Category: News

The results of the European research project, EcoFishMan, were presented at an international seminar held at the National Research Council in Rome on 28 February 2014. The project was also presented on 5 March at the International Conference of Fisheries Dependent Information held at FAO headquarters in Rome.

The project has developed a new Responsive Fisheries Management System (RFMS) in collaboration with the main stakeholders in European fisheries. The aim of the EcoFishMan project has been to promote a completely new approach to fisheries management in Europe that is acceptable to stakeholders, governments and the fishing industry alike, and thus to have a significant impact on future fisheries policy.

RFMS describes how responsibility for fisheries management can be transferred to the fishermen, that is, the users of the wealth, provided that they set themselves and achieve defined management goals. Environmental, commercial and social factors are taken into account, as well as ways to improve co-operation and mutual understanding between policy makers and stakeholders to facilitate the implementation of the system. Stakeholder participation is strengthened by taking into account their knowledge and needs.

RFMS is implemented in stages and tailored to each type of fishery individually. The first step in the EcoFishMan project towards proposing different options for each type of fishery was to evaluate different approaches to fisheries management. The co-operation with stakeholders revealed that they consider RFMS to be a useful tool for fisheries management in suitable European pilot projects. It can also be used as a "program" to draft measures to reduce discards, as part of the ongoing reform of the European Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

Mike Parrk of the Scottish Catfish Producers' Association said: "I think with this new approach to fishing, we can address the current disadvantages of CFP, which are: vague goals and the short-sighted and often responsive decision-making process that makes it difficult for industry and stakeholders to implement change." .

The new system places increased responsibilities on fishermen to manage and report on their activities. The responsibility for allocating individual quotas and for monitoring compliance with the rules is transferred from the government to the fishermen. This will increase local ownership of fish and data, and increase transparency, both in decisions and violations of rules.

The project was funded by the European Union's Seventh Research Program, EU FP7. The grant was a total of 3.8 million euros and was for three years from March 1, 2011. The EcoFishMan project involves a total of 14 institutions, companies and universities in eight European countries, Dr. Anna Kristín Daníelsdóttir, division manager at Matís, is the project manager and dr. Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís, is on the project's science committee. Participants are Matis (IS), Eurofish (DK), CETMAR (ES), Syntesa (FO), Háskóli Íslands (IS), National Research Council / Institute of Marine Sciences (IT), Nofima Marin (NO), University of Tromsø ( NO), Centro de Ciências do Mar (PT), IPMA (PT), MAPIX technologies Ltd (UK), Marine Scotland Science (UK), University of Aberdeen (UK) and Seafish (UK).

Further information

Anna Kristín Daníelsdóttir, anna.k.danielsdottir@matis.is and Sveinn Margeirsson, sveinn.margeirsson@matis.is.

Budrygindi invites to a seminar on innovation and a vision for the future of rentals.

Program organized by Búdrýgindi in the Ársal of the Agricultural University of Hvanneyri, Saturday 8 March 2014, 13 - 16.

Speakers:

• Vilhjálmur Egilsson Rector of Bifröst | Benefits of new courses in food management at Bifröst.
• Dominique Pledel Jónsson, Slow Food Reykjavík | Slow food - Icelandic forces and society.
• Brynhildur Pálsdóttir designer, Meeting of farmers and designers and Vík-Prjónsdóttir | The value of design in product development and marketing
• Gunnþórunn Einarsdóttir, Matís | Innovation in food production - Now's an opportunity to put ideas into action!
• Arnheiður Hjörleifsdóttir, Bjarteyjarsandi | Sustainable past and focus on the future
• Davíð Freyr Jónsson, Arctic Seafood | Arctic Seafood and a kitchen workshop in Borgarbyggð
• Guðrún Bjarnadóttir, master's student at LBHÍ, owner of Hespa | Hespuhúsið - grass use, wool crafts and education

The program director is Kolfinna Jóhannesdóttir, headmistress of Menntaskólinn í Borgarnes.

The seminar is open to everyone and it is hoped that as many farmers as possible will be able to attend and all those interested in product production in rural areas. Also those who are interested in regional affairs in general.
The lectures will be rather short and concise, but the lecturers talk about the possibilities that they think the future holds and hope that a fruitful discussion will be created following the lectures.

EVERYONE WELCOME!

More information can be found at Facebook page of the event.

It is called a food factory when a facility for various food processing has been prepared, which has received a permit from the competent authorities for the operation.

The facilities can vary from one workshop to another, but what they all have in common is that there is a wide range of food processing equipment and tools and other facilities that the processing requires. Users receive training on the equipment and free access to the production of the products that are possible with regard to facilities and equipment and issued licenses by the health authorities.

The food factories regularly hold courses on the production and processing of various products as well as courses on internal control. Matís food factories are on Flúðum, á Harbor in Hornafjörður and in Reykjavík.

