Category: News

The generic pharmaceutical manufacturer Actavis uses service research at Matís. Actavis is one of the 5 largest generic pharmaceutical companies in the world and the collaboration between Matís and Actavis has been very successful.

"Ever since Matís came into being, the company has been conducting microbiological research on raw materials and finished products for us, as well as research on environmental samples. The collaboration is therefore a regular part of Actavis' production and has been successful from the beginning, "says Herborg Hauksdóttir, responsible for the quality assurance department of the pharmaceutical production company Actavis. She says a service agreement with Matís saves the company a costly development of its own research facilities.

Herborg says that updates to microbial measurement methods have always been successful with the help of Matís staff. "We work under the requirements of the pharmaceutical authorities, both in Iceland and in our other market areas, to make microbial measurements and have chosen to utilize both first-class facilities and Matís staff for this project. The measurements are very specialized and Matís has that specialization, "says Herborg.

In addition to microbiological measurements of raw materials and finished products at Actavis, Matís takes care of measurements of environmental samples where, for example, water is monitored, as well as other environmental aspects within the company. "We are subject to very strict requirements for drug production, so we also choose the best research services we have available," says Herborg Hauksdóttir at Actavis.

The project has now been completed at Matís, Hraðfrystihúsið Gunnvöra hf. and 3X Technology ehf. which aims to increase the value of catfish catches by developing a process that increases the utilization and quality of marrow made from by-products such as ridges falling from filleting machines and cuttings falling from cosmetic lines.

The main focus of the project is the development and construction of the following units to be able to produce high quality marrow from ridges. The following units / work components are involved:

Spine cutting machine> Marning washing machine> Marning press> Marning packing machine

Description of the marrow system:  The vertebrae are showered on the inner table in front of the spinal cutting machines. The ridges are arranged in the cutting machines, the columns are cut off and extend from the machine into a conveyor belt that transports them away. The trunks fall under the machine and are transported to the crusher, where they are crushed into crusher and bone and debris. The marlin is transferred to the washing drum where it is rinsed and then transferred to the marlin press where it squeezes the water from the marlin. After the press, the idea is that the marrow will have a standard water content (setting on the front of the press). The marlin is then transported by conveyor belt to the marlin packaging machine, where it dispenses the right amount into specially made marlin boxes.

The ultimate goal of the line is to reach the white marrow and thus increase its value.

The whitening of the marrow is obtained by rinsing it vigorously with water in the washing drum and then "squeezing" the water out again in the marrow press.

The partners of the project are Matís ohf, Hraðfrystihúsið Gunnvör hf and 3X Technology ehf.

A report from the project can be found here.

The project was for one year and was funded by AVS (www.avs.is) the research fund.

For further information, please contact Róbert Hafsteinsson, robert.hafsteinsson@matis.is.

The project "Processing of longline vessels" has now been completed, which aimed to develop and design new technical solutions for the application and handling of fish after fishing on board longliners with the aim of maximizing raw material quality, increasing work efficiency and reducing the cost of the process.

We went on a voyage on board Stefni ÍS 28 to test the refrigerator and the bleeding vessels on board, which are built and manufactured by 3X Technology. The purpose of that trip was to find out which processing method yielded the best results in terms of the quality of the raw material. Different methods (different groups) were tested with bleeding, gutting and cooling of the raw material on board. To assess the quality, the color and release of the fillets were then assessed in the processing of Hraðfrystihús Gunnvarar in Ísafjörður.

The main results of this project indicated that by allowing the fish to bleed in the sea, with a lot of water exchange, after the fish has been gutted and before it goes into cooling, it gives a better color quality to the fillet. When the release of the fillets was examined in the sensory evaluation, there was not a sufficiently significant difference between the groups, ie no single processing method differed in quality in terms of release.

