Category: News

Various interesting questions are answered regarding the condition of cod and processing properties. A project has just been completed which examined, among other things, carcasses according to season, the effect of carcasses on fillet utilization and whether the condition of the liver could give an indication of carcasses and processing utilization.

The AVS project Let's take a closer look at the yellow from the tickets in the stomach - a study of factors that affect the value of cod catches has just finished. The aim of the project was to gather more detailed information than has previously been done on the chemical composition, processing properties and value of cod in the value chain, based on accurate traceability. The endpoint of the study was frozen cod fillets and therefore the study does not cover the links related to transport, retail, etc. One of the aims was to increase knowledge of the relationship between the fat content of the liver and the liver index on the one hand and the body mass index on the other. In this way, it would be possible to obtain important information about the condition of cod around Iceland.

The condition of fish is assessed in two ways. On the one hand, the body mass index (ratio of weight to length squared) is calculated, and on the other hand, the liver index (ratio of liver to the weight of the fish). If the fish is in good meat, it is an indication that there is plenty of food and its condition is good. When a fish has enough food, it also builds up a reservoir in the liver; the larger the liver, the better the condition of the fish. But the actual condition of the fish is only good if the percentage of fat in the liver is high.

To date, livers have been weighed in MRI stock surveys and the condition of fish has been assessed on the basis of body and liver coefficients. However, it was not known how good this assessment was on the actual condition of the fish as the percentage of fat in the liver was not known in cod off Iceland. The results of the AVS project showed that there was a positive relationship between hepatic index and liver fat content. However, the relationship was not linear, but the fat content increased rapidly at a low liver factor but less as the liver factor increased. Likewise, the fat content of the liver increased with length and age in both hens and females. However, there was no relationship between fish body and liver fat content.

The body mass index therefore only gives information about the body of the fish, not whether it has accumulated long-term nutrition in the liver. The results of this project indicate that the liver index gives good indications of the condition of the cod. With the results of the project, it would be possible to assess the fat content in livers that have been weighed in the MRI's stock measurement expeditions. Although it does not provide accurate fat measurements, it is possible to take the assessment into account when examining the condition of cod.

The results for the processing properties showed that the fat content of the liver, the weight of the fish or the meat coefficient do not give any decisive evidence of fillet utilization. In the future, the relationship between the ratio of fat in the liver to the liver factor should be better studied and whether and how various factors, such as temperature, affect the relationship.

There is good knowledge about the processing properties of cod in terms of season, fishing area, handling and other conditions during fishing. However, the relationship between sex, sexual maturity, food status and age of fish with processing characteristics is not as well known and therefore emphasis was placed on investigating the importance of these variables on cod processing characteristics in this AVS project.

The results show that gender and age do not have a statistically significant effect on fillet utilization and release. On the other hand, puberty seemed to have some effect on fillet utilization, i.e. immature fish have a somewhat better utilization than sexually mature fish. There was also a difference in the release of fillets between individual fishing trips and this difference could be caused to some extent by puberty. It should be noted, however, that there was a considerable imbalance in the database regarding the distribution of sexual maturity in individual fishing trips, and relatively few samples were of mature fish compared to immature fish. It is therefore necessary to carry out a detailed study of puberty in order to reach a decisive conclusion about its connection with fillet utilization and release.

Chemical composition results showed that there was no statistically significant relationship between iron, selenium, lead, or organic matter (PCB7) concentrations and sex, age, or puberty. There was, however, a statistically significant relationship between the concentration of mercury in cod fillets and age / length. It is known that mercury accumulates in the flesh of fish with age and the results of this study are therefore in line with and based on previous results in this field.

The project has involved a very extensive data collection, where many parties have been involved in sampling and measurements at the various stages of cod processing, as well as age analysis and chemical measurements of both fillets and liver. The project has established a collaboration on sampling and sharing of data between the Directorate of Fisheries, the Marine Research Institute, Matís and the fish processing companies HB Grandi and Guðmundur Runólfsson. This collaboration has enabled us to gather more detailed and better data, thus leading to significant synergies and better utilization of research funding. It is already clear that the project will lead to further collaboration in the future.

Project manager's report: A closer look at the yellow from the target in the stomach - a study of factors that affect the value of cod catches

AVS reference number: R 077-07

Friday, October 22 at 12.00 Shuji Yoshikawa gives a lecture on food fermentation in Verin in Sauðárkrókur.