The main objective of the project Improved cooling container for fresh fish, which was funded by the AVS Fisheries Research Fund R093-11, was to improve cooling containers and procedures for transporting fresh seafood through redesign and testing. Partners in the project were Matís, the University of Iceland, Eimskip Ísland and Samherji.

The aim is for design improvements to deliver refrigerated containers that reach a more even temperature throughout the transport process. Efforts were made to achieve satisfactory improvements to traditional refrigerated containers with simple and inexpensive measures. The benefits of improved temperature control in processing and transportation processes are increased quality, stability and safety, which at the same time increase the value of the product. Improvements in refrigeration and increased shelf life have also led producers to increasingly use sea transport to transport fresh fish.

In the final report of the project, Improved reefer container for fresh fish (Matís Report 01-13) describes the main results and products of the project. The results of the project showed that improvements are needed in maritime transport chains and it was shown that improvements can be achieved with simple and low-cost measures. Temperature control for sea transport can be improved by choosing the right target temperature and cooling containers that are best suited for transporting fresh fish products. Mapping of the heat distribution of refrigerated containers showed variability both in the transport process and in terms of location within the container, but design improvements aimed at forcing air flow within the container resulted in a more even heat distribution. The importance of procedures for loading refrigerated containers and their handling from manufacturer to buyer was also demonstrated.

Measurements of refrigerated containers showed that the difference in the target temperature of refrigerated containers can be 1 to 1.5 ° C from the actual temperature and there can also be a 1-2 ° C temperature difference depending on the location within the containers. Tests with different loading shapes and linings on the bottom of the containers, with plates or cloth, to force the coldest air further back, resulted in a more even cooling distribution in the containers. Work on the project lasted for two and a half years and resulted in the main conclusion that the cooling can be improved without changing the basic design of the containers.

For further information Arnljótur Bjarki Bergsson, Head of Resources and Products.

Codland in Grindavík is nominated for the Education Award 2014, as Menntasproti of the year. It is worth mentioning that Codland has a successful collaboration with companies such as Þorbjörn and Vísir in Grindavík, Ísfiskur in Kópavogur, Matís and other progressive companies, Grindavík and students.

Hörður G. Kristinsson, division manager at Matís and the company's research director, is one of those who have collaborated with Þorbjörn and Ísfisk in using cuttings from cod to create food supplements that could be used to produce high-quality proteins that are so popular. is used in supplements.

The video below shows an interview with Erla Pétursdóttir, CEO of Codland, but her vision is clear in terms of the fishing industry and the opportunities for even further processing of the yellow, as cod is sometimes called. Erla states that innovation in the fisheries sector creates new and exciting jobs in rural areas, the economy becomes more diverse and the employment opportunities of young people increase. The video is from the Confederation of Icelandic Employers' website, www.sa.is.

Matís wishes Erla and her colleagues Codland Congratulations on your nomination for the Education Award.

Advertised for ideas for innovation in food production. Iceland holds the presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers this year and focuses on innovation in the Nordic bioeconomy in order to strengthen regional economic growth.

Matís will lead innovation and product development projects that will be carried out in this field over the next three years. These are projects that focus on innovation in food production, increased sustainability in food production and increased biomass production.

The first part of the product development projects is now underway and Matís is advertising for ideas from interested parties about product development projects here at home and in neighboring countries. The aim of this first part is to develop food or food-related products, with the aim of having their prototypes available by June 2014.

You can apply for the project on Google Docs to March 13, 2014.

This includes expert assistance in product development of food, assistance with necessary measurements and / or installation of a quality system during production. It is possible to use production facilities in Matís' food factories located in Reykjavík, Höfn and Flúðir. The applicant's own work, raw materials or equipment will not be paid for. Product development is expected to begin in March and be completed by the end of May / beginning of June 2014.

For more information Gunnþórunn Einarsdóttir and Ingunn Jónsdóttir at Matís.

Rekstrarfélagið Eskja took the lead in a project to investigate whether it was possible to improve water use in fish processing. The preliminary project included basic information on water use in fish processing as well as organic substances lost in the wastewater.

With improved water use, it is possible to achieve operational efficiency and increase the value of production by utilizing by-products from the effluent from processing water. Water consumption in Iceland is much higher than in neighboring countries. Regulations impose stricter conditions with increased restrictions on waste disposal and waste of water. Requirements and regulations will be stricter when it comes to water use and discharge of wastewater after the implementation period of the Water Framework Directive enters into force in 2016. With the introduction of improved procedures and installation of equipment, water use can be significantly reduced and the use of raw materials for fish processing increased.

The status of knowledge was examined with respect to the aforementioned factors to analyze the benefits of clean production technology in fish processing. With clean production technology in mind, methods and proposals for improvements in processing processes with an emphasis on catfish processing - which are accessible in Matís report 39-12. The results of this project indicate that more can be done to reduce water waste and utilize the organic matter lost in the effluent.

