Category: News

The Agricultural Research Council will be held on 18-19. February 2010 in the premises of Hotel Saga. As usual, the Conference offers discussion and dissemination of diverse professional material in various seminars, but over the years this forum has developed into the most effective dissemination method for the results of diverse research and development work in agriculture, in addition to which the session discusses various issues related to the industry that are high on the agenda at any given time.

The conference begins with a ceremony in Súlnasal Hotel Saga at 13:00 on Thursday 18 February. Jón Bjarnason, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, will chair the session, followed by Þorsteinn Ingi Sigfússon at the Iceland Innovation Center. Afterwards, Haraldur Benediktsson, chairman of BÍ, will discuss food security and Icelandic agriculture.

After a joint program in Súlnasalur, the session is divided into several seminars where a variety of topics are on the agenda. These include sustainable energy production and innovation in food processing. On Friday, the session continues and starts at 9:00 in the meeting rooms of Hotel Saga. There will also be a discussion on genetics, livestock conditions and ecology. Alongside the lectures is a poster exhibition.

The Agricultural Research Council is held annually by the Icelandic Farmers' Association, Landgræðslan, Veiðimálastofnun, Skógrækt ríkisins, Matvælastofnun, Landbúnaðarháskóli Íslands, Hólaskóli - Hólar University, Hagþjónusta landbúnaðarins and Matís.

The vast majority of papers that will be presented at the Academic Assembly are published in special printed editions that participants in the Assembly can receive and are included in the participation fee. Furthermore, most of the lectures will be available in the Agricultural Research Museum on landbunadur.is. The collection of articles contains a large part of agricultural material that has been published in recent years.

The discussion and agenda of the Academic Assembly can be accessed on the Farmers' Association's website, www.bondi.is

.

Interesting lectures include:
Possibilities and obstacles in the utilization of organic energy resources
- Cultivation of energy plants on farms
- Hot water farming in Iceland
Opportunities for horticulture in food production
- Dried lamb
- The Icelandic cow breed, consumer attitudes and preservation costs
Relationship between Nordic horse breeds
- Ecosystem of heath ponds
- Evolutionary changes at Lake Mývatn
- omfl.

All those interested in professionalism in agriculture and natural sciences, including farmers, are invited to attend the session as long as space allows. You can register for the Conference on the Web www.bondi.is. Conference fee is ISK 10,000 (including meeting materials and coffee / tea) but students get free admission upon presentation of a student ID.

For further information:
Gunnar Guðmundsson, Farmers' Association of Iceland, tel. 563-0333 and 896-1073 or e-mail gg@bondi.is.
Tjörvi Bjarnason, Farmers' Association of Iceland, tel. 563-0332 and 862-3412 or e-mail tjorvi@bondi.is

The AVS project Product development of spicy and mashed silver is now complete. The project was about completing product development on the above product.

Sales have been used in Iceland since the settlement. Sölvatekja was by far the most in the south and west of the country. There was a great deal of trade with the halls from the South, the Faxaflói area and Breiðafjörður. Consumption of silver has continued to this day, but is only a fraction of what it used to be. Salt has undoubtedly had a good effect on the nation's health, along with angelica, mountain grass and red cabbage. The properties of the solvents have been little studied, for example nutritional value or moderate effect.

Íslensk hollusta ehf (formerly Hollusta úr hafinu ehf) has produced and sold sales in recent years both for the domestic market and exported a bit. The company started developing spicy silver in 2006. Reactions to the product have shown that it is a special and very interesting product. Spicy salt was first introduced at the Food 2006 exhibition. Since then, the product has been sold in small quantities to hotels and restaurants. It has also been introduced and sold at trade fairs in Fífunn in 2007 and in outdoor markets in recent years. During the presentations, 80-90% of those who tried it have been very impressed with it.

