specialized research facilities, development facilities with production licenses and expertise in future collaborative projects. The processing hall of the Biotechnology Center includes facilities for protein isolation and drying. The biotechnology center is intended to work in close collaboration with food companies in the country.

Matís' station manager in Sauðárkrókur is Arnljótur Bjarki Bergsson, Head of Processing, Value Added and Fire.

Matís recently held a course at Fisk Seafood on internal control (HACCP, GÁMES).

HACCP (“haccap”) is an abbreviation of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points has been expelled as Analysis of hazardous factors of important control positions.

The main goal of internal control is to ensure the safety, quality and hygiene of food. Internal control is an essential part of the management system of any food production or distribution company. This systematically simplifies all work processes and prevents accidents that can impair the quality, safety and hygiene of food, whether in the distribution or production process. With an active HACCP monitoring system, the places that are most important for production or distribution are defined, as well as the necessary monitoring and the correct response to deviations are defined. It can be said that an internal control system is a kind of extension of good manufacturing practice (GFH or GMP good manufacturing practice), which is the responsibility of each manufacturer to follow. That is, the system is based on the registration of various measurable variables that occur in the production process (cf. temperature, etc.). Registrations provide information that is then used for career management.

The course was very successful and thanks Matís Fisk Seafood for the interest.

Further information about the course and other courses offered by Matís can be found here and by contacting Margeir Gissurarson.

Recently, a co-operation agreement was renewed and between Matís and the Agricultural University of Iceland (LBHÍ).

For some time now, Matís and LBHÍ have had a good collaboration on projects and research in the field of research, teaching and innovation. The agreement aims to acquire new knowledge about the health, safety and uniqueness of Icelandic agricultural products and disseminate it to the business community and society as a whole. The purpose of the agreement is twofold and relates on the one hand to research, development and innovation of food from agriculture and on the other hand to education and training for buyers.

Further information on the collaboration is provided by Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís and Ágúst Sigurðsson, Rector of LBHÍ.

The project "Small boats - Maximization of catch value" is supported by the AVS research fund in the fishing industry. In addition to the report, the project's working group has published a brochure and leaflets which have been distributed to all small boaters.

It is also proposed that the project be followed up with seminars.

The catch of small boats has the potential to be the best raw material available, as it is hardly possible to think of a fresher fish than the catch of day-trippers fishing on line or hand gear. Improper handling can, however, have the effect that it is not possible to process the catch into the most valuable products. Often, however, relatively small changes in working methods are required to ensure that the catch of small boats is below the mark as a fish of maximum quality.

The authors of the report consider three factors:
Firstly, to increase the knowledge of all parties in the value chain of small boat fish. Last Last year, more than a thousand small boats were fished off Iceland, and it should come as no surprise that their knowledge and working methods vary. In addition to what has already been done with the aforementioned publication of brochures, newspaper articles and presentations at meetings, the authors of the report believe that holding seminars among small boat fishermen and others involved will yield the best results. Courses are suggested in selected places around the country and it is desirable that in addition to Matís, the National Association of Small Boat Owners, Matvælastofnun, Fiskistofa and Reiknistofa fiskmarkaður are involved in this project.

Secondly, we need to look at the technical implementation on board small boats. Lack of space on board can to some extent hinder the best possible catch treatment, but this can be improved. It is important that there are perfect facilities on board for bleeding with continuous flow of clean seawater. Emphasis is placed on cooling and that the hearth is not exposed to unnecessary damage, whether during storage or landing. 

Thirdly, the authors of the report point out the importance of seafarers who have a good finish enjoying good quality in the form of higher prices on the market. In this connection, the importance of temperature measurements during landing, sizing and finishing is pointed out. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure the best possible traceability and disclosure of information with all catches.

These proposals are in accordance with the report of a working group under the auspices of the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture on improved utilization of catfish, which deals specifically with the utilization of icefish catches. 

The full report can be found here.

Brochures and leaflets related to the project:

• The importance of good handling of fish
• Proper catch handling

Further information on the collaboration can be obtained Jónas R. Viðarsson and Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís.

Mussel farming has been practiced at an experimental stage around the country for some time and entrepreneurs have mastered cultivation methods that are suitable for Icelandic conditions and the first companies are starting a development based on that development.

In Europe and Canada, mussel farming is an entrenched food industry and Icelanders benefit from having access to technology that has already been developed for the cultivation and processing of mussels. Conditions in Iceland are not always comparable, however, and development work in Iceland has involved adapting technology to Icelandic conditions.

Mussel farming in Iceland has mostly been based on larval collection, later in the production process the shell has been sized and placed in socks that are placed for further breeding on lines in the sea. The main objectives of the AVS project "Shortening the breeding time of mussels”Was developing and evaluating a breeding method that has not been tested before in Iceland, so-called rotation breeding. This method involves collecting wild smallpox (<35 mm) after it has reached the bottom, sizing it, socking it and growing it on hooks / socks up in the sea. The divisional objectives of the AVS project were to assess stock size and recruitment capacity in experimental small shellfish fishing areas in Hvalfjörður and to absorb cadmium in mussels after transport and in further breeding.

The results of this study revealed that a considerable amount of fishable mussels is present in Hvalfjörður. It is clear, however, that the mainstay of this strain are large shells that are not suitable for further cultivation. This can be improved by greasing the trunk so that space is created for small shells to settle.

Less was found of shells in Breiðafjörður, but it was smaller than the shells in Hvalfjörður and was therefore better suited for exchange breeding. A good result was achieved by continuing to grow this shell in Eyjafjörður and it was possible to harvest it there just over a year later, as it had reached market size. With larval collection, it takes the shell 2-3 years to reach market size, but by collecting wild small shells, it can be made to reach market size in one year. Significant value creation could involve utilizing previously unused stocks and shortening the mussel's breeding season by at least one year. However, the uptake of cadmium in mussels can be a problem after transport and in further cultivation, and it is important to monitor the concentration of cadmium in mussels before entering the market.

Cultivation can also be useful in addition to traditional breeding, especially if traditional larval collection has been lost for some reason. The results of this project can therefore be used for more than shortening the growing season and can play a key role in the development of mussel farming around the country.

For further information Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir.

As in recent years, Matís does not send out traditional Christmas cards, but only cards in electronic form. Instead, Matís sponsors Kraft, a support group for young people who have been diagnosed with cancer and their families.

It is Matís' wish that the grant be put to good use and further support the excellent work that is already being done at Kraft.

Further information can be found on Kraft's website, www.kraftur.org.