A new article presents results that strengthen the argument for the importance of good and disciplined work methods in the production of fish fillets. Although every effort is made to work well in processing fish into fillets, it may happen that fish do not find their way through the processing as quickly as expected or that fish pass through a space that is warmer than would be preferable. .
Prolongation of processing time and undesirable rise in temperature in fish fillets can lead to significant weight loss of products and have a corresponding effect on their value. The study is a new result of a long and successful collaboration between Matís and the United Nations University's Fisheries Academy with Icelandic fisheries companies as well as companies that serve the Icelandic fisheries sector.
An article has recently been approved for publication in the Journal of Food Engineering the effect of ambient temperature and waiting time of raw material in the processing of saithe and redfish fillets. The article is available online and will be published in the May issue of the Journal of Food Engineering. The article is based on a study conducted by a Chinese student at the United Nations University's School of Fisheries (UNU-FTP), Mu Gang, worked under the guidance of Icelandic instructors during his study stay in Iceland. Mu Gang's instructors were dr. Kristín Anna Þórarinsdóttir at Marel, Ásbjörn Jónsson and Arnljótur Bjarki Bergsson at Matís and the research was done at Matís.
The results of the study strengthen the arguments for the importance of good and disciplined work methods in the processing of fish fillets. Purposeful cooling plays a key role in preserving quality. As important as it is to minimize the damage to the fish from fishing to consumption, it is also important to reduce any delays that may occur in the processing process. As has been stated another level bleeding, haemorrhage (bleeding), washing and cooling are important on board fishing vessels, the same applies to the efficiency and maintenance of low temperatures during fillet processing.
Although every effort is always made to work well in the processing of fish into fillets, it may happen that fish do not get through the processing as fast as expected or that fish pass through a space that is warmer than it should be. voted. To simulate possible deviations from the procedures, fish were stored at 9 ° C, 16 ° C and 21 ° C and fillets were inspected every half hour. The longest stored fish was stored for 3 hours. Both large (634 g) and small (289 g) saithe fillets as well as redfish fillets (105 g) were examined.
The results of the study show well the consequences if one deviates from the established procedure, ie. to maintain a low temperature throughout the processing process, even if the deviation is short-lived. High ambient temperatures and processing delays lead to a reduction in the weight and value of products. It is therefore important to avoid bottlenecks that lead to the accumulation of fish in processing channels, especially in slightly chilled conditions. In addition, it is important that the temperature of the products during packaging is as close as possible to the storage temperature.
The knowledge created by the research is yet another fruit of Matís' long and successful collaboration with United Nations University School of Fisheries with Icelandic fisheries companies as well as companies that serve the Icelandic fisheries sector, such as Marel. Extensive knowledge is created in the university community and researchers have worked in extensive collaboration on its development and implementation at strong, responsible fisheries companies. Cooperation on the application of knowledge has enabled the Icelandic fishing industry to make great strides, and this has been noticed around the world. It has made the Icelandic fishing industry theirs knowledge industry who he is today and lives in the field for his development for the future.