Íslensk hollusta ehf. got Matís to partner with it to complete product development on the spicy silverware and a grant from AVS for it. Tests were performed on marinating in several common materials, ie. oil, soy sauce, vinegar, whey and brine. Marienering similar to that used by Íslensk hollusta ehf turned out to be the best, but tests showed that the processing process could be significantly improved to the best product in terms of appearance, taste and shelf life. Spicy salts are now an interesting product with a beautiful look and delicious taste. It will be interesting to see how the market responds to this innovation.

Íslensk hollusta ehf. (formerly Hollusta úr hafinu ehf.) was established in 2005. The company produces various Icelandic health products, which are sold on the Icelandic health market, in tourist shops and to domestic and foreign hotels and restaurants. This autumn, the company received recognition from the Industry Association's Award Fund, Kristján Friðriksson's fund in Últíma, for original innovative, Icelandic products.

Further information about the project can be obtained from Eyjólfur Friðgeirsson, hollustaurhafinu@simnet.is and Þóra Valsdóttir, thora.valsdottir@matis.is.

It has been decided to set up an association to hold conferences on important issues in the field of fisheries. The association should not be an interest group of individual groups and should not work to protect interests, but ensure a constructive discussion and encourage good work.

It has been decided to establish Sjávarútvegsráðstefnan ehf. The inaugural meeting of the company will be held on 19 February at 15:30 in Verbúðin - Víkin, Sjóminjasafn in Reykjavík, Grandagarður 8, 101 Reykjavík. All those involved in the fisheries sector are encouraged to become shareholders. The association is not an interest group of individual groups and does not work for advocacy. The company's role is to hold an annual fisheries conference and its purpose is to:

• promote professional and informative coverage of the fisheries sector and
• be a forum for communication between all those involved in the fisheries sector in Iceland.

The idea to the fisheries conference is to create a communication platform for all those involved in the fisheries sector in Iceland. This group includes those involved in fishing, aquaculture, primary processing, advanced processing, sales and marketing, services and research and development, as well as public bodies, teachers and students, the media and other enthusiasts. Today, there are various conferences and meetings within the fishing industry, but then usually related to individual associations, organizations or materials.

Objectives of the Fisheries Conference is to bring together in one place a cross-section of the industry to work for progress and progress. The Fisheries Conference is a forum where people meet, strengthen relationships and co-operate in the industry. The conference discusses important issues in the field of fisheries and hopes that it will be a source of ideas and encouragement for good deeds.

Anyone who is interested in the issues of the fishing industry can take part in the establishment of the company and attend the inaugural meeting. Those who are interested in being shareholders but can not attend, please send an e-mail to Guðbrandur Sigurðsson (gs@nyland.is) or Valdimar Ingi Gunnarsson (valdimar@sjavarutvegur.is)

Fisheries Conference 2010

The first fisheries conference will be held 6-7. September 2010 at the Grand Hotel in Reykjavík. The conference will be hosted on the web www.sjavarutvegsradstefnan.is where it will be possible to download programs and other information in the future. To ensure that as many people as possible can attend the conference, parties will be recruited to support the conference with the aim of keeping the participation fee in moderation.

In the Kælibót project, Matís has worked on extensive experiments in the field of cooling catfish from target to market, together with Icelandic partners who are connected to the chain's various links, from raw material handling, processing and transport to the market.

The objectives were to compare the cooling capacity of different ice media, cooling methods during processing, the effect of different packaging for product packaging and different transport methods (ships and flights) and the effect of improved temperature control during the transport of chilled products. The project is funded by AVS and the Rannís Technology Development Fund. Matís' partners in the project are Brim hf., Eimskip hf., Icelandair Cargo, Optimar á Íslandi ehf., Samherji hf., Samskip hf., Skaginn hf. and Faith. The project was also carried out in parallel with the European project Chill-on, which is funded by the 6th Framework Framework of the European Union.

Studies on cooling rate, storage temperature, efficiency and energy consumption in cooling raw materials indicated that the best procedure for cooling fish is that the initial cooling on board is carried out with liquid ice. However, it is preferable to store the raw material for a longer period of time in conventional ice cream, especially with regard to the salt absorption of the fish muscle and microbial growth. 

