Dr. Hrönn Jörundsdóttir has been appointed Administrative Secretary by the Executive Board of the SAFE Consortium, the European Organization for Food Safety.
Hrönn holds a PhD in chemistry and is a project manager at Matís and received his doctorate from Stockholm University. She is an expert in environmental chemistry, food safety and risk assessment, and has led several national and international research projects in this field.
Hrönn will assist in the operation and management of the association, including overseeing publications, communicating with members of the association and presenting SAFE to stakeholders. Hrönn has extensive experience in issues related to food safety, environmental quality, communication with the media and promotions, and will therefore be a powerful addition to SAFE's management team.
On January 22, 2009, an agreement was signed between the State Employees' Pension Fund (LSR) on the one hand and the Ministry of Finance and Matís ohf. Id. 670906-0190, on the other hand, on the annual settlement of liabilities due to the employees of Matís ohf. according to Article 33 Act no. 1/1997 on the State Employees' Pension Fund. This agreement entered into force on 1 January 2007 when Matís ohf. was founded.
Obligations due to employees of Matís ohf. who are members of Division B of LSR are settled annually and Matís' payment for them was ISK 11.9 million in 2014. It should be noted that this obligation did not become clear until about two years after the company began operations and it has not been added separately.
For further information, contact Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís, at 858-5125.
Matís collaborates extensively with the University of Iceland, as well as other state-run universities, to ensure good cooperation between the business community and the university community. The company works on development and innovation in the food industry, biotechnology and food safety.
"Within Matís, there are very diverse activities. There are many specialties here that work in both the food industry and biotechnology. There is a strong connection with the business world and the university environment, "says Hörður G. Kristinsson, Matís' research director.
Master's and doctoral studies in food science are offered at the University of Iceland. The program is a collaborative project between Matís and the Faculty of Nutrition at the University of Iceland. There are three courses available, production management, quality management and a biotechnology line. The doctoral program includes scientific and technical research projects that lead to new knowledge and innovation. Great emphasis is placed on publishing research results in peer-reviewed international journals at the end of their doctoral studies.
Emphasis is placed on practical learning, which includes collaboration with companies and institutions in the field of food production. The opportunities are great in Icelandic food production, which is reflected in the demand and job opportunities for education. The program is useful for those who have completed undergraduate studies in food science or other natural sciences such as chemistry, biology and engineering. It is useful for all those who are interested in playing a leading role in the food and biotechnology industry in management, innovation or research.
Just now, a meeting of the MareFrame project ended. The meeting was with Icelandic stakeholders, a cross-section of the stakeholders affected by fisheries management.
Matís, the University of Iceland and the Marine Research Institute are participants in the European research and development project MareFrame (http://www.mareframe.eu).
One of the goals of the MareFrame is to develop and utilize ecosystem models to assist in fisheries decision-making.
An important part of this process is to take into account the emphases and opinions of different stakeholders when making the models and when making decisions. Biological, ecological, economic and social factors must be taken into account.
At the meeting, MareFrame was introduced and the work that has been done in the project in this country.
Further information about the MareFrame project can be found on the project's website and Matís' website.
Cyprian Ogombe Odoli will defend his doctoral dissertation in food science on Thursday 22 October. The ceremony takes place in the Celebration Hall of the University of Iceland and starts at 14:00.
The thesis is entitled: Drying and smoking of capelin (mallotus villosus) and sardine (sardinella gibbosa) - the influence on physicochemical properties and consumer acceptance.
Opponents are dr. Morten Sivertsvik, professor and division manager at Nofima, Norway, and dr. Hjörleifur Einarsson, professor at the Faculty of Natural Resources at the University of Akureyri.
The supervisor of the project was Sigurjón Arason, chief engineer at Matís and professor at the Faculty of Food and Nutrition at the University of Iceland. In addition to him, Guðjón Þorkelsson, director of Matís and professor at the Faculty of Food and Nutrition at the University of Iceland, dr. Kolbrún Sveinsdóttir, project manager at Matís, dr. Tumi Tómasson, director of the United Nations University School of Fisheries, and Ásbjörn Jónsson, project manager at Matís.
