Year: 2014

Stefán B. Sigurðsson, Rector of the University of Akureyri, Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís, and Ögmundur Knútsson, President of the School of Business and Natural Sciences at the University of Akureyri, recently signed a co-operation agreement.

The agreement lays the foundation for further strengthening of research and education in fisheries sciences, food sciences and biotechnology as well as collaboration in other areas of teaching and research, with the aim of being at the forefront in Iceland in the fields related to fisheries sciences and biotechnology, both taught at the University of Akureyri. One of the aims of the agreement is to strengthen teaching and research in the field of fisheries science, food science and biotechnology, among other things through access to international funds and co-operation in the field of utilization of Arctic resources.

Its goal is also to increase the number of people studying and researching in these fields, integrate research and development projects in the field of sustainable resource utilization, processing technology, biotechnology, food safety and public health, to mobilize more Matís employees in teaching at the University of Akureyri and give Matís employees the opportunity to to receive a professional academic evaluation from the University of Akureyri / School of Business and Natural Sciences and the possibility of visiting teaching positions, as articles will be published under the auspices of both parties, as well as sharing facilities, facilities and equipment.

The University of Akureyri is an Icelandic research university that takes an active part in international research. The university has about 1600 students in undergraduate and graduate studies, in on-site and distance learning. Fisheries science has been taught at the University of Akureyri since 1990 and biotechnology since 2002. The subjects are now taught at the Faculty of Natural Resources and the School of Natural Sciences at the University of Akureyri, which has also offered master's studies in fisheries and resource studies. Due to the nature of the study, teaching in fisheries science has from the beginning been carried out in collaboration with domestic fisheries companies and companies in related disciplines.

Matís is the largest research institute in the country that conducts research and innovation in the field of food and biotechnology for the benefit of the economy, public health and food and food security. Matís plays an extensive role in services in the field of research, education and innovation. Emphasis has been placed on meeting the needs of food producers and entrepreneurs, in collaboration with the education system, among other things in the form of practical projects with the participation of students.

The picture shows Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís, Ögmundur Knútsson, President of the School of Business and Natural Sciences at the University of Akureyri, Rannveig Björnsdóttir, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Natural Resources at the University of Akureyri and Director of Matís, and Stefán B. Sigurðsson, Rector of the University of Akureyri.

_{News written by Hjalti Þór Sveinsson and first published on the website of the University of Akureyri, www.unak.is.}

Helga Franklínsdóttir gives a lecture on her project for a master's degree in food science. The project is called "Application of waterjet cutting in processing of cod and salmon fillets"

When does this event start: January 30, 2014 - 3:30 p.m.
Further location: Matís, Vínlandsleið 12, 113 Reykjavík

Abstract

The aim of this project was to create knowledge about water cutting in fish that could be used in the design of FleXicut. FleXicut is a water cutting technology developed for whitefish with a focus on cod that is able to cut different patterns and curved cuts. The relationship between water-cutting conditions, species, physical properties and temperature in fillets was investigated. Cod and salmon fillets were tested using different pre-cooling methods and fillets either with or without skin. The main conditions for a good cut were the quality and purity of the cut to determine the range of the best cutting conditions. The results showed that the cutting speed is most important when it comes to the quality of fish fillets, as the salt in the fillets increases with increasing cutting speed. The connective tissue was the main problem in the tail trim, as the incision could not be penetrated, especially for cod fillets. The subcooling before the cut showed a better cut and less salinity in the fillets. This was more important for salmon fillets compared to cod fillets where the quality of the cut through the skin and tail trim was much better.

Keywords: Water cutting, subcooling, X-ray, cutting speed, pressure, tip size, saddle, connective tissue.

Supervisors

Sigurjón Arason, professor of martial arts at the University of Iceland and Matís' chief engineer, dr. Kristín Anna Þórarinsdóttir, project manager of Marel and Ásbjörn Jónsson, project manager of Matís

Examiner

Dr. Björn Margeirsson, research director of Promens Dalvík and Promens Tempra.

International co-operation is extensive in Matís' operations. The company has, despite its young age, established a connection and reputation abroad. Matís has purposefully and consciously increased its emphasis on foreign projects, as they strengthen operations in this country, strengthen Icelandic scientific work in general, strengthen the economy and ultimately benefit the general Icelander in the form of more and more diverse employment opportunities and opportunities for the country.