Cooling of processed products is also very important because it minimizes the need for refrigeration after the products have been packaged. The explanation for this is that the insulation of packaging can slow down considerably at the cooling rate even if the environment is at the right temperature. Cooling during processing is therefore absolutely essential to maintain the freshness as much as possible and extend the shelf life in such conditions. In this connection, the best results are achieved with skin cooling of fillets. Skin cooling of fillets made from fresh raw materials can extend the freshness time and shelf life by 25% based on the best storage conditions (-1 ° C). For example, it is very important to avoid processing older raw materials before new raw materials in daily production in order to minimize fillet pollution. Pollution caused by damaged microorganisms can lead to faster deterioration of freshness and shortening of shelf life. If good production practices are ensured, pollution is kept to a minimum, for example with adequate liquid regeneration and cooling of products, liquid cooling should be able to yield good results. The increase in value of fish products can be achieved by following these tips and choosing transport routes that minimize temperature fluctuations early in the life of the product in order to maintain freshness for as long as possible.

Temperatures in the flight and shipping of fresh cod were mapped in February and March 2009 from the North to Bremerhaven in Germany. Foam plastic boxes were used, each carrying 5 kg of knuckles. Thermometers were used to monitor product and ambient temperatures and humidifiers measured ambient humidity. The results showed very good temperature control in shipping. Preliminary indications of a comparison between air and ship transport showed a similar total shelf life in the days after fishing, whichever method was used. In flight, there are more temperature fluctuations but a shorter time from the manufacturer to the market. Packaging and time to raise the temperature are important here. 

Comparative studies on the insulation value of two types of packaging for fresh fish, i.e. corrugated plastic and foam plastic, have shown the superiority of the foam plastic in this respect. However, the importance of insulating packs is less in the case of whole pallets rather than individual boxes. If the product is not well pre - cooled before packing, less insulation is actually desirable, but then it must be ensured that the temperature control in the transport process is very good.

It is not uncommon for products to be gas-packed abroad, as the product life is based on the packing date. Therefore, the effect of gas packaging and subcooling on the shelf life of cod fillets from different raw materials was investigated. It can be concluded from the experiment that there are very limited benefits from gas packaging and subcooling if the raw material is old. On the other hand, if freshly caught fillets are gas-packed and stored in the best conditions in subcooling, a much longer freshness period and shelf life can be achieved, and thus a much more valuable product than with traditional packaging. 

Procedures and handling of raw materials and fish must be observed, and efforts must be made in the handling, processing and transport of fish products to ensure better quality and more valuable products. Although increased quality does not always lead to greater value immediately, increased quality will be more effective in the future and great market interests are at stake for the nation. It does not help to build up and strengthen the image of Iceland and Icelandic products in these times.

Work is now underway to set up practical guidelines on the World Wide Web for cooling and handling fish at all levels of the value chain from target to market. The guidelines are based on the research that has been carried out within the cooling projects Chill-on, Simulation of cooling processes and Cooling improvement, as well as other research. The results of the experiments will be communicated in such a way that companies can easily utilize information and are quick to identify new opportunities to improve internal processes. The information will therefore be presented in a simple and graphical way. Reference will be made to additional material that will be available in electronic form for those who want more and deeper information.

To begin with, the greatest emphasis will be on the processing of catfish (cod) into chilled products, but the aim is for further development where more fish species and other foods and more product categories will be included.

For further information, contact María Guðjónsdóttir, maria.gudjonsdottir@matis.is.

Future Days 2010 will be held today, Wednesday 10 February in the premises of Háskólabíós.

As before, great participation can be expected among students this year. Framadagar is therefore an ideal platform for companies to reach the future workforce of the nation by introducing themselves and their activities and thus gain a certain advantage over the competitive parties in the race for the most qualified staff.