The graph below shows a plot of three temperature sensors for group no. 1. One sensor in each fish. The fish were then arranged in a 440L tank at the bottom of the train, one fish located at the bottom, one in the middle and one at the top. You can also see from the graph how fast the fish cools down to approx. -0.5 ° C in 25 minutes when using the sludge coolers. The fish is then placed in a train where the temperature remains well below zero degrees until processing takes place a few days later.

The partners of the project are Matís ohf, 3X Technology ehf, Vísir hf, Brim hf, Hraðfrystihúsið Gunnvör hf and Samherji hf. AVS Research Fund (www.avs.is) and the Technology Development Fund support this project.

A report was published on the project, but it is closed. A summary of the report can be found here.

For further information, please contact Róbert Hafsteinsson, robert.hafsteinsson@matis.is.

Matís recently took part in International Marine Ingredients Conference which took place in Oslo, Norway. There, Matís received an award for a poster that was shown at the conference.

The poster can be seen here.

Information on more posters, leaflets, brochures and more publications from Matís can be found here.

Recently, an article was published about the Fagur fisk episodes that were shown on RUV with very few good accolades.

The news is published on Ny Nordisk Mat's website and reads as follows:

ICELAND: On Icelandic TV you can now every Sunday at 19.35 on RUV, channel 1, see "Beautiful Fish" - "Fagur Fiskur" in Icelandic - which should inspire to eat Iceland's many fish in just as many ways. The idea started with Matís with a scientific thesis, where Gunnþórunn Einarsdóttir concluded that young people lack both knowledge and encouragement to eat fish. Together with product designer Brynhildur Pálsdóttir and SAGA Film, it has now become a series of TV shows where the fish plays the main role. See website here: www.fagurfiskur.is/.
More on: www.nynordiskmad.org

More about Beautiful fish on Facebook, á www.fagurfiskur.is and by Gunnþórunn Einarsdóttir, Matís employee and founder of Fagur fisk, gunnthorunn.einarsdottir@matis.is.

Brimberg ehf. in Seyðisfjörður is leading a new project, in collaboration with Gullberg, Síldarvinnslan and Matís ohf., which aims to produce fish sauce

Work on the project began in October in Seyðisfjörður with the participation of Matís employees and a Japanese expert from Matís' Japanese partner, the Food Production Research Center on Hokkaido Island in Japan. The Japanese expert showed Icelanders the right handles at the beginning of the processing of the fish sauce. Ómar Bogason at Brimberg is the project manager in the project. The project is funded by the AVS Research Fund and the East Iceland Growth Agreement.

For further information, please contact Arnljótur Bjarki Bergsson, arnljotur.b.bergsson@matis.is.

Do you want to know, by genetic analysis, "whose dogs" are they? Matís performs genetic analyzes on animals, including horses, dogs, fish, etc.

Further information can be found here.

MNÍ Food Day 2010 is now underway and a large number of people have made their way to the Hilton Hotel.

The Icelandic Food and Nutrition Association has awarded prizes for praiseworthy initiatives in the food sector every year since 1993 on MNÍ Food Day.

Right now, Fjöreggið was handed over on MNÍ's Food Day. Ólafur Reykdal, food scientist and employee at Matís, received Fjöreggið 2010 for his participation in research on Icelandic barley for human consumption. He has for years been in charge of research on the nutrient content and properties of barley and has worked on quality requirements as a reference for the use of barley in food production and brewing. This research has supported innovation and entrepreneurship in the cultivation, processing and production of barley products.

Matís sincerely congratulates Ólafur!

The Icelandic Food and Nutrition Association has awarded prizes for praiseworthy initiatives in the food sector every year since 1993 on MNÍ Food Day.

The food is on the human side - Fjöregg MNÍ 2010

Icelandic Food and Nutrition Association (www.mni.is) has awarded an award for a commendable initiative in the food sector annually since 1993 on MNÍ Food Day. The prize is an Icelandic glass artwork that represents Fjöreggið and the prize is awarded with support from the Confederation of Icelandic Industries.

