Category: News

Tomorrow, Friday 27 August, Matís employee and master's student at the University of Iceland, Ásta Heiðrún E. Pétursdóttir, will give a lecture on arsenic in fishmeal.

The lecture is entitled: Determination of toxic and non-toxic arsenic species in fish meal.

The lecture will take place in room 158 in the VR-II building on Friday 27 August at 12.30.

Abstract
There is a lot of arsenic in the ecosystem in organic compounds as well as in inorganic form and more than 50 natural chemical forms of arsenic have been found. Seafood naturally contains a high concentration of the total arsenic. The majority of arsenic in seafood, on the other hand, is bound in an organic form, so-called arsenobetanide, which is considered safe. Other forms of arsenic in marine products are generally present in lower concentrations, including inorganic arsenic (arsenite and arsenate) which are toxic. This dissertation includes results and statistical processing of measurements of total concentration in over 100 samples of Icelandic fishmeal. Among other things, it was examined whether there was a seasonal difference in the total concentration of arsenic. Emphasis was then placed on the analysis of toxic inorganic arsenic and different methods were tested and evaluated. The previously published alkali-alcohol extraction method, for the detection of inorganic arsenic, was adapted and the samples were measured by HPLC equipment connected to ICP-MS. Arsenobetanide was found to be the predominant form of arsenic in all cases. Inorganic arsenic was found to be less than four percent of the total concentration in twelve different fishmeal samples. The alkali-alcohol extraction method gave a convincing upper limit on the concentration of inorganic arsenic. The need for further development of chemical analysis methods in this field is urgent.

For further information contact Ásta, asta.h.petursdottir@matis.is.

Since early this morning, some of the key executives of the Whole Foods Market retail chain have been visiting Matís and getting acquainted with the company's busy operations.

Whole Foods Market (www.wholefoodsmarket.com/) is a large US retail chain that began operations in the state of Texas in 1980. The retail chain has operations in over 270 stores in the United States and in England and is best known for selling food that has been as little involved in production as possible. For example, the retail chain's selection of organically grown foods is among the best known in the world. The company has also placed great emphasis on knowing where food comes from and has been particularly interested in the origin labeling and traceability of food. Whole Foods Market's visit to Matís was, among other things, precisely for the purpose of getting to know better traceability and origin labeling of food, but Matís has been at the forefront of research in this area.

The visitors were also very interested in Matís' database on contaminants in Icelandic seafood (see here) and how clean our seafood is.

Attached are two photos from the visit; here and here.

Can also be found here a fun video from Whole Foods Market about Icelandic sheep farming.

Next Friday 10 September. is defending his doctoral dissertation at the Faculty of Food and Nutrition, University of Iceland.

Then food scientist Gholam Reza Shaviklo defends his doctoral thesis "Properties and applications of fish proteins in value added convenience foods". (Properties and use of fish proteins in prepared foods).

Properties and use of fish proteins in prepared foods
Next Friday 10 September. is defending his doctoral dissertation at the Faculty of Food and Nutrition, University of Iceland. Gholam Reza Shaviklo, a food scientist, is defending his doctoral dissertation Properties and applications of fish proteins in value added convenience foods. (Properties and use of fish proteins in prepared foods).

Opponents are dr. Javier Borderias from the Institudo del Frio in Madrid, Spain and dr. Kristberg Kristbergsson, professor at the Faculty of Food and Nutrition at the University of Iceland Sjöfn Sigurgísladóttir is a visiting professor at the Faculty of Food and Nutrition at the University of Iceland and the CEO of Matís ohf and dr. Kolbrún Sveinsdóttir specialist at Matís ohf.

Dr. Inga Þórsdóttir, professor and dean of the Faculty of Food and Nutrition, will chair the ceremony, which will take place in the Celebration Hall of the University of Iceland in the Main Building and will begin at 13:00.

Abstract from the study
The aim of the project was to increase the utilization and value of raw materials and the convenience of consumers through the development of prepared foods from fish proteins.