Matís is currently working on the project "Useful fermentation" in collaboration with Brimberg ehf. fish processing in Seyðisfjörður funded by AVS - Fisheries Research Fund (www.avs.is) and the East Iceland Growth Agreement.

The project is about the production of fish sauce by fermenting seafood to increase value. In connection with the project in question, Líftæknismiðja Matís in Sauðárkrókur has hosted a good guest this October, Mr. Shuji Yoshikawa is an expert in food fermentation. Mr. Yoshikawa has guided Matís' experts and other project partners in the implementation of knowledge, which is the basis for progress in this field.

On that occasion, the visitor gets a good light to shine at a seminar in Verin Vísindagörður where the utilization of fermentation in food production will be discussed. Soy sauce, which many Icelanders know, as its consumption in this country has increased in recent years, is produced by fermenting soybeans. The main points in the production of soy sauce will be covered
but before that the role of koji in the fermentation of Japanese foods will be explained.

The seminar is open to everyone. More here.

Information is provided by Gísli Svan Einarsson gisli@veridehf.is S; 455-7930

Verið Vísindagarðar, Háeyri 1, Sauðárkrókur. www.veridehf.is

In recent months, Matís has been working on a project with the aim of improving process management in food.

Efforts have been made to achieve this goal by researching new rapid measurement methods for food quality indicators and designing food processing processes that make use of these methods. In the project, funded by the Rannís Technology Development Fund, the possibilities of near infrared (NIR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and X-ray X-ray metering technology are evaluated to measure the chemical content of food (NIR) and other properties (NMR) and water content. X-ray). 

Conventional measurements to assess these quality factors are often time consuming and require the use of organic or hazardous solvents, but no such materials are involved in measurements using these rapid methods on which the project is based. The methods also all have in common that they do not cause any changes in the quality of food during measurements, which allows them to be used in real time in food processing lines. 

With the advent of these quick methods, production can be better controlled and ………………more

Electronic versions of two articles are now available in the Journal of Food Engineering and Food Chemistry (see links below). 

Both sectors are related to salted fish processing. The first article discusses the effect of different brine concentrations on the weight changes of cod muscles and the uptake of salt during pickling. The second article discusses the effect of different salting methods on protein deformation and how the results can be linked to variability in product utilization.

The articles are the result of doctoral projects that have been done for the most part at Matís, ie. the project of Minh Van Nguyen who is studying at the University of Iceland and the project of Kristín Anna Þórarinsdóttir who has graduated from Lund University Sweden. 

The projects were funded by AVS (R042-05), Rannís (R051364005) and the Nordic Innovation Center Fund (04252). In addition, the United Nations University-Fisheries Training Program has funded Minh Van Nguyen for the program and Kristín Anna Þórarinsdóttir's Nordic Marine Academy (NMA) program.

The main information about the articles, as well as an excerpt, can be found below. The names of the authors who work at Matís are underlined. For further information, please contact Kristín Anna Þórarinsdóttir, Director of Matís (e-mail: kristin.anna.thorarinsdottir (at) matis.is). 

Minh Van Nguyen, Sigurjon Arason, Kristin Anna Thorarinsdottir, Gudjon Thorkelsson, Agusta Gudmundsdottir. 2010. Influence of salt concentration on the salting kinetics of cod loin (Gadus morhua) during brine salting. Journal of Food Engineering, Volume 100, Issue 2, 225-231

Abstract
The influence of different salt concentrations of 6%, 15%, 18% and 24% (w / w) on mass transfer of water and salt during brine salting of cod loins was studied. An increase in salt concentration accelerated water exudation and salt diffusion in the cod loins. Weight gain of the cod loins increased with decreasing salt concentration and the cod loins in the 6% brine had the highest process yield. The salting kinetic parameter values for total and water weight changes decreased with increasing salt concentration. Inversely, higher salting kinetic parameter values for salt weight changes were observed for higher brine concentrations. The samples brined at 18% and 24% had identical effective diffusion coefficients and the highest effective diffusion value was found in the cod loins brined at 15%.

doi: 10.1016 / j.foodchem.2010.09.109 

Kristin Anna Thorarinsdottir, Sigurjon Arason, Sjofn Sigurgisladottir, Thora Valsdottir, Eva Tornberg. 2011. Effects of different pre-salting methods on protein aggregation during heavy salting of cod fillets. Food Chemistry, Volume 124, Issue 1, Pages 7-14.