Dr. Þórhallur Ingi Halldórsson, professor at the Faculty of Food and Nutrition, University of Iceland, will chair the ceremony.
Abstract
Drying and smoking are cost-effective preservation methods commonly used in developing countries, where underdeveloped transport processes restrict the marketing of fresh fish. In East Africa, dried and smoked fish is an important source of protein in the diet of the population. Small fish, mainly sardines, are usually placed in brine and pre-cooked to stop enzyme activity and microbial growth before being dried outdoors. The dried fish is often of poor quality and its sales are limited to lower-income groups shopping in outdoor markets. At the same time, there is an increasing demand among middle-class consumers for dried and smoked small fish in supermarkets that meets their quality requirements. This demand could be met through imports or improved processing methods. The aim of this study was to improve the quality and safety of small fish processing and to examine consumers' reactions to a new product such as dried capelin caught in Iceland, which is not known in the markets in East Africa. The effects of preheating, drying and smoking on product quality were assessed, as well as the effect of packaging methods on fat degradation. Sensory evaluation properties and the amount of microorganisms in dried and smoked products were also examined. Finally, the goal was to set a goal for healthy dried sardines and imported dried capelin.
Conventional drying and pre-drying for sardine and capelin drying resulted in lower product quality, poorer sensory evaluation and lower protein quality. The amount of fat in capelin is seasonal and when capelin with a fat content of 9-10% instead of 7-7.5% was dried, the drying took longer and the moisture content of the final product increased. At the same time, the fat reduced the deformation of proteins during the processing process. Under controlled drying conditions, the quality of the products increased, which indicates that it is necessary to develop a dryer for processing small fish. In dried and smoked capelin and sardines, a high proportion of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were detected, exactly 13% in capelin and 20% in sardines. Hot-smoked capelin and sardines had a higher fat content, less moisture content and increased stability against microorganisms, compared to a cold-smoked product, but hot smoking reduced utilization. The fat content affected the hydrolysis of proteins, oxidation of fats and improved sensory evaluation properties during storage of smoked and dried capelin. Fat degradation was highest in low-fat capelin, while development was highest in high-fat capelin. Packing smoked and dried fatty capelin in anaerobic packaging resulted in less fat degradation and fewer microorganisms. Packaging did not affect fat breakdown.
Hot-smoked fish in anaerobic packaging retained its original properties after four weeks of storage. Dried capelin with a moisture content below 25% and a water activity below 0.7 is stored undamaged at room temperature for five months in anaerobic packaging. Improved processing processes for drying sardines and capelin yielded good results and the product was well received by consumers of traditional dried small fish in Kenya. The results of this study show that dried and smoked small fish can be a very nutritious food and if the processing and packaging procedures are correct, the consumption of these products could significantly reduce malnutrition prevalent in developing countries.
About the doctoral dissertation
Cyprian Ogombe Odoli was born in Kenya in 1974. In 2006, he graduated United Nations University School of Fisheries and subsequently the school has supported him for master's and doctoral studies. Cyprian graduated with an MS in food science from the University of Iceland in 2009 and enrolled in a doctoral program at the same department three years later, in 2012. He is married to Hellen Namugeere and they have two children.
This year's conference title: What are the ingredients in the food? Do we know that? Urgent need for databases & their maintenance.
The day was this time dedicated to a discussion of specific databases that keep track of the nutritional value and chemical content of food, both Icelandic and imported. The importance of these databases is unequivocal, without which it is not possible to calculate the nutritional value of meals, menus and products, or to assess contaminants in the diet.
Matís is organizing a meeting of the European Sensory Network (ESN), an association of experts in the field of sensory assessment and consumer research, on 8 and 9 October. at the Grand Hotel Reykjavik. At the meeting, which is closed and companies in food production have been invited to the meeting, emphasis will be placed on the progress and results of the latest research that the organization has been involved in.
