Category: News

An article by three Matís employees, published in the September issue of the Journal of Food Science, discusses research on the effects of freezing and cold storage on the quality of herring fillets in terms of protein processing.

The use of proteins as auxiliaries in food production is extensive, but they play a variety of roles, such as binders, emulsifiers, etc. The most common proteins are soy protein and various milk proteins. The fishing industry has done little to innovate in this field and fish proteins for use in the food industry have hardly been available. This is especially true of proteins from dark, high-fat fish species such as herring and capelin.

A recent method of isolating fish protein, which makes it possible to remove unwanted fats and elements that affect color and odor, can change this situation and thus make it possible to process protein from pelagic fish.

The study reported in JFS examined in particular the effect of freezing and cold storage at -24 ° C on protein solubility and protein viscosity. It turned out that there were various undesirable changes in the properties of proteins during cold storage, and the authors conclude, among other things, that the raw material should not be stored for more than three months in the freezer before it is used for protein processing to ensure good yields.

The authors of the article are Margrét Geirsdóttir, Guðjón Þorkelsson and Sjöfn Sigurgísladóttir. They all work for Matís, but in addition to them, Harpa Hlynsdóttir, a food scientist at Sýn ehf, is the co-author of the article, but she previously worked for IFL.

The research on which the article is based was funded by the Nordic Industrial Development Fund, Rannís and the EU SEAFOODplus cluster project. Read the article

Hvannabeit affects the taste quality of lamb meat, according to a study by Matís (Matvælarannsóknir Íslands). According to the opinion of a specially trained group at Matís, the angel lambs were found to have a more spicy smell and taste, while lambs in traditional grazing land had a more lamb taste.

Einar K. Guðfinnsson, Minister of Agriculture, had the opportunity to enjoy the hen meat at the Vox restaurant at Nordica Hotel and on that occasion expressed his satisfaction with such an innovation in agriculture.

The project is initiated by Halla Steinólfsdóttir and Guðmundur Gíslason, sheep farmers at Ytri-Fagradalur in Skarðsströnd. They raised a certain number of lambs in a pasture with angelica. For comparison, other lambs were placed in pasture and on farmland. The aim is to raise angelica to be applied to the lambs before slaughter and to start production of lamb meat based on this method.

Angelica was previously considered a budding remedy and was also considered a remedy for all. Now the interest in this herb is resurfacing as people become more aware of the substances it puts into it. Angelica has been used to flavor food and is considered a good herb. Therefore, it is interesting to look at what it means in the taste quality of meat to raise lambs in part on angelica before slaughter.

Now that research has been done on the meat, it turns out that there is a noticeable difference between lambs that were raised on angelica and lambs that were raised on traditional summer work.

Despite the good results, this is only the first step of many. Among other things, the aim is to create an angel field so that the taste can be further developed.

Heavy metal pollution in the sea around the country is generally well below international standards, according to a new report by Matís on changes in the marine environment around the country. Heavy metals are elements that originate in nature but their concentration can increase due to human action (eg mining).

The report (Monitoring of the marine biosphere around Iceland in 2005 - 2006) states that the concentration of heavy metals such as mercury is very low. On the other hand, the concentration of cadmium has been higher in the marine environment in Iceland than in more southerly areas. However, the amount of cadmium is low in the organisms studied, for example in the range of 0.1-1 mg / kg in mussels. The high concentration of cadmium in Iceland is believed to have natural causes as there is no evidence of human-caused cadmium pollution. Thus, for example, cadmium levels in mussels are higher in various places that are far from residential areas and economic activities, such as in Mjóafjörður, than in Hvalfjörður and Straumsvík.

Matís' report presents the results of an annual monitoring project under the auspices of the Ministry of the Environment for the years 2005 and 2006. The aim of monitoring around the country is to identify changes that may occur in the concentration of trace elements in the marine environment around the country during a certain period and between different oceans and seas. coastal areas. Among other things, the research is important for the sale of Icelandic seafood in foreign markets, as it can be shown that fishing takes place in an unpolluted environment.

Various inorganic trace elements and chlor - organic substances in cod were caught in the MRI's annual spring rally in March 2006 and in mussels collected at 11 locations around the country in August / September 2005.

Research on changes in the marine environment around Iceland has been ongoing since 1989.

The report can be found here.

Matís (Matvælarannsóknir Íslands) has succeeded in developing a method that kills bacteria in infected salmon in a short time. The high-pressure treatment method ensures safer salmon consumption and longer shelf life without adversely affecting color and texture. This is a new approach to hypertension treatment, which was developed in Germany a few years ago. With new technology, you can achieve the required results in less than 10 seconds instead of the previous 15 minutes.

With the new method, the bacterium Listeria can be eliminated in smoked salmon. Listeria is extremely rare in salmon but can cause infections in consumers who eat salmon that contains the bacterium.

The results of Matís' research show that high blood pressure needs to be 700-900 MPa to kill the bacterium. Hypertension has a small effect on the structure, color and texture of a product. The method can provide consumers with smoked salmon that has a longer shelf life and is free of Listeria and even free of other bacteria. Knowledge benefits will lead to further development and new uses of this new technology.

Traditional cold smoking of salmon is not enough to kill Listeria and can therefore be a problem for both producers and consumers. However, with improved hygiene and improved quality control, good results have been achieved, but to ensure that smoked salmon does not contain the bacteria, it is necessary to develop new technologies such as hypertension. Participants in the project were from Matís (formerly the Fisheries Research Institute and Keldnaholt Food Research).

The report in its entirety.