Abstract
The use of injection and brining as the first step in heavy salting of cod increases weight yields of the products through both salting and rehydration, compared to other pre-salting methods, like brining only and pickling. This is interesting since salt content of the muscle exceeds 20% NaCl, in all procedures. Therefore, the dissimilarities in yield were presumed to depend on the degree of protein denaturation and aggregation as influenced by the different salting procedures. This hypothesis was studied and confirmed with the aid of SDS – PAGE and DSC-analysis. Higher water retention of injected products was explained by stronger salting-in effects on proteins during pre-salting, reducing aggregation of muscle proteins during the dry salting step. The degree of protein aggregation during salting increased in the following order with regard to the different pre-salting methods: injection and brining <brining <pickling. These effects were still observed after rehydration. Furthermore, differences in denaturation / aggregation were assigned to both myosin and collagen.

doi: 10.1016 / j.foodchem.2010.05.095

Matís, together with 3X, recently went on a voyage on board the icefish trawler Stefni ÍS 28, the ship of Hraðfrystihús Gunnvarar in Ísafjörður.

The purpose was to examine the different bleeding and cooling methods on board and find out which one was of the highest quality. The implication of the study was that 3X last summer built a snail basket on board Stefnir with the aim of cooling the product before it boarded a train.

This project is part of a large project called The Processing Process of Line Fishing Vessels.

Further information can be found here but in addition Róbert Hafsteinsson provides, robert.hafsteinsson@matis.is project information.

October is the month of the Pink Ribbon and the awareness campaign against cancer in women. On that occasion, Matís pink wears the employees today. In addition, Matís is a supporter of the Pink Ribbon.

More about the campaign can be found on the Cancer Society's website, www.rabbb.is.

At Matís, there are usually quite a number of employees / students who have a home other than in Iceland. Some work for Matís all year round, while others work for the company for a shorter or longer period of time.

Matís invests heavily in collaboration with foreign parties, both to market Iceland's knowledge in fisheries and agriculture, but also to seek knowledge and capital from abroad to strengthen Icelandic companies. Further information on Matís' international collaboration can be found here.

These days, there are especially many foreign students / employees at Vínlandsleið 12. Matís teaches at the United Nations Fisheries Academy, so there is a lot about the man for lunch. Students and staff come from 16 countries, such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, China, Vietnam and Ghana, to name a few.

The picture shows employees eating lunch at the company's headquarters at Vínlandsleið.

Further information on the United Nations Fisheries Academy can be found here.

This week, several Matís employees will travel to the Westfjords and meet about opportunities that currently exist in the food industry in the area.

Matís runs an office in Ísafjörður. The main emphasis in Matís 'operations in the Westfjords is the development of production processes in collaboration with companies in the area, general technical advice for Matís' customers in the form of design and technical work. Emphasis is also placed on aquaculture, especially cod farming in the sea, and there is also strong research and development work in good cooperation with companies in the area.

There is a great precondition in this area to look at other factors as well and strengthen them even further. Small-scale food production is one factor that can be strengthened. Matís has for some time now operated Matarsmiðja in Höfn in Hornafjörður, where users learn the correct working methods from the beginning. The facility at Matarsmiðjan in Hornafjörður provides a unique opportunity for innovation in small-scale food production. A number of projects have already been launched in Matarsmiðjan and entrepreneurs from Reykjavík, among others, are coming to product development and small-scale production (more about Matarsmiðjan here).

Other factors such as improved utilization of fresh seafood and biochemical processing from raw materials that would not otherwise be utilized, such as cuttings in fish processing. The market for health products with bioactive substances is huge and has a turnover of hundreds of billions a year worldwide, so there is still a long way to go.

The meeting will take place in the meeting hall of the Development Center, Árnagata 2-4 in Ísafjörður, on Tuesday 5 October at 20. The meeting will be chaired by Daníel Jakobsson, Mayor of Ísafjörður.

The meeting is open to everyone and people are encouraged to attend.

The program in pdf format can be found here.

The title of this year's conference will be Is there information on nutrition and supplements in the wild?