Further information can be found at www.framadagar.is and with Jón Haukur Arnarson, jon.h.arnarson@matis.is or Steinar B. Aðalbjörnsson, steinar.b.adalbjornsson@matis.is.

January 27 last. A good meeting was held at Matís' headquarters at Vínlandsleið 12 in Reykjavík. It brought together many of the Nordic region's leading experts on herring and North Atlantic herring stocks.

The meeting was part of the HerMix project, which is funded by the Ag-Fisk fund. Participants in the project are from 7 places.

• Matís (Icelandic Food and Biothech R&D), Reykjavík, Iceland
• Marine Research Institute (MRI), Reykjavík, Iceland
• Faroese Fisheries Laboratory (FFL), Torshavn, Faroe Islands
• University of the Faroe Islands (UFI), Torshavn, Faroe Islands
• Institute of Marine Research (IMR), Bergen, Norway
• Sildarvinnslan hf (SVN), Neskaupstaður, Iceland
• The National Institute of Aquatic Resources (DTU-Aqua), Lyngby, Denmark

The aim of the project is to be able to differentiate herring stocks in the North Atlantic by genetic methods and to study variability in the chemical and processing properties of the product.

For further information, please contact Sigríður Hjörleifsdóttir, sigridur.hjorleifsdottir@matis.is.

Further information about the project can be found here.

In 2008 and 2009, Matís' fatty acid analyzes were performed on 51 food samples in order to update data in the ÍSGEM database on the chemical content of food. The project was carried out in collaboration with the Public Health Institute and the Food Administration.

Emphasis was placed on examining the amount of trans fatty acids in processed foods, so samples of table margarine, baked goods, deep-frying fats, food from fast food places, ice cream, biscuits, snacks and sweets were taken.

Dietary recommendations recommend that people eat as little trans fatty acids from industrial raw materials as possible. It is also recommended to limit the consumption of saturated fatty acids. In this way, the risk of heart disease can be reduced. There has been a lack of information on trans fatty acids in food on the Icelandic market, but now it has been improved to some extent.

A large study was conducted on fatty acids in all categories of food on the Icelandic market in 1995. The results now show that the proportion of trans-fatty acids for almost all foods is lower than before.

In all food categories, at least some of the samples were detected with little or no trans fatty acids, which is a big change from what has been the case. For example, there were almost no trans fatty acids in the types of biscuits examined. This shows that the food industry has found ways to produce products without trans fatty acids. However, a considerable amount of trans fatty acids was detected in some samples of margarine, baked goods, ice cream and popcorn. It is clear that manufacturers can improve these products and get rid of trans fatty acids. The results are in line with the fact that in many countries good results have been achieved in reducing trans-fatty acids in food.

The results of the fatty acid analyzes are summarized for fatty acid categories in a table on the next page.

The main results of the measurements were:
a. The proportion of trans fatty acids in the foods that had been analyzed had generally decreased since 1995, when a large study was conducted on fatty acids in Icelandic foods.

b. Biscuit samples were very low in trans fatty acids (below 0.8% in fatty acids). Samples of sweets were low in trans fatty acids (below 2% of fatty acids). In fast food samples, trans fatty acids were below 3.5% of fatty acids.

c. Samples of table margarine, baked goods, vegetable ice cream, margarine and snacks contained foods from some producers with a lot of trans fatty acids, but in samples from other producers the amount of these fatty acids was insignificant. This shows that it is feasible to produce these foods without trans fatty acids.

d. The labeling on the packaging did not in all cases pass the products being inspected. Packaging for one biscuit sample indicated that trans-fatty acids were present in the biscuit where vegetable fat was specified to be partially hardened. However, it did not turn out to be right, the biscuit was free of trans fatty acids.

In Denmark, the maximum value for trans fatty acids from industrial raw material is 2% of all fatty acids. The ratio is below this limit for 27 brands and types of aggregate samples out of a total of 42 or 64% of all brands and types of aggregate samples.

It should be noted that although trans fatty acids are eliminated from certain foods, there is still a possibility that the product contains saturated fat, perhaps in large quantities.