It was investigated how isolated fish proteins can be processed and used as additives in prepared foods. Antifreeze had to be added to wet isolated haddock protein before freezing into blocks to ensure its stability during freezing. Oxidation before and during the processing of isolated proteins from saithe led to extensive development in dried powder so that it could not be used for product development. Drying of saithe washes rinsed and purified from water (surimi) was also studied. It turned out to be possible to produce a powder that was suitable for product development by both freeze-drying and spray-drying. 7% of lyophilized saithe powder could be added to extruded cornmeal. A so-called chop mix with 30% saithe powder was developed. Finally, an attempt was made to add lyophilized saithe powder to Iranian food. There was no difference in taste, appearance and texture of ice cream with 0, 3 or 5% saithe powder after 2 months of storage at -18 ° C. After that, there were changes in taste, smell and texture. Scientific and technical information from the project is important and constructive both for ongoing research on the utilization of fish proteins and for companies that are interested in developing prepared foods and snacks with added fish proteins. This would increase the value of underutilized raw materials and at the same time be one way to increase fish consumption in countries or areas where there are no traditions for cooking fresh or frozen fish.

The doctoral dissertation is based on eight scientific articles, two of which have already been published in an international scientific journal and two others have been approved.

The United Nations University School of Fisheries awarded a scholarship to Gholam Reza Shaviklo. Matís ohf, Iceoprotein hf, Iran Fisheries Research Organization (IFRO) and Iran Fisheries Organization (SHILAT) in Tehran, Iran, SIPA Co., Qazvin, Iran, Iran Fish Processing Research Center (Anzali, Iran), provided its research facilities. The research in the project belonged to the projects Propephealth in SEAFOODplus (project no. FP6-016333-2) funded by the 6th Framework Program of the European Union and Health Products from Fish which is funded by the Technology Development Fund.  

About the doctoral dissertation
Gholam Reza Shaviklo was born on November 11, 1968. He graduated with a first degree from the Faculty of Food and Nutrition at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran in 1992. He studied at JICA in Japan and at the United Nations Fisheries University and defended his master's project at the University of Iceland in 2008. He has 20 years of experience in surveillance, research and development for the fishing industry in Iran and currently works for the Iran Fisheries Organization (SHILAT) in Tehran.

For further information contact Gholam Reza Shaviklo, phone: 698-1118 e-mail: shaviklo@gmail.com or Guðjón Þorkelsson, supervisor, phone: 858-5044, e-mail address: gudjont@hi.is.

Some of Matís' employees will run in the Reykjavík Marathon which will take place tomorrow. Matís has a strong group of runners and Björn Margeirsson is the leader among peers. Björn aims to improve the best time for an Icelander in an entire marathon in this direction.

Every year, Matís donates certain funds to charity and it was decided to use the Reykjavík Marathon this year for that purpose. In addition, it is clear in Matís' personnel policy to promote employee health promotion, so it is ideal to combine the two this time in this annual event. Matís is therefore the name of every employee who runs for a charity (see more at www.hlaupastyrkur.is).

Matís employees who will take part in the race tomorrow are the following:

• Björn Margeirsson runs 42.2 km and estimates almost 2:30 hours. in it
• Sveinn Margeirsson runs 21.1 km and estimates almost 80 minutes in it
• Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir runs 21.1 km and intends to improve her best time
• Steinar B. Aðalbjörnsson runs 10 km and estimates almost 37 minutes in it
• Kolbrún Sveinsdóttir runs 10 km and intends to improve her best time
• Sigríður Sigurðardóttir runs 10 km and intends to improve her best time
• Hörður G. Kristinsson runs 3 km and intends to improve his best time

Matís wishes the runners good luck and encourages everyone to visit the site www.hlaupastyrkur.is and let the good lead.

