My main interest is in process analytical chemistry improving analytical data through the use of rapid at-line, on-line or in-line instruments. I think this is the key tool in efforts to improve asset productivity, lower manufacturing costs and to improve product quality, especially using near-infrared (NIR), mid-infrared (IR) and Raman. Years with, especially NIR, have given me the opportunity to work close to many Norwegian abattoirs and meat companies. My main purpose have been to make industrial on-line calibrations for measuring the amount of fat, water and protein in fresh and frozen ground meat when it comes from the outlet of the blenders.
When working for the salmon industry, the most important parameters they want are the amount of fat and colour, either in salmon filets or in whole fish. For producers of fish for baccalao, it’s needed to know the amount of water that’s left in dried cod or Pollack. For these applications I use, in collaborating with fantastic colleagues, a relative new developed online non-contact NIR transflection system.
I even have a major interest in the mechanisms for developing the rigor mortis processes in beef muscles due to electrical stimulation, stress, low temperature, muscle shortening / tension, and tenderness measured by sensory or instrumental methods like Instron (Warner Bratzler).
At Matforsk I’m involved in two of ten basic research projects:
· Effective assessment of food quality by rapid spectroscopic and sensor techniques, and
· From proteome to protein functionality
I finished in 1969 my education as a laboratory technologist. After that time I have attend several courses at the Agricultural University of Norway, Department of Food Science as in: Process technology, statistical quality control, multivariate data analysis, meat technology.
I’m a member of the Center for Biospectroscopy and Datamodelling.