Although trans fatty acids are generally not labeled on food packaging, consumers can still draw certain conclusions from the ingredients. If vegetable oil is the only fatty ingredient, it can be assumed that the food does not contain trans fatty acids and that saturated fatty acids have been kept to a minimum. Particular attention should be paid to this in the ingredients descriptions for breads, cakes and biscuits. It should be borne in mind that coconut fat and palm fat are hard plant-based fats and are high in saturated fatty acids. If partially hydrogenated fats appear in the description of ingredients, trans fatty acids can be expected. Hardened fats, however, are not proof that trans fatty acids are present in the product, but a considerable amount of saturated fatty acids must be assumed.

The overall results from the above study will soon be published in the ÍSGEM database.

For further information, please contact Ólafur Reykdal, olafur.reykdal@matis.is.

Results of fatty acid analyzes of food in 2008 and 2009 (pdf file).

Kerecis ehf. engaged in research, product development and production of medical products derived from fish proteins. The company's products are for use in hospitals for the treatment of tissue injuries. The company benefits from a partnership with the Technology Development Fund, Matís and Atvinnuþróunarfélag Vestfjarði.

PRESS RELEASE The Business Innovation Fund invests in Kerecis

Ísafjörður / Reykjavík, January 4, 2010─ The medical products company Kerecis ehf. and the Business Innovation Fund (NSA) announced today the signing of an investment agreement. The agreement was signed on 30.12.2009. Under the agreement, the NSA will purchase 35% from Kerecis in the form of share capital and also provide the company with a convertible loan. The investment will be in several phases over the next 12 months and the installment payments are dependent on the progress of Kerecis' development projects.

Kerecis ehf. engaged in research, product development and production of medical products derived from fish proteins. The company's products are for use in hospitals for the treatment of tissue injuries. The company's products and technology are in the development stage and patent registration has begun to protect the company's technology. Kerecis employees and founders have many years of experience in the development of medical products and clinical development and testing work.

The global market for medical devices ("medical devices") is huge and several Icelandic parties have established themselves in this market, such as Össur hf, Mentis Cura, Nox Medical, Oxymap, Kine and the company Primex. Kerecis will focus on product development for the tissue engineering segment of the medical device market.

Comment:
Dr. Baldur Tumi Baldursson, physician, co-founder and head of Kerecis' medical division:
Kerecis' technology is based on the utilization of fish proteins for the treatment of damaged tissue. The company's preliminary studies indicate that the technology is very suitable for the treatment of human tissue damage, and with the involvement of the Innovation Fund, we will be able to launch clinical trials on our products as early as the beginning of 2010.

Finnbogi Jónsson, Managing Director, Business Innovation Fund:
It's gratifying to have the opportunity to invest in a company like Kerecis. We have great faith in the company, bringing together experienced managers and good scientists who see market opportunities for medical products based on Icelandic knowledge and Icelandic ingredients.

It is our hope that this will be the beginning of a successful collaboration with Kerecis and that the Innovation Fund's investment in the company will help to create valuable jobs, generate foreign exchange and return good returns to the fund.

About Kerecis ehf.
Kerecis ehf. (www.kerecis.is) is a development and production company in the field of medical products and bases its technology on proteins made from fish. The company works in close collaboration with healthcare professionals and works on the development of technology for the treatment of damaged tissue. The company benefits from a collaboration with the Technology Development Fund, Matís and the Westfjords Business Development Association.

About the Innovation Fund
Business Innovation Fund (www.nsa.is) is a venture capitalist who takes an active part in the development and growth of the economy by investing in promising innovative and start-up companies. The Innovation Fund is an independent investment fund owned by the Icelandic state. 