Icelanders pay a considerable amount to joint research funds in Europe, and with foreign scientific collaboration, that funding can in fact be recovered, with a good return if done well. The basis for this is a strong core of scientists and it is present in Matís. We are increasingly finding that we are being looked at by foreign parties, as the results of our foreign co-operation projects have been good. We have many desirable things to offer and we can strengthen Iceland's position with the knowledge we acquire through this co-operation. Through international projects, we gain access to facilities we would not otherwise have and a connection to expertise in specific areas.

Seventh European Research Program (FP7)

It is difficult to discuss partners and project collaboration without mentioning Matís' role in European research programs. During the year, Matís participated in 22 projects of the 7th research program. Few companies of the size of Matís in Iceland or abroad can boast of such.

In addition to participating in these projects, the company is the supervisor and leads six of these 22 projects. Such supervision of projects, let alone in this number of projects, is only given to companies that are highly valued at the international level and meet all the requirements that powerful research companies must meet, in terms of staff skills and knowledge, facilities and equipment for research and not least in terms of responsible operation. The total value for Matís in 2013 in projects related to the research plans is around and over ISK 300 million. It is clear that such funds strengthen the position of Icelandic research and scientific work to a great extent.

Here is a list of projects in which Matís is involved and related to the 7th European Research Program. Tasks marked with an asterisk are projects where Matís is in charge of the project:

With increased international scientific collaboration, it can be said that a leaf is broken. Icelanders have known about the export of goods for centuries, and it is worth mentioning the fishing industry. This includes both the export of raw materials and also more processed products. In our scientific work, it can be said that we are moving from the export of raw materials to the utilization of Icelandic knowledge of food production, the nation's basic industry through the centuries. Because we turn "knowledge raw materials" into an even more valuable product that we can both use in further efforts abroad and also here at home, for development in food production. In addition to us at Matís, other domestic researchers, institutions, universities and companies benefit from this.

Matís' structure and the company's priorities enable us to advance abroad. We have expertise in many aspects of the fisheries sector and we can also mention unique conditions for biotechnology research in this country due to, for example, the thermal areas, glaciers and nature both on land and in the sea. Many industries could therefore benefit from the foreign work that Matís has started, but not least the opportunities are clearest in the fisheries sector. New emphases in this field include market-related projects and emphases related to environmental issues and environmental impact. We Icelanders certainly have the opportunity to create an even stronger position in the world's product markets with our fish products. Matís International Work will help in that work in the coming years.

A similar story is being told about Icelandic agriculture. This field will open up opportunities in the near future abroad, not least with increased scientific and research work. Matís also looks at their possibilities.

Our scientists perceive that abroad we have a reputation to build on. Not just because we are Icelanders but because we can, know and know.

A "kick-off" meeting was recently held in Iceland for a new project, EnRichMar, led by Matís and funded for two years through the European Union's 7th Framework Program. In addition to Matís, the Icelandic companies Grímur kokkur, which produces prepared seafood dishes, and Marinox, which produces bioactive substances from seaweed, participate in the project.

A "kick-off" meeting was recently held in Iceland for a new project, EnRichMar, led by Matís and funded for two years through the European Union's 7th Framework Program. In addition to Matís, the Icelandic companies Grímur kokkur, which produces prepared seafood dishes, and Marinox, which produces bioactive substances from seaweed, participate in the project. The project also includes the food companies Ruislandia in Finland and Den Eelder in the Netherlands, followed by BioActive Foods in Norway, which produces omega powders and oils, and the research institutes VTT in Finland, TNO in the Netherlands and the University of Milan in Italy.

The idea for the EnRichMar project has developed through a collaboration between Matís and Gríms kokk in the Westman Islands since 2008. A project was started that aimed to develop products that were fortified with biomaterials from Icelandic seafood such as algae, fish proteins and omega-3 fatty acids and was supported. by the AVS Fisheries Research Fund. Subsequently, a grant was received from the Nordic Innovation Fund for work in the same field. In general, it could be concluded from these projects that the enrichment of seafood is a realistic possibility, and by utilizing raw materials from the sea in finished consumer products, their value increases. There has been a step further in product development with Icelandic ingredients from the sea for incorporation into food, and market opportunities have been created here, both for the domestic market and for export by utilizing unused seafood in more valuable products.