This time MNÍ received a number of suggestions for worthy prize winners and five of them are nominated for Fjöregginn. It is then up to the jury to select the winner from those nominations. The jury consists of Orri Hauksson, CEO of the Confederation of Icelandic Industries, Erla Gerður Sveinsdóttir, MD at Heilsustofnun NLFÍ and Heilsuborg, Jón Gíslason, CEO of Matvælastofnun and Valentína Björnsdóttir, CEO of Móður náttúr ehf.

At the start of the food day, the winner of Fjöreggið will be announced and Orri Hauksson, chairman of the jury, will present the winner with the prize.

The following are nominated for Fjöregg MNÍ 2010:

Fjörostur
Fjörostur from MS came on the market last year, which is an environmentally friendly innovation and a new option in low-fat dairy products. The production is based on a new technology, multi-stage micro-filtration, which makes it possible to utilize whey that is otherwise produced in cheese-making and produce whey protein concentrate from it. It has the properties to give the product a soft and rounded taste, but Fjörostur contains only 9% fat and is the lowest fat bread cheese on the market today. Fjörosturinn takes its name from Fjörmjólk, which is also a low-fat and high-protein product.

Ólafur Reykdal food scientist
Ólafur Reykdal, food scientist and employee at Matís, is nominated for his participation in research on Icelandic barley for human consumption. He has for years been in charge of research on the nutrient content and properties of barley and has worked on quality requirements as a reference for the use of barley in food production and brewing. This research has supported innovation and entrepreneurship in the cultivation, processing and production of barley products. 

Saffron restaurants
The restaurant SAFFRAN opened last year in two places in the capital area. SAFFRAN offers healthy, fresh and exotic food at low prices. Most Icelandic ingredients are used in the cooking and all bread is baked on site. SAFFRAN is an interesting new option in the restaurant and fast food market, which has reached young people and enjoyed popularity since opening.

Lýsi hf.
Fish oil has a long history in the production of liver oil. The company has grown and prospered in recent years on the basis of product and market development and their recent factory is one of the most perfect in the world. Lýsi produces many types of fish oil products, food supplements and nutrients, for demanding customers both domestically and abroad. Fish oil is the largest single manufacturer and seller of dietary supplements in the domestic market.

Matvælaskólinn at Sýn
In recent years, Rannsóknaþjónustan Sýn ehf has developed courses for employees in food companies and canteens. The food school at Sýn has had quality management, quality control and food safety in the forefront, and at the same time emphasis is placed on holding courses to increase variety and healthy meals. Matvælaskólinn has, in collaboration with stakeholders in the business sector, developed new study paths for employees in the food industry and adapted courses to the needs of companies.

On the 19th and 20th of October. A workshop was held in Iceland on fishing, processing, marketing and other issues related to longline fish.

The meeting was held on behalf of Matís, Nofima, the University of Tromsø and Havstovan in the Faroe Islands, and a total of 70 people from seven countries participated in the workshop. The topics were divided into four categories where 4-5 parties gave presentations and after that there was a general discussion among the participants. Topics included quality, traceability, marketing, consumers, the environment, technological solutions, fishing gear research, ship design, raw material handling, fisheries management, etc.

Discussions of the participants revealed that members of the value chain of longline fish in Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Norway have much in common and there is clearly a basis for co-operation between the nations in terms of research and development. In general, the parties agreed that the main advantage of longline fishing was that it provided the possibility of much better product quality than when other fishing gear is used. It was also considered important to emphasize that the environmental impact of longline fishing is much smaller than when fishing with bottom trawls, for example, and therefore the line is often referred to as LIFE-gear (Low Impact Fuel Efficient).

