Contact
Ólafur Reykdal
Project Manager
olafur.reykdal@matis.is
On November 29, a conference on grain cultivation in Iceland was held at Landgræðslan's headquarters in Gunnarsholt. It was stated that it is important to increase grain cultivation in the northern regions to meet the needs of mankind for healthy and nutritious food in the future.
The director of Landgræðslan said that there were large areas in Iceland that could be used to increase barley cultivation. Icelandic farmers have mastered barley cultivation and each year produce a significant amount of good barley, which is primarily used as feed. Barley has very special properties and health value. It is therefore important to increase the value of barley production through the production of healthy and good food. This is being worked on in a project funded by the Arctic Program, in which Matís and the Agricultural University participate together with foreign partners. Barley has a high health value because it is rich in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. The fibers are both water-soluble and insoluble. Among the water-soluble fiber in barley is beta-glucan, but it is especially interesting because it promotes normal cholesterol in the blood and reduces blood sugar fluctuations. It is important to know the chemical content of Icelandic food so that consumers can understand their health and choose foods that suit their needs. Matís has a database (ÍSGEM) that stores information about the ingredients in the food. Unfortunately, work on updating this database has been stalled for several years due to no funding for the work. Matís is now working to obtain support so that it will be possible to start updating the database and provide information to consumers, the business community and the health sector.