The European Sensory Network (ESN) is an international network of research institutes and leading companies sensory evaluation and consumer research. ESN was established in 1989 to meet the rapid development of sensory evaluation in Europe. Today, 26 research institutes and companies are members of ESN and four outside Europe. ESN is at the forefront of sensory and consumer research, hosting international conferences and disseminating new methodologies. ESN provides advice on sensory evaluation, market research, implementation of sensory evaluation and consumer research, project setup, processing and interpretation, as well as questions regarding consumer behavior and experience.
Matís and Fisktækniskólinn í Grindavík have worked together to create this material, which is now published and has been entitled "Introduction to fish technology", where you will find diverse and useful information about the production of seafood.
The Herring Industry Research Fund supported this publication in collaboration with Matís and Fisktækniskólinn. The material is primarily intended for students in fish technology, but should also be suitable for all those who want to learn about how to produce seafood. It is extremely important to strengthen access to education about food processing, increased demands on the markets require increased knowledge and meticulousness at all levels of the seafood value chain. It is important that all those involved in the procurement and processing of raw materials know how to work to produce safe, high-quality foods for our most valuable markets.
This publication is available on the websites of Matís and Fisktækniskólinn. www.matis.is and www.fiskt.is
In recent days and weeks, there has been quite a bit of discussion about arsenic and the possible harmfulness of the substance. It seems to everyone about this substance that is found in some foods and in varying amounts. Livsmedelsverket (Matvælastofnun's sister institution) considers it a reason for consumers to limit their consumption of rice and rice products, and issued recommendations in this regard last week.
A few days ago, we received news that the peanut producer's representatives had been sentenced to 20 and 28 years in prison for their part in the spread of salmonella contaminated food. It is not the intention of this article to evaluate the news, but it is interesting to consider the importance of safe food when such news arrives.
In most food production companies, it is clear that the production and sale of food cannot take place without the food being wholesome and safe to consume. Safe food is a prerequisite for food trade and, moreover, all innovation in the food industry is based on the production of food that is safe for consumption. For those who are taking their first steps in food production, it is important to ensure that all facilities are in accordance with laws and regulations and that all food handling, whether in the procurement of raw materials, production, packaging, distribution, sale or anywhere in the value chain foodstuffs, is in such a way that no harm is created for consumers when consuming food.
Safe foods
Disease-causing microorganisms can be transmitted to food in various ways. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt good practices in the production and handling of food. With good practice and internal control of food companies, education, research and official control, it has been possible to keep disease cases due to food infections and food poisoning to a minimum in this country.
In recent years, production of food that has been developed and produced in small quantities from farms or districts has increased. With the increasing activity in the production of various foods, there is a need to draw attention to the weakest or most pathogenic micro-organisms that can be transmitted through food.
With increased knowledge of their properties and routes of transmission, consumers, food producers and other food processing enthusiasts should be able to ensure the safety of the foods they process. Food manufacturers are responsible for the safety of the products they produce.
Matís international collaboration with BfR
Matís works on a variety of projects in the food industry, with particular emphasis on the health and safety of food. The projects are carried out in collaboration with domestic food producers, universities and all those who are in some way serving the food industry. We also work systematically with foreign research institutes and companies through international research and development projects. An example of this is a very successful collaboration with the BfR (Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) but from in 2012, Matís has had extensive contacts with this large and powerful institution .
The main research projects are in the field of microbial and chemical research on food, feed and the environment. Microbial studies cover most of the most important pathogens that can be found in food. Projects include method development and testing methods, research on the performance of micro-organisms in food and the environment, monitoring of micro-organisms and the effect of hygiene measures on micro-organisms. Chemical research includes contaminants and pesticides in food. This includes, for example, research on trace elements in marine products and various pesticides in vegetables and fruit.
