Vardin Pelagic in the Faroe Islands Chose "the Icelandic Way" for One of the Most Modern Pelagic Fish Processing Solutions in the World

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Apr 02, 2012, 02:00 ET

REYKJAVIK, Iceland, April 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

The Faroese company Vardin Pelagic has chosen the Icelandic way for processing pelagic catches after making a detailed comparison with other solutions on the market. An agreement has been signed with the Icelandic companies Skaginn and Kælismidjan Frost to install one of the most modern and productive processing lines for pelagic fish in the world at Tvøroyri on Sudurey in the Faroe Islands. The Icelandic companies will introduce this revolutionary technology at the fisheries exhibition in Brussels on 24-26 April 2012.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20120402/523207-a )

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20120402/523207-b )

The technology, which the companies have developed with Icelandic pelagic fishing vessel owners, is based on non-pressure plate freezing instead of traditional blast freezing. It suits all species and forms of processing of pelagic fish. This is an environmentally sound solution that saves electric energy, reduces packaging costs and better utilises raw material. Its main advantages include:

The only completely automatic processing line on the market
Processing of 600-1000 tonnes per 24-hour period, with 20-25 employees in shifts
Lighter and more environmentally sound packaging, reducing packaging costs by 50%
Increased shelf life since the product is packaged in closed bags
4-5 times faster freezing than with traditional blast freezing
0.3-0.5% less shrinkage of raw material with thawing
Saving of electric energy is more than 0.1 kWh per frozen kilo
30% smaller freezing system than with blast freezing is required to freeze the same quantity
Smaller volume of machinery saves plant space, requiring fewer people for processing

"Other solutions out of picture"

Bogi Jacobsen, Vardin Pelagic's managing director, said that the Icelandic factory fulfils all of the company's requirements. "After this became clear, other solutions dropped out of the picture, as far as we were concerned," said Jacobsen. The factory in the Faroe Islands will be ready to go on 1 July 2012, only four months after the contract was signed. The agreement is for ISK 2.8 billion (€16 million).

"Advantageous and effective"

Matís* has confirmed with research that fish processed in the processing system from Skaginn and Frost maintains its quality better and shrinks less with thawing than fish processed with traditional blast freezing. Sigurjón Arason, chief engineer at Matís, said that the procedure has proved "both advantageous and effective." and there had been no visible difference in the appearance of products from the new non-pressure plate freezing and traditional blast freezing.

*Matís ohf. is an independent Icelandic food and biotech research and development institute.

For further information contact:

Skaginn | Ingólfur Árnason, manager | Tel. +354-430-2000 |

E-mail: [email protected] | http://www.skaginn.is

Kælismidjan Frost | Gudmundur Hannesson | Tel. +354-464-9400 |

E-mail: [email protected] | http://www.frost.is

SOURCE Vardin Pelagic