The use of omega-3 and bioactive substances from algae in food could contribute to a positive health effect on food consumption and food stability. The main goal of EnRichMar is actually twofold. On the one hand, to develop seafood, dairy and cereal products enriched with omega-3 and study the effects of consuming such products on mental and brain function, and on the other hand, such products are enriched with bioactive substances from algae and study the effects of food consumption on inflammation and oxidative stress. .

The development of ready-to-eat foods with bioactive ingredients is an important issue for the food industry both here at home and elsewhere in Europe. The purpose of the project is to strengthen the competitive position and increase the market share of the companies in the project and create new opportunities in the markets.

For further information Kolbrún Sveinsdóttir, project manager at Matís

Co-operation project between the German and Icelandic governments, Safe foods, has now been launched. The main purpose of the project is to increase food safety and consumer protection in Iceland by increasing the monitoring of undesirable substances in food.

Safe foods enables the Icelandic authorities, the Food Administration and the municipal health inspectorate to better enforce legislation on food safety and consumer protection, which has already been implemented through the EEA Agreement. The project includes the purchase and installation of research equipment and training in accredited chemical analysis and monitoring work. With improved equipment, it will be possible to perform many more measurements domestically than is currently the case, such as measurements of algae toxins in shellfish and measurements of 300 pesticides in food instead of the 60 currently measured.

Safe foods was originally part of the IPA plan for Iceland's accession negotiations with the EU, but has now been implemented in the form of a bilateral project between the German and Icelandic governments. The project is carried out in collaboration with Matís, Matvælastofnun, the Ministry of Industry and Innovation, the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and the Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES) in Germany.

Further information can be found in the document Safe foods | Actions and yields and at Margrét Björk Sigurðardóttir at the Food Administration (MAST) and Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir at Matís.

The Spring in the Air 2014 project is an initiative of Matís ohf in collaboration with the municipalities of Vesturbyggð and Tálknafjarðarhreppur. The project is intended to encourage interested residents in the municipalities to implement their ideas in the field of food production and biotechnology.

The project will run for one year and is expected to deliver at least three fully developed ideas by the end of the project.

The purpose of the Spring in the Air 2014 project is to increase the possibility of increased processing of raw materials and thus increase the value added of the raw materials available in the southern Westfjords. There is great potential in the valuable raw materials that are created in the area, both at sea and on land. There are many opportunities to process the raw material into a valuable product or to develop new products from what is obtained during the processing of the raw material. There is a great deal of knowledge and experience regarding fishing and processing of catfish, but in addition, aquaculture is a powerful and growing profession in the southern Westfjords. In Arnarfjörður, lime algae is processed by the Icelandic Lime Algae Association in Bíldudalur, where most of the products are exported abroad, but some are processed in Iceland for human consumption. Agriculture has been hit hard in the area, but both sheep farming and milk production are driven by beauty on at least a few lands in the county. Therefore, there are many possibilities for improved utilization and processing of products from the area and it is possible to significantly improve the profitability of operations with increased value creation at home. Companies and municipalities in Barðastrandarsýsla are very aware of environmentally friendly and good treatment of nature and the ecosystem and many of the companies have organic certification or other types of recognized environmental certifications in their production which significantly strengthens their position in competition. Such certification is to the advantage of the region as a whole in the marketing of products and services, as the public's environmental awareness is constantly increasing.

The aim of the Spring in the Air 2014 project is to support ideas that entrepreneurs in the area have and help them implement the ideas. Such assistance with ideas lays a strong foundation for start-up projects that can then grow and prosper in the hands of local people and thus contribute to strengthening the economy and society as a whole in the southern Westfjords. The ideas that will be supported by Matís will have in common that it will be possible to see tangible results during the project period and at least three fully formed ideas, products or business plans will be created during the twelve months that the initiative will run. It is expected that the results of the Spring in the Air 2014 project will be formally announced in the autumn of 2014 and the products of those who have participated in the development will be presented on that occasion.

The project has already been presented at open meetings held in four places, Patreksfjörður, Tálknafjörður, Bíldudalur and Barðaströnd, in mid-December and the reception from the locals was excellent. A further elaboration of the ideas that have emerged and a decision on the projects that will be part of the Spring in the Air 2014 initiative will be made. Those who have shown interest in participating will define their ideas better in the coming weeks in collaboration with Matís staff and prepare a work plan. . Work on product development and implementation of each idea is expected to begin in early February, when agreements have been made with partners and participants.