The Icelandic participants drew some attention to the amount of work Norway has put into research and development in the field of fishing gear research and ship design. In fact, the Norwegian line fleet can be divided into two separate categories, i.e. the ocean fleet and the coastal fishing fleet. There are about 50 freezer vessels in the ocean fleet, all of which are technically very perfect, for example some of them pull the line up through a hull that is either located on the side or in the middle of the vessel. These vessels can therefore be in almost any weather and the loss of hooks is much less than when towed in the traditional way. The newest ship in this category is now being delivered, but it is Geir II and it costs around ISK 3.6 billion. The Norwegian coastal fishing fleet, on the other hand, is much more primitive and there is often a great lack of proper raw material handling. One of the main problems with this is that there are minimum prices in force, which means that almost the same price is paid for all fish, no matter what their quality is. It also creates problems that most of the catch of this fishing group is obtained in a relatively limited period. 

In cases where Icelanders take good care of raw material treatment, they are ahead of the Norwegians in these matters. The same applies to the use of any kind of information in all links in the value chain. At the working meeting, the fishing company Eskøy (which is owned by Icelandic parties) came up for discussion, but the company has two boats for longline fishing in Norway. It is considered a success and the company is looked at in terms of raw material quality. 

Like Iceland, the Faroe Islands place great emphasis on the quality of longline fish. There was some discussion about the difference between their fisheries management system and the Icelandic and Norwegian systems. It seems to be the general opinion of the Faroese that their offensive day system is in fact much more environmentally friendly than a quota system.

At the end of this workshop, the participants are aware that Icelanders, Faroese and Norwegians can learn a lot from each other, and it is hoped that following the workshop it will be possible to establish further co-operation in the field of research and development concerning the longline value chain.

The keynote speakers 'speeches are now available on Matís' website:Tuesday 19 October

08:30 - 11:15

Why a workshop on longlining?
Edgar Henriksen, Nofima Market, Norway

The UK seafood market: where does longline-caught fish fit in?
Philip MacMullen, Seafish, UK

What is so good about longline-caught fish?
Terje Kjølsøy, Ålesundfisk AS, Norway

Documentation of quality and environment issues - is that useful?
Kine Mari Karlsen, Nofima Market, Norway

From Seafloor to Consumer- a value chain project for longline fishing.
Bjørn Tore Rotabakk, Nofima Mat, Norway

12:00 - 16:00
What do we need to know to design the next generation longline vessels?
Lasse Rindahl, SINTEF, Norway

Development of new hauling systems.
Roger Larsen, BFE, University of Tromsø, Norway

Challenges in further development of autoline.
Christian H. Engh, Mustad Longline, Norway

Challenges in designing systems for fish handling preserving quality and value through the value chain.
Sveinn Margeirsson, Matís, Iceland

How can IT improve the fleets over all efficiency?
Kolbeinn Gunnarsson, Trackwell, Iceland

Wednesday 20 October
08:30 - 11:00  

Is there a potential for improved earnings in the longline fleet and the value chain by marketing the qualities of longline-caught fish?
Svavar Þór Guðmundsson, Sæmark Seafoods Ltd., Iceland

Optimizing profitability in the longline fleet. Which are the important parameters?
Erla Ósk Pétursdóttir, Vísir hf, Iceland

Longline-caught fish in the Faroese fishing industry.
Páll Gregersen, P / F PRG Export, Faroe Islands

Challenges in developing a longline fishery in Greenland.
Alfred ER Jacobsen, KNAPG, Greenland

12:00 - 14:00
Strength and weaknesses in the Faroese fishing day's system in relation to boat owner's economy.
Johannus M. Olsen, the Faroese longliners organization

Management regimes for fisheries with respect to efficiency and responsible fishing.
Dominic Rihan, Ireland, ICES-FAO Working Group on Fisheries Technology and Fish Behavior.

How do regulations in general and parameter regulations especially affect longlining?
Svein Løkkeborg, Institute of Marine Research, Norway

What are the effects of stimulating longline fisheries with special reference to regional development?
Jahn Petter Johnsen, BFE, University of Tromsø

Further information about the workshop can be obtained from jonas.r.vidarsson@matis.is