In recent years, mackerel has been caught in large quantities within Icelandic jurisdiction. Recently, a project was started where knowledge will be gained about variability in the chemical, physical and processing properties of mackerel.

Assessment of variability in mackerel characteristics by season and storage conditions
The aim is to build a knowledge base that will be used to improve the utilization and value of mackerel caught in Icelandic waters.

The warming sea off the coast of Iceland is considered to be the main reason why mackerel is increasingly entering Icelandic jurisdiction. The status of the stock is good and if it is used in the future in a responsible way, it will yield great value. Today, the majority of the catch is used in flour and fish oil processing, but only a small part of the catch is currently used for human consumption. 

Increased knowledge of the condition and processing properties of mackerel according to seasons and fishing areas will be used to establish a more efficient classification of the catch, to improve the handling of the catch and to facilitate decision-making on processing methods. In order to achieve good results in the utilization of mackerel for human consumption on land, it is necessary to apply the correct procedures for fishing, for cooling the catch and for maintaining the storage temperature from fishing until processing begins. An increase in mackerel processing for human consumption will result in increased value compared to flour and fish oil products. 

Participants in the project are Síldarvinnslan hf., Ísfélag Vestmannaeyja hf., HB Grandi hf., Vinnslustöðin hf., Eskja hf., Skinney - Þinganes hf., Samherji hf., Gjögur hf., Loðnuvinnslan hf., Huginn ehf and Matís ohf.

The project is funded by AVS and lasts for 1 year. For further information, please contact Sigurjón Arason, sigurjon.arason@matis.is, and Kristín Anna Þórarinsdóttir, kristin.a.thorarinsdottir@matis.is, Matís ohf.

Sigrún Mjöll Halldórsdóttir, an employee of Matís, was in an interview on Channel 2 recently where she discussed the wholesomeness of whey and the opportunities for companies in the dairy industry to use Icelandic whey for food production and especially for the production of food supplements.

The interview can be accessed here (almost 3/4 into the interview).

Sigrún Mjallar's article on whey can be found here.

For further information, contact Sigrún, sigrun.m.halldorsdottir@matis.is.

Recently, a project was launched that aims to use electricity to heat air for drying fishmeal in an efficient way. In this way, it would be possible to achieve the goal of the fisheries sector to utilize only domestic energy in the production of fishmeal and to significantly reduce the import of oil for land processing.

Most of the Icelandic fishmeal factories were built during the herring years (1950-1965). In those years, energy saving had become an almost unknown concept and oil prices low, compared to what it is today. The fishmeal industry has used fire dryers, air dryers and steam dryers. The use of fire dryers is declining, however, as both air and steam dryers deliver increased quality in the final product as well as being more efficient in operation with regard to environmental pollution, energy consumption and production management.

The plan is to replace equipment that heats air with an indirect air dryer. As it is today, air is heated by burning oil in excess of air and heating the circulating dry air in a heat exchanger. As oil prices have risen in recent years due to exchange rate fluctuations and rising world markets, the preconditions for using oil have changed. Increased environmental awareness has also encouraged the use of renewable energy sources instead of fossil fuels. There is a big difference in energy costs between the electric heater and the fuel heater, so it is believed that considerable financial savings are involved in using electricity for drying instead of black oil.

The electrification of fishmeal factories also provides an opportunity for the Icelandic fisheries sector to take a decisive global lead in climate issues. Thus, the Government's action plan on climate change estimates that the electrification of fishmeal production could save greenhouse gas emissions of 25-50 Gg, according to which the goal must be achieved by 2020.

Participants in the project are Héðinn hf., HB-Grandi hf. and Matís ohf.

The project is funded by AVS and is for 1 year. The project manager is Gunnar Pálsson at Héðinn hf. For further information, please contact Sigurjón Arason at Matís ohf., sigurjon.arason@matis.is.

The idea for the episodes came to Gunnþórunn Einarsdóttir, a food scientist Matís and Brynhildur Pálsdóttir, product designer. The shows are shown on RÚV on Sunday evenings at 19:35, and aim to present to the audience all the incredible possibilities in the wonderful ingredients found in the sea around the country.