The project Spring in the Air 2014 is funded by the Research and Innovation Fund of Vestur-Barðastrandarsýsla and Matís, in addition to which the projects of entrepreneurs will be carried out in collaboration with the municipalities of Vesturbyggð and Tálknafjarðarhreppur as far as possible.

Further information about the project Spring in the Air 2014 is provided by Lilja Magnúsdóttir, an employee of Matís in Patreksfjörður (858-5085, liljam@matis.is).

Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís, and Vilhjálmur Egilsson, Rector of Bifröst University, signed an agreement today to the effect that Matís will teach and develop courses in food management, a new course that will be offered at Bifröst University from next autumn.

Courses that Matís will supervise are directly related to the content, treatment and production of food and cover about a quarter of studies in business administration. Under the supervision of the program, Matís organizes and handles teaching in many of the courses that are directly related to food management. The courses are, for example, in nutrition, food microbiology, food processing, food legislation and quality issues.

Bifröst University intends to meet the demands of the business community throughout the country, which is increasingly interested in increasing innovation and development in the field of food production and operations by offering studies in food management from the autumn of 2014. Emphasis is placed on the entire value chain from primary production to sale to the final consumer. The study is 180 ECTS and ends with a BS degree in Business Administration with an emphasis on food management and it will be possible to pursue it in distance learning and on-site study or a combination of the two.  

Matís is the largest research institute in the country that conducts research and innovation in the field of food and biotechnology for the benefit of the economy, public health and food and food security. Matís plays an extensive role in services in the field of research, education and innovation. Emphasis has been placed on meeting the needs of food producers and entrepreneurs, in collaboration with the education system, including in the form of practical projects with student participation and teaching of certain courses in food science and industrial engineering at the University of Iceland, University of Akureyri, Agricultural University of Iceland and United Nations Fisheries University. Matís can thus offer teachers, connections to the business community and facilities for theoretical and practical teaching. Bifröst University is now joining Matís' group of partners.

Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís, and Vilhjálmur Egilsson, Rector of Bifröst University, signed an agreement today to the effect that Matís will teach and develop courses in food management, a new course that will be offered at Bifröst University from next autumn. In the picture is also Guðjón Þorkelsson, stage manager at Matís.

Further information is provided by Guðjón Þorkelsson.

A good reputation involves great value and opportunities for further value creation. In order to be able to further increase value creation in the value chain of Icelandic food, it is essential that the safety of production can be demonstrated, taking into account laws, regulations and market requirements. 

Following various incidents (food scandals / outbreaks) recently. This year, the importance of food safety in food marketing has increased even more and is today a key factor in securing export earnings. There are various examples of negative media coverage and the internet having in a short time destroyed the positive image of food production that has taken decades to build. Short response times are key to food security threats.

In order to be able to defend Icelandic business interests in this context, it is necessary that the country has the necessary expertise and facilities for research in this country. It is also crucial that there is accessible data on the status of Icelandic food with regard to safety, health and traceability. Without this, there is a significant chance that measures will be ineffective, export interests will be harmed and the public and our customers abroad will lose confidence that the government and companies will be able to ensure the safety of Icelandic food production.

But what does this mean for us Icelanders? For example, for our largest export industry; the Icelandic fishing industry? Aren't things fine with us? Fortunately, problems that can be directly linked to the Icelandic fishing industry have been rare in recent years. If you look at the story, however, there are many examples. Emphasis on quality management, catch cooling and good research and monitoring work, which has, for example, shown that the amount of heavy metals in seafood off the coast of Iceland is negligible in most cases is one of the factors that has built up a good reputation of Icelandic seafood. But if we look to the future - and indeed to the present - it is clear that we need to be vigilant about reputational risk.

In recent years, drainage issues have been somewhat discussed in the media, and one such issue received extensive coverage in the recent New Year's acquisition of state television. Today, a small part of the sewage is treated, but some effort has been made to provide sewage further from land, so that coastal areas are free of sewage pollution. It is fairly certain that the environment around the sewage outlet is more or less polluted by faecal bacteria and not least Noroviruses, which are considered to be a very common cause of intestinal infections and among other things are responsible for about 20 million infections each year in the United States alone.