Increased savings or increased profitability in operations can involve improved water use as a result of investing in new equipment and improved work processes. It can be expected that equipment manufacturers will be able to work on developing cost-effective solutions for fish processing. It can be assumed that a lot of work is being done to isolate the by-products that are lost with local processing water.

For further information Arnljótur Bjarki Bergsson, Head of Resources and Products.

The main objective of the project Simulation of cooling processes - thermodynamic simulation of processing and transport processes, which began in June 2008, was to improve procedures and equipment for processing and transport of marine products.

Cooling of fresh fish supplemented with heat transfer models

The project used process analysis, experiments and computerized thermal and hydrological models to achieve the set goals. The consequences of improved temperature control in processing and transport processes are increased quality, stability and safety, which at the same time increase the value of the product. Partners in the project were Matís, the University of Iceland, Promens Tempra, Eimskip Ísland, Samherji, Brim (ÚA), Festi and Eskja.

Examples of the project's products are heat transfer models of fresh fish products in a foam box, which make it possible to predict fish temperatures based on environmental temperature history. Heat transfer models were used to redesign the Promens Tempra 3, 5 and 7 kg foam boxes with a minimum of the highest fish temperature in the boxes under the target heat load. Experiments confirmed the superiority of the new boxes over traditional box types, both in terms of temperature control and product quality under heat load. The new round foam boxes have replaced the older types of Promens Tempra foam boxes (see Figure 1) and have thus increased the competitiveness of Icelandic fresh fish products, especially those transported by air. The results of another experiment show that the shelf life of fresh fish fillets in corner boxes of whole pallets in the air transport chain can be about 1 - 1.5 days shorter than fillets in boxes in the middle of the pallet stack. Heat distribution in different cooling chains was mapped and special emphasis was placed on pre-cooling fillets for packing and heat distribution in different types of cooling containers with different loading patterns. The results of the project have not only benefited air transport chains, but they have also further contributed to increased possibilities for the safe transport of fresh fish products by ship.  

For further information Arnljótur Bjarki Bergsson, Head of Resources and Products.

The collaborative project Minimization of myocardial infarction in lobster with enzyme inhibition and subcooling has been completed, which was supported by the AVS Fisheries Research Fund (R 052-10). The research project was carried out in collaboration with Skinney Þinganes, Ramm, Vinnslustöðin and Matís.

The results of the project are available in Matís Report 25-11. Among the results of the project were procedural guidelines regarding subcooling and enzyme handling of lobster practices that have strengthened the foundations of lobster fishing in Iceland and thus lobster processing in Iceland. Before embarking on the project, it was found that less than a third and even up to half of the catch, in individual specific cases, had symptoms of myocardial infarction. At the beginning of the project, it was estimated that due to myocardial infarction, the value of lobster products was 10% lower than otherwise. It is the participants' opinion that the new procedure has halved myocardial infarction and there is therefore a likelihood that improved procedures will result in a 5% increase in the value of lobster products, based on the assumptions of the project at the beginning.

Participants stated that without AVS support, the project would not have improved the competitive position of Icelandic lobster processing.

For further information Arnljótur Bjarki Bergsson, Head of Resources and Products.

The Icelandic web award was presented some time ago at a solemn ceremony in Gamla Bíó. Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir, Minister of Industry and Trade, was the guest of honor at the awards ceremony.

The Icelandic Web Award is the harvest festival of the web industry in Iceland, held with the aim of strengthening the industry, rewarding outstanding projects and encouraging those who work in this field to do well. The award was first presented in 2000 and has grown and prospered with each passing year.

This time, awards were given in 14 categories, but the number of categories reflects the breadth of the projects that the web industry in Iceland is involved in.

Matís website chosen as the best website in the category "Best public website" and Matís members are incredibly proud of this award. At the top of my mind is gratitude to Hugsmiðjan for a very good collaboration and to the jury for choosing www.matis.is the best website in this category.

The opinion of the jury is particularly interesting as the employees have worked together since the establishment of Matís to show that the company is strong in the field of research and consulting in the food and biotechnology industry, there is a fun atmosphere and you can feel great "dynamics" in all the company's work. all things that enable the business to adapt quickly to changing circumstances.

Jury opinion:

"The best public website

The jury was very pleased that the competition for the best public website was fierce and many candidates were available. The website that was chosen as the best public website is attractive, fun and interesting and delivers the content well. The setup of the website is simple but user-friendly and managed to connect with the user in a way that many public institutions are hesitant to apply, but returns the service and information to the user much better than the striped "bureau-speak" institutional websites of the past.

The best official website is: www.matis.is. The partner is Hugsmiðjan "