Reports

By-products from whitefish processing / By-products from catfish processing

Published:

01/07/2016

Authors:

Ásbjörn Jónsson, Jónas R. Viðarsson

Contact

Jónas Rúnar Viðarsson

Director of Business and Development

jonas@matis.is

By-products from whitefish processing / By-products from catfish processing

This report summarizes information on the utilization of important catfish species in Iceland, explains which products are processed from the resulting raw material and examines the possibilities for increased utilization of by-product raw materials. The report is prepared in connection with the Nordic research project "Alt i land" led by the Faroese company Syntesa. "Alt i land" is part of the Faroese Presidency's program of the Nordic Council of Ministers, which examines the current utilization and possibilities for improving utilization in catfish processing in the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Norway and Iceland. The main results from this project show that utilization in catfish processing in Iceland is significantly higher than in the other countries. In addition to publishing this report, Matís has held two workshops in connection with the project, where stakeholders came together to discuss possible opportunities to increase utilization and value creation in catfish processing.

The objective of this report is to analyze the current utilization of the most important Icelandic whitefish species and identify possibilities for improving utilization of by-raw materials even further. The report is a part of a larger international project, called “Alt i land”, which is led by the Faroese company Syntesa. Alt i land is a part of the Faroese chairmanship program at the Nordic Ministers of council. The objective of Alt i land is to study and compare utilization in whitefish processing in Faroe Islands, Greenland, Norway and Iceland, and to suggest how utilization can be improved in these countries. The main results from that project show that utilization is much higher in Iceland than in the other countries. In addition to publishing this report, Matís has facilitated a series of workshops with selected stakeholders where potentials in increasing utilization have been discussed.

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Reports

Héðinn's Protein Factory (HPP) and Héðinn's Fish Oil Factory (HOP) / Hedinn protein plant and Hedinn oil plant

Published:

01/09/2014

Authors:

Magnús Valgeir Gíslason, Gunnar Pálsson, Sindri Freyr Ólafsson, Arnljótur Bjarki Bergsson, Björn Margeirsson, Sigurjón Arason, Magnea G. Karlsdóttir

Supported by:

AVS Fisheries Research Fund (R10 084-10 and R12 039-12)

Contact

Sigurjón Arason

Chief Engineer

sigurjon.arason@matis.is

Héðinn's Protein Factory (HPP) and Héðinn's Fish Oil Factory (HOP) / Hedinn protein plant and Hedinn oil plant

The aim of the project was to develop automatic fishmeal and fish oil factories (HPP and HOP). The factories are automatic, environmentally friendly and can run on electricity, steam or residual heat. The production process for fishmeal has been redesigned in many ways. Knowledge of the process control and physical properties of the raw material is based on a traditional fishmeal process, and this knowledge is used as a basis for the development of equipment for processing seafood. Experiments with HPP were divided into two main components: 1) testing of new equipment and production processes and 2) evaluation of material and energy flow in the production process. The main emphasis is on extra raw materials that are created in fish processing for human consumption, such as slag and bones from white fish. Tests have also shown the excellence of the factory for processing flour and fish oil from by-products from shrimp processing, salmon processing and pelagic fish processing, but these raw materials have been used in the production of fishmeal and fish oil for decades and their properties are known. Experiments with the HOP factory consisted of testing different welding times and temperatures during welding, as well as limiting the availability of oxygen to raw materials during processing. The results show that HPP and HOP have the ability to produce fishmeal and describe previously little used raw materials. The quality of the fishmeal and fish oil depended on the quality of the raw material that went into the factory. For a small factory located near a fish processing plant, the freshness of the raw material should not be a problem. Chemical measurements of flour and fish oil showed a low water content in the fish oil and a low fat content in the flour, which underlines that the new equipment used in the factory works as well as expected.

The aim of the project is to develop an automatic fish meal and fish oil factory (HPP and HOP). The factory is automatic, environmentally friendly and runs on electricity, steam or waste heat. The manufacturing process and equipment for fish meal has been redesigned in various ways. The knowledge on the process management and the properties of the raw material based on fish meal processing will serve as a basis for the companies to develop new equipment for the full processing of marine products. Experiments with HPP consisted of two main parts: 1) testing new equipment and manufacturing process and 2) examination of mass- and energy flow through the process. Focus was on by-products from processing fish for human consumption eg viscera from whitefish and bones. Also experiments have been conducted on shell from shrimp and pelagic fish which has been used for fish meal processing for decades with its well-known properties. Experiments with HOP factory consist of testing different cooking time and temperature, in addition to limit accessibility of oxygen to the raw material in the process. The results showed that HPP and HOP can produce fish meal and fish oil from previously little utilized by-products of many species. The quality of the fish meal and oil depended on freshness on the raw material. For a small factory that can be stationed close to a fish processing plant, the freshness of raw material should not be a problem. Measurement of low water content in fish oil and low fat content in the meal, states that the new equipment and process are giving results as hoped.

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