Most health control areas in the country have regular monitoring of pollution due to sewage pollution in the sea, where samples are taken regularly about 10-100m from land and measured for the faecal bacteria E.coli and Enterococcus. The results of these measurements do not indicate that these microorganisms are a problem off the coast of Iceland, as is the case in various important areas for aquaculture, such as the Mekong River in Vietnam.

On the other hand, no results are available for noroviruses in sewage or fishing grounds. Recent studies on shellfish in Europe have shown dangerous contamination by norovirus, despite the fact that monitoring by competent authorities has not shown contamination by faecal bacteria. Due to the prevalence of norovirus infections and the resistance of noroviruses to harsh environments, this should not really come as a surprise. As a result, it can probably be expected that a more detailed limit will be set for the classification of shellfish fishing areas, as both E.coli and norovirus pollution will be taken into account.

Despite this, noroviruses have in fact been a relatively limited risk for most Icelandic seafood products - so far. When the utilization of slog is increasing, as has been the case lately. years - we need to pay special attention to the risks posed by noroviruses. This is especially true in cases where heat treatment of the slag is limited, as will always be the case if one intends to develop products with bioactivity, for example in use in cosmetic and or medical products. In my opinion, it is very important here that people work especially hard and use the best knowledge for development and production.  

There would be a great risk that the reputation of Icelandic seafood would suffer a serious blow if a group infection caused by norovirus were traced to Icelandic seafood products. This could be a bigger crisis than we have known before.

Global crises have changed - and will continue to change - the world's food security environment. The bean sprout case cost 53 lives and over 3900 became infected in connection with the consumption of… ..yes on what? At first it was thought that Spanish vegetable producers had the main responsibility, but in the end the case was traced to bean sprouts that entered the European market from Egypt. One of those who stood to say the least in the line of fire in the bean sprout case was a professor, dr. dr. Andreas Henzel, President of BfR, one of the world's most respected organizations in the field of food risk assessment. Sami Andreas Henzel is now leading a large group of German experts who will assist Matís and MAST in the Safe Food project, which will include the installation and accreditation of new equipment that will enable us to measure algae toxins in shellfish and fulfill those obligations. which Iceland has acceded to under the EEA Agreement.

The most well-known crisis in food production last year is probably the "Big Horse Meat Issue", which shook the European food market to say the least this winter. Magnús Bjarnason at Icelandic Group mentioned the horsemeat issue in a special speech at the last LÍÚ general meeting. autumn, no wonder. The issue has really changed Europe's food markets. As most people know, the issue of horsemeat was basically that unscrupulous food producers had replaced beef with a much cheaper raw material - horsemeat - and thus actually engaged in product fraud. Apparently, consumer anger was high - which was partly reflected in the fact that they turned from beef - or horse consumption - to seafood. Death has always been another's bread.

Genetics and the use of genetic methods to identify the differences between beef and horsemeat proved to be the key to the emergence of fraud, but fraud in the beef value chain was undeniably aimed at targeting other value chains in food production. This was followed by various discoveries, such as rats instead of lamb in China - and one fish species instead of another in many parts of the world.

And then we're really into counterfeiting - they are not necessarily dangerous to human health - like the noroviruses, but counterfeiting carries a great deal of reputational risk, not least now in the age of rapid media coverage and the dissemination of information on the internet. It is also important to keep in mind the changes that food markets are currently undergoing, both in terms of market areas and production, where emerging market countries play a key role.

There is nothing new about people not being completely honest when it comes to identifying fish species. But after the horsemeat scandal, the risks involved need to be made clear. Matís proved to be a difficult task to finance the purchase of equipment that enables us to fulfill Iceland's obligations under the EEA Agreement, and this did not succeed until the current Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture took up the matter, as he was well aware of the Icelandic food industry's export interests. On the other hand, various food producers are better equipped than public limited companies in Iceland. Mike Mitchell, of Youngs Seafood, told the World Seafood Congress this fall that the company had used genetic engineering to analyze whether suppliers were selling them other fish species than they were giving up. My mind tells me that Youngs is not the only one who has done that.

Such investments by food producers are not a coincidence. In this context, Tilapiu has often been cited as an example of cheap whitefish that can in fact take on almost any role when it comes to the production of seafood. Tilapíun has thus been compared to Meryl Streep, who is undeniably a very versatile actress who can handle various roles. The big difference, however, is that when Meryl Streep plays in a movie, she appears on the list of actors. This has not always been the case with Tilapiu, or other cheaper fish species that have found their way under recipes under "pseudonyms".  