Gunnþórunn's master's project in food science at the University of Iceland dealt with the state of fish consumption among young people in Iceland. The results of the project showed that there was a great need to strengthen both people's knowledge and consumption of seafood.

From this project, the idea arose to make a TV show where the seafood of the country was in the lead role. Gunnþórunn and Brynhildur got Svein Kjartansson the chef, Áslaug Snorradóttir the photographer and Sagafilm in a team to make the idea a reality. The idea was further developed and implemented by Áslaug, Sveinn and Hrafnhildur Gunnarsdóttir, directors at Sagafilm.

The production of the episodes was supported by AVS research fund in the fisheries sector.

You can access recipes, information and watch the episodes on the website www.fagurfiskur.is, you can also check out the show's Facebook page.

The Association of Fish Processing Plants and Matís ohf. convene a working meeting on 17 September, where a salt fish producer interest group will be formally established. The main purpose of the meeting is to discuss the state of the industry and future emphases in the development and cooperation of salted fish producers.

Icelandic salted fish products have been in demand and prominent in foreign markets. It is important that Icelandic producers strengthen their position through strong co-operation on common interests.

In light of this, the Association of Fish Processing Plants and Matís ohf. to a working meeting in September 2010, where a salt fish producer interest group will be formally established. The main purpose of the meeting is to discuss the state of the industry and future emphases in the development and cooperation of salted fish producers.

Extensive developments have taken place in salted fish processing in recent years. Saltfish processing has evolved from being a position salting where poorer raw materials were used to produce products, to being a multifaceted process where different salting techniques are used to achieve the desired utilization and the highest possible quality. Requirements for raw material quality have also changed completely. These factors, as well as changes in storage conditions and transport processes, have given Icelandic producers a dominant position in the markets that offer the highest prices. Appearance, including tint, is a significant factor in product pricing as well as size classification.   

Salted fish processing is a long production process where product defects often do not appear until the processing time has elapsed. Examples are yellowing, which has often been associated with excessive copper or iron content in salt or the use of copper in processing equipment and other objects that come into contact with the fish. It is important to react quickly to the increased defect rate caused by jaundice, which can cause great financial damage to Icelandic producers, as buyers demand high damages. The damage associated with the image of Icelandic products is not valued. 

Today, the production and sale of salted fish products is largely in the hands of each and every producer, and at the same time, the dissemination of information and coordination with the production of products has decreased compared to the time when SIF was and was named. Formal co-operation between producers is intended to strengthen the flow of information concerning the common interests of producers. It is to everyone's advantage that Icelandic products are generally known for quality and trust between producers and buyers is further strengthened.  

All producers who have a processing license for salted fish processing have been sent a meeting invitation and a formal registration for the workshop took place last June. It is still possible to register participants and receive further information about the meeting which will be held at Matís ohf in mid-September.  

For further information, please contact Kristín A. Þórarinsdóttir, tel: 422-5081, e-mail: kristin.a.thorarinsdottir@matis.is.

AVS-Verknr .:  R 09065-09
Matís-Verknr .:  200-1963

Matís, Nofima, the University of Tromsø and Havstovan in the Faroe Islands are holding a workshop on longline fishing on 19 and 20 October in Iceland.

The workshop will focus on the value chain of line fish with regard to fishing, processing, marketing, quality and environmental impact. Experts in these fields will give presentations at the meeting, followed by discussions with participants. It is expected that the meeting will bring together those involved in the value chain of longline fish in the Nordic countries and will facilitate co-operation between them in the future.

The workshop will be held at Gullhömrar, Þjóðhildarstígur 12, 113 Reykjavík

Participation is open to all and free of charge.

Agenda of the workshop can be seen here.

All further information is provided by Jónas Rúnar Viðarsson jonas.r.vidarsson@matis.is