One of the issues that Matís oversees and builds on an old heritage is collaboration on the utilization of grain for food production. Agriculture in the North Atlantic countries has a cool climate and a short growing season for plants.
Despite this, farmers in Iceland have been cultivating grain in recent decades and have mastered the crop. Iceland is in the northern part of the cereal belt and from time to time weak grain-growing rivers occur. The Agricultural University of Iceland and its predecessor, the Agricultural Research Institute, Rala, have made grain cultivation in Iceland possible through grain breeding and the dissemination of knowledge to farmers. Cereal breeding began in the 1960s and the work has been continuous for more than 50 years. Breeding has been successful and varieties suitable for conditions in Iceland have emerged. The food department was operated within Rala from 1977 and with the cooperation of food scientists and farmers, interest was sparked in increasing the utilization of domestic grain for food production. Some activities within Matís can still be traced to Rala's food department and the knowledge that was built up there is constantly being developed.
In 2005, work began on projects aimed at utilizing domestic cereals for food production, and they were funded by the Agricultural Productivity Fund. This work then developed into co-operation between the North Atlantic countries, which was supported by Nordic co-operation and the Arctic Strategy.
Domestic grain is primarily barley, but it is well suited for a variety of foods. In bread it is used in conjunction with flour and the barley provides a good taste and health benefits such as beta-glucans which lower blood cholesterol and reduce blood sugar fluctuations. Other barley foods include biscuits, cereals, porridge and ready meals. Finally, barley is used to produce malt, which is one of the most important raw materials in brewing.
Global warming is changing growing conditions, and some crops in the southern hemisphere may be more difficult to grow than ever before. This creates increased pressure on feed and food production in the northern regions. Utilization of domestic grain increases food security and increases sustainability in food and feed production in Iceland.
For further information Ólafur Reykdal, food scientist at Matís.