Such "pseudonyms" are dishonest practices and counterfeits towards buyers. Counterfeits that create an unequal competitive environment for honest producers and promote consumer disbelief. I would therefore like to repeat my words that it is very important that the Icelandic fisheries sector is able to show buyers that production here is in accordance with laws, regulations and market requirements. In this way, we will build a foundation for further value creation in the fisheries knowledge industry.

Recently, the most beautiful Icelandic word was chosen. I do not intend to elaborate on the results of the election here, but I would like to quote the words of Friðleif Friðleifsson at Iceland Seafood, who said at the last LÍÚ general meeting. autumn something to the effect that the word DELIVERY SECURITY was one of the most beautiful words in the Icelandic language in his opinion. I agree with Friðleifur in many ways, but I would like to point out another good Icelandic word that is very important for value creation in the Icelandic fisheries sector. It's become PROBLEMS.

In Hávamál Snorri Edda says that celebrities never die, if people have a good word for themselves. Hopefully that is right, because Icelandic foods have a good reputation and reputation to protect. However, we need to keep in mind that the internet, along with various other things, has changed the dissemination of information in a dramatic way lately. years, i.e. it is not certain that Snorri is quite right, although many good tips can certainly be found in Hávamál.

Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís.

Voices that consumers have accurate information about food are becoming more and more intense. Whether it is information on content, traceability or nutritional value, there are a large number of people, especially in Western societies, who consider themselves useful for such information.

But what is the value of the various information on food?

Technology is advancing in terms of data storage. The companies GS1 and Matís have collaborated on, among other things, food traceability, but within GS1 there is extensive knowledge, for example, of the possible uses of bar labels. Many people want to say that the bar codes can be used much better than they are today, and GS1 is working on just that. For example, in the near future it may be possible to scan barcodes to obtain information not only about the name or price of a product but also about the origin of the product, the process the product has gone through in production and transport, facilities and the minimum wage of production workers. of the product, how much the production and transport of the product polluted (eg carbon footprint), ingredients, allergens and intolerances or nutritional value?

If we specifically mention the origin and traceability of food, many Icelandic consumers have found it important to know where the food comes from or the raw materials used to produce it. Many also consider it important to be able to trace back all the steps of manufacturing, transporting and marketing a product, and some say that it is not possible to make an informed decision about purchasing a product until information on origin as well as traceability is available. The demand for this is becoming more and more intense, not least because of the consumer's demand that food is in every way safe for consumption and does not harm us.

The opportunities are great when it comes to food labeling and education about them

Several companies that Matís has worked well with are pioneering in bringing information about food to consumers. FooDoIt (for food do it) is one such. The employees of that company have used the Matís databases on the chemical content of food (ÍSGEM) to design a user-friendly program that can be used to retrieve information about almost any ingredient in food. Such information can be useful to many people, such as people with diabetes, people with intolerance or allergy to certain ingredients, people who want to cut sugar consumption with a nail (eg the low-carbohydrate diet) or those who want handy information about the energy content of foods that consumed. An experiment with such items was recently set up in Matís' canteen at Vínlandsleið 12 and employees received information about various things related to lunch that day. In the future, another experiment will be carried out where employees, if they wish, can use information from FooDoIt's programs and compare it with their needs and behavior patterns that day. In this way, for example, an honest attempt can be made to keep food consumption within the limits currently set by the body's energy metabolism or to supplement it if necessary; all specially designed for each one.

There are many more interesting things to look at, and smartphones and smartwatches come into play in many things that are being examined and tested.

Krónan has now, for the first time in Icelandic stores, set up a fun small program where you can scan all their products to get information about prices. The program also allows consumers to add products to their shopping list and find out what offers are going on, for example.

Recently, Matís came up with a suitable smartphone app for sailors. The purpose of this program is to give fishermen the opportunity to realize how much ice is needed to use the cooling of the raw material from the beginning, but this is a prerequisite for quality to remain completely at the consumer's table. Proper cooling at the beginning not only ensures quality and freshness, but also helps ensure that the food is safe to consume when placed on the plate. Information about ísAPP Matís can be found here.