With this press release, the preparatory committee for MNÍ Food Day 2010, which will be held on Wednesday 27 October at the Hilton Reykjavík Nordica Hotel, reminds the media and others concerned about MNÍ day and encourages good writing and active news coverage on the important issue that will be discussed.

The consumption habits of the Icelandic nation as a whole are of great importance to all of us with their direct impact on health and various lifestyle-related diseases. The Icelandic Food and Nutrition Association (MNÍ, www.mni.is) wants to contribute by dedicating itself to the company's annual conference, Food Day MNÍ, a discussion on nutrition and dietary supplements. The importance of the correct dissemination of information on nutrition and dietary supplements and their scientific background is the main focus of the day, as incorrect information on nutrition can have a detrimental effect on people's health.

The title of this year's conference will be "Is there information on nutrition and supplements in the wild? "

At the conference, Icelandic experts will discuss in a professional way various facts regarding nutrition and dietary supplements based on evidence-based knowledge. The interpretation of research will be discussed, and why individual research, which even goes against accepted scientific knowledge, often has easier access to the media than other research. It will also discuss how information to the public can be misleading and often lead to misunderstandings that are difficult to reverse. The value of various dietary supplements, herbal remedies and natural substances will be discussed and whether their consumption is in fact healthy, who is most at risk of health damage due to the consumption of dietary supplements and which social groups can benefit from them. There will also be a discussion on the control of food supplements, the strong influence of the media and market forces, and on the relationship between health and health claims.

MNÍ hopes that Food Day will be informative for the general public, healthcare professionals as well as anyone involved in advice on diet, nutrition and health.

Fjöregg MNÍ 
In connection with Food Day, Fjöregg MNÍ is handed over. Fjöreggið is a great asset, awarded for a commendable initiative in the field of food production and human consumption. The grip is designed and built by Gleri in Bergvík and has been donated by the Confederation of Icelandic Industries since 1993.

An innovation will be tried this year that individuals who have done research in the field of nutrition, herbal medicines, natural substances and dietary supplements are invited to present their results on posters. Interested companies in the food, dietary supplements, herbal medicine and natural chemicals sectors are also invited to present their products at a presentation booth during coffee breaks for a small fee.

From the very beginning, MNÍ's Food Day has been well received by parties working on food, education and training, food production and food control. This year we expect to appeal to an even wider group due to the great health awareness and public interest in various health products and supplements. The program starts at 12: 00-17: 30. Here you can see the programs.

REGISTRATION

For further information, contact Fríða Rún Þórðardóttir, 898-8798, frida [at] lsh.is
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The Icelandic Food and Nutrition Association
The Icelandic Food and Nutrition Association is a professional association of food scientists, nutritionists, nutrition consultants and other professions with a university degree in related disciplines. The aim of the association is, among other things, to promote the development of food companies and strengthen co-operation with them, promote increased education and the strengthening of scientific research in the field of food and nutrition, work on reforms in the nation's food and seek to influence legislation. The association's website, www.mni.is, is updated regularly and contains event calendars, news and various information, including articles that members have written in the media and presentations from the association's conferences in recent years. The magazine Matur er mannsins minn is also published with in-depth coverage of food, nutrition and the content of Food Day every year. The magazine has been distributed all over the country with Morgunblaðið and will continue to be so this year.

Topics of the previous MNÍ Food Days
1993 Food Production - Quality  
1994 Food industry and human consumption  
1995 Education for the food industry  
1996 Product development and value creation  
1997 Food in the New Century   
1998 Food and the environment       
1999 Offita   
2000 Safe foods       
2001 Food and politics 2009 Icelandic food production and currency creation
2002 Food Control
2003 Consumer trends
2004 Research
2005 Large kitchen and canteen
2006 Powerful food industry in constant development
2007 Who is responsible for and influences the nation's food choices and nutritional status?
2008 Icelandic food traditions and regional registers

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

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 deadline for submitting abstracts is 1 December 2010 environ@matis.is. A draft agenda can be found here.

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, HÍ
Kristín Ólafsdóttir, UI
Gunnar Steinn Jónsson, Environment Agency (UST)
Hermann Sveinbjörnsson, Ministry for the Environment
Anna Kristín Daníelsdóttir, Matís
Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir, Matís
Hrönn Jörundsdóttir, Matís