Reykjagarður, the producer of Holta chicken, has signed a one-year contract with Matís (Matvælarannsóknir Íslands) for measurements of samples for the company's safety and quality control. These are mandatory measurements of Salmonella and Campylobacter in faecal samples from poultry farms. Samples will also be collected from other farms that have poultry slaughtered at Reykjagarður.

Reykjagarður sells Holta's products to retail chains, restaurants, fast food restaurants and canteens.

Samples from Reykjagarður will be examined at Matís' Food Safety Division. The main research projects of the Food Safety Division are in the field of microbiological and chemical research on food, feed and the environment. Microbial studies cover most of the most important pathogens that can be found in food. The Department of Food Safety is systematically working to increase collaboration with foreign research institutes and companies through international research and development projects.

"Matís laboratories are certified and can provide services in a wide range of microbiological and chemical measurements. The company focuses on efficient and reliable service and provides customers with favorable service contracts where the scope of the agreed projects is especially taken into account," says Franklín Georgsson, Matís' Food Division Division Manager.

Dr. Liberia's Minister of Fisheries Chris Toe visited Matís (Icelandic Food Research) on his trip to Iceland. Matís staff introduced the Minister to the company's operations and laboratories on Skúlagata. The Minister was also briefed on Prokaria's biotechnology research, which is part of Matís.

Toe also talked to Einar K. Guðfinnsson, Minister of Fisheries, visited the Marine Research Institute and learned about the United Nations Fisheries School, which is located at Skúlagata. Furthermore, Toe and his entourage will visit many other companies in this country.

PHOTO: Chris Toe, far left, listens to Franklin's director Franklín Georgsson.

More about Liberia at Wikipedia.

The preconditions have now been created for the introduction of electronic assessment of pork carcasses in slaughterhouses, according to a new report from Matís on the results of measurements of the meat ratio of pork. An electronic assessment, which measures the proportion of meat in pork carcasses, gives more accurate results than has been published so far. It facilitates all communication between slaughterhouses and farmers as well as slaughterhouses and meat processing plants where pricing and meat ratio will go hand in hand.

The report also states that the variability of the Icelandic pig population is so small that there is no significant deviation even though the same calculation formula is used, according to measuring instruments, for all pigs.

The reason why it is now possible to introduce electronic food is that the breeding of pig farmers in this country has become purposeful and that the same pig population is used on all farms. The thickness of fat and muscle at certain measuring points has been assessed with electronic measuring devices and these results are compared with information from the Norwegian meat assessment. This was necessary to study the variability of Icelandic pigs within the population as well as between farms. Pig populations in Iceland are comparable to those in Norway.

The project was carried out for the Icelandic Pig Breeding Association.

It is important that the catch is landed in time so that it can be utilized better, because as soon as the fish is caught, it shrinks and loses freshness. This is the topic of discussion for Guðbjörg Heiða Guðmundsdóttir in her master's project, called Planning for maximum profit in the Icelandic cod industry, in the mechanical and industrial engineering department. Guðbjörg will give an open lecture on her project on 24 September.

After a fish has been caught, it shrinks on board fishing vessels and loses its freshness. This shrinkage reduces the processing capacity and utilization of the fish fillets. It is therefore important that the catch is landed in time so that it can be utilized better. Furthermore, that the processing is taken into account when planning the fishing industry so that the processing can process the fish immediately and bring it fresh to the market. A mathematical model that organizes fishing trips for fishing vessels and production in fish processing is presented. The operating profit of the processing and the fishing industry is maximized with regard to the reduction of the catch. Other factors in the optimization model are inventory status and processing flow.

The aim of the project is to design software that fisheries companies can use to assist in decision-making. The possibility of utilizing the model is demonstrated by applying the model to an Icelandic fisheries company. The effect of the length of fishing trips on shrinkage is investigated in addition to other factors.

Collaboration with Matís

Guðbjörg Heiða's project is carried out in collaboration with Matís and the project has been part of a larger project, Vinnsluspá þorskafla, which is funded by Rannís and AVS.

The project is carried out under the supervision of Pál Jensson, professor at the Faculty of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Iceland and Sveinn Margeirsson, PhD student in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering and head of department at Matís ohf. Examiner is Snjólfur Ólafsson, professor at the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Iceland.

Place and time: Guðbjörg will give an open lecture on her project on September 24 at 12 noon in room 157 in VR-II in the building of the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences at Hjarðarhagi 4.

Food in the Nordic countries is considered to have special properties that improve people's health. The main characteristics of Nordic ingredients are considered to be purity, taste and hygiene. Mads Holm, the head chef of the Nordic House, will give a talk on 25 August on how he intends to work with the ideas and principles of the new Nordic cuisine.

The Nordic Council of Ministers' co-operation program, "New Nordic Food and Cuisine", aims to explain the potential for value creation in Nordic food production and food culture. The aim is also to strengthen the countries' co-operation in the field of food production and link it to projects in the fields of tourism, health services, regional development and trade.

Mads Holm will give a talk at the Nordic House on 25 August at 3 pm.

The answers submitted have now been reduced due to a survey on health claims on food. You can view the winning numbers here.

Winning number

• 1531 - 30,000 kr. from Mjólkursamsälan
• 516 - 15,000 kr. from Mjólkursamsälan
• 551 - Cheese basket from Mjólkursamsälan
• 1183 - Cheese basket from Mjólkursamsälan
• 2193 - Cheese basket from Mjólkursamsälan
• 419 - Crystal from Ölgerðin Egil Skallagrímsson
• 2205 - Crystal from Ölgerðin Egil Skallagrímsson
• 2475 - Health basket from Lýsir
• 90 - Gift certificate from Myllan

Gunnþórunn Einarsdóttir and Emilía Martinsdóttir provide further information about the prizes by calling 422 5000.

More about health claims.

Matís would like to thank the participants for their participation.