It's fun to think about future possibilities in food information. For example, will it be possible in the near future to push a shopping cart through a so-called gate in supermarkets in this country where all products are scanned at once? With such a system, where there is a microchip in the product packaging, it would not be necessary to scan one product at a time, but all the products would be scanned in almost a fraction of a second when the shopping cart is pushed through this gate. It would then be possible to pay for the products with the smartphone, but smartphone payments have already become quite common in this country. Such a system could save significant time on grocery shopping trips and also allow stores to reduce the risk of theft.

Shopping carts with artificial intelligence

Whole Foods Market in the United States has experimented with special shopping carts where a scanner provides information about the product that is placed in the cart. This is of great benefit to consumers, as the purpose is to provide information on the various aspects of products, such as prices or intolerances and allergens, and how these products are suitable for the consumer who shops for food. In addition, you do not have to wait in line for an employee to scan the food, but go straight to the payment gateway to pay, for example, with a smartphone or transfer from the buyer's account. Videos about this experiment can be found here.

So in the future, consumers can connect to their refrigerators with a smartphone through a special app that provides information about the "status" of the refrigerator and what is needed to buy in the store?

The opportunities are endless and it's easy to let your imagination run wild!

In modern society, the demands are ever greater when it comes to food information. Icelandic food production is in many respects comparable to food production in other countries. However, there are opportunities to do even better and there are great opportunities in having information that consumers do not even know today that they could benefit from and enjoy. It can therefore be said that both food producers and consumers, and perhaps the health authorities, could benefit from an even greater flow of information from all stages of food production.

For more information Steinar B. Aðalbjörnsson and Sigríður Sigurðardóttir at Matís.

It is fundamental that we as consumers can trust that the food we eat does not harm us or threaten our health.

"In order to ensure food safety, it is therefore necessary that monitoring and research on food raw materials and production is active and in line with the rapid development and innovation that has taken place in the food industry," says Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir, director of chemical research and risk assessment at Matís.

There are various factors that can affect the health of food, but in addition to pathogenic pathogens that can be passed on to people who consume food, foods can also contain substances that can affect our health in the long run. These include persistent organic pollutants such as dioxins and PCBs. These substances are fat-soluble and can be passed on to people with food and threaten our health slowly and sharply.

"Long-term research into the effects of harmful and polluting substances in food is extremely important for our public health and well-being. Equipment and expertise must be adequate to meet the growing demands of consumers and public food safety regulators. Food legislation in Iceland is largely the same as in other parts of Europe, and in order to be able to demonstrate competitive and comparable food and environmental research, strong co-operation is needed between the institutions and parties involved in this area. These include laboratories, food producers, universities and the government, "says Helga.

Matís works diligently to promote improved food security in Iceland and the company's diverse activities involve a wide range of food safety and product health aspects. A major part of the operation is microbial and chemical measurements, where thousands of samples are processed annually from various parties in the food industry and official regulators. This involves microbiological and chemical research on samples from food, drinking water and the sea, but in addition to processing samples from food producers, Matís also provides monitoring and security services for the government. The part of the activity that deals with the safety and monitoring of undesirable substances in food is, among other things, measurements of pesticide residues in food and persistent organic pollutants such as PCBs. Measurements of pesticide residues aim to screen for various auxiliaries used in the cultivation of fruits and vegetables such as insecticides, herbicides and drug licenses.

"We have accredited measurements for public regulatory bodies in this country, which means that our measurements have received a certain quality certification. The government and other regulatory bodies can then contact us with measurements where certain quality standards must be followed. Matís has also been nominated as the Icelandic reference laboratory for microbial research on shellfish and for measurements of Salmonella in food. We have shown that our measurements for these research areas comply with European standards and we are responsible for ensuring that approved methods are available and that we can guide other laboratories with such measurements, "says Helga.

"Our goal is to be a leader in food and environmental research. The results of our research have yielded important information about consumer products and the environment in Iceland, which is useful not only domestically but also abroad, "says Helga, adding that an important project is now underway in the development of food safety, which is expected to be completed in end of 2014. This is a project that aims to enable the competent Icelandic authorities, the Food Administration and the municipal health inspectorate to better enforce regulations on food safety and consumer protection that have already been implemented through the EEA Agreement.

"The key goal of this project is to further increase food safety in Iceland by, among other things, creating better research facilities and the ability to perform chemical analyzes of the most common dangers in food and develop new measurement methods and procedures for competent food control. The project is therefore necessary for Iceland to be able to meet the increased obligations that we have undertaken with the adoption of food legislation, "says Helga.

For further information Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir at Matís.