Further information:
Guðmundur F. Sigurjónsson
Chairman of the Board Kerecis ehf.
Phone 8494960
gfsigurjonsson@kerecis.com

Helga Valfell
The Business Innovation Fund
Kringlan 7, 103 Reykjavík 
phone / tel: 510 1800 fax: 510 1809   
mobile no .: 861 0108  
helga@nsa.is
www.nsa.is

On Friday 15 January, a doctoral defense will take place at the Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Iceland. Then protect Eyjólfur Reynisson biologist at Matís's doctoral dissertation "Changes in microbial communities in the process of damaging fish products. Molecular biological research as well as the development of rapid diagnostic tests on specific destructive microorganisms. "

Doctoral dissertation in biology from the Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland

Starts: 15/01/2010 - 13:00

Ends: 15/01/2010 - 15:00

Event location: Askja

Further location: Room 132 (large hall)

Doctoral dissertation in biology from the Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland:
Changes in microbial communities in the process of damaging fish products.
Molecular biological research together with the development of rapid diagnostic tests on specific destructive microorganisms.

Fresh view in fish microbiology.
Analysis of microbial changes in fish during storage, decontamination and curing of fish, using molecular detection and analysis methods.

On Friday 15 January, a doctoral defense will take place at the Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Iceland. Then protect Eyjólfur Reynisson biologist in his doctoral dissertation “Changes in microbial communities in the process of spoilage of fish products. Molecular biological research as well as the development of rapid diagnostic tests on specific destructive microorganisms. Paw Dalgaard, a scientist from the Technical University of Denmark and Dr. Guðni Ágúst Alfreðsson Professor at the University of Iceland. The supervisor of the project was Dr. Guðmundur Hreggviðsson, director of Matís. Dr. Sigurður Snorrason, President of the Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, will chair the ceremony, which will take place in Askja and will begin at 13.

In the project, the spoilage processes of fish products were examined using molecular biological methods to examine the composition and changes in the microbial flora during storage and processing of fish products. The first part of the project focused on the development of rapid diagnostic methods for unwanted bacteria such as Salmonella and bacteria that cause food degradation (harmful bacteria). With the new methodology, the analysis time is shortened from 3 days to 5 hours. which can be useful for control and quality control in food production. The second part focused on hygiene and cleaning in fish processing, where the effectiveness of traditional cleaning procedures for the removal of microbial cover was examined. Important factors in the process were taken into account, such as the temperature of the rinsing water, the strength of the detergents and the type of surface. Microbial coverages are often formed during food production, so it is important that cleaning processes prevent them from gaining a foothold to ensure both safety and quality of production. The third part deals with questions about the composition of bacterial communities when storing fish, where examples of three fish species are taken. Cod and haddock are examples of bony fish while catfish are classified as cartilaginous fish. Various bonefish are important commercial stocks and have therefore received more attention when it comes to research into their microbiology and spoilage processes. This section demonstrates and confirms that Photobacterium phosphoreum is the bacterial species that more often than not prevails when storing cod and haddock under different conditions. Using breeding methods and molecular biological analyzes, the progress of microbial communities in catfish hunting is described and the presence of previously undetected bacterial species in significant quantities in this unique environment is demonstrated.

The doctoral dissertation is Eyjólfur Reynisson, born in 1977. He completed a BS degree from the University of Iceland in 2001 and an M.Sc. degree in biochemistry from the University of Copenhagen two years later. Since then, Eyjólfur has worked at the Fisheries Research Institute, which joined Matís ohf. - Icelandic Food Research. There he has worked for the most part on his project. Eyjólfur is married to Lilja Logadóttir and they have 3 children.

www.hi.is

Matís recently held a course in Suðureyri for the fish processing company Íslandssaga and Klofning. The course was held in 4 languages and had about 120 participants, which is about half of Suðureyri's population.

The course covered, among other things, the quality of fish, fish processing and hygiene.

We were very pleased with the course and there was talk that the information would be very useful to the staff.

The course ended in moderation for employees, as the companies Íslandssaga and Klofningur turned 10 years old on 6 December.

For further information, please contact Margeir Gissurarson, margeir.gissurarson@matis.is.

More about courses offered by Matís: www.matis.is/freadsla/namskeid/