News

Whole grains are associated with health benefits

Contact

Ólafur Reykdal

Project Manager

olafur.reykdal@matis.is

Barley has been grown in Iceland with good results. The cultivation of oats is a recent addition and shows great promise. In stores you can find Icelandic barley in various forms, but also oatmeal. Barley and oats are very unique among cereals, these cereals are rich in fiber substances such as beta-glucans which are very limited in wheat. Grain is very important for food security in Iceland, which means both grain as feed and for food production. Human food grain is by far the weakest link in food security in Iceland. Now there are hopes for increased grain cultivation in Iceland, and therefore there is every reason to use more of the Icelandic grain in food.

Now in June 2023, new Nordic nutritional recommendations were published, which can be found here and here. They are a big step forward and based on a solid scientific basis. The discussion on grains is of particular interest as the consumption of whole grains is associated with health benefits. It is recommended to consume at least 90 grams of whole grains per day, but there is no harm in consuming more. Whole grain products with at least 50% whole grains are included in the recommendations. Significant consumption of whole grains reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, type 2 diabetes and premature death.

Whole grains contain the husk and the supplements that come with it. White wheat and white rice obviously cannot be classified as whole grains. However, white flour can play an important role for people who need a lot of energy.

People with celiac disease still need to avoid whole grains with gluten. However, it should be noted that there are oats that have been confirmed gluten-free.

The food industry has not exploited whole grains as they should. Icelandic barley and oats could be used to a much greater extent. Matís' projects have demonstrated the usefulness of Icelandic corn:

Here are opportunities for the food industry to create a unique position and better reach consumers.

Article author: Ólafur Reykdal, olafur.reykdal@matis.is

Peer-reviewed articles

How is innovative teaching related to the fight against climate change?

News about climate change hits us every day, so it's clear that it's time to take action. But what is the best way to teach children and young people about such difficult issues so that they are encouraged to take action? It will be them and their descendants who will be affected by climate change, and it is therefore important that they receive education and increased knowledge of what may lie ahead. The need for quality education on the issue, which also does not promote climate anxiety, is becoming more and more inevitable. The answer may lie in innovation. These students will take over the board one day, so it is important that students receive quality education about innovation and entrepreneurship from a young age. Objectives Green Entrepreneurs of the Future (GFF) was tackling this challenge by giving students in rural areas the opportunity for innovative education and getting them interested in climate and environmental issues. Matís is responsible for the project and it took place in three elementary schools in the countryside. A number of participants came to the project, including FabLab workshops and fishing companies in the local area, N4 TV station and others. The project was financed by the Climate Fund and was originally planned for one year.

Link to article.

Peer-reviewed articles

Thermal performance under constant temperatures can accurately predict insect development times across naturally variable microclimates

External conditions can drive biological rates in ectotherms by directly influencing body temperatures. While estimating the temperature dependence of performance traits such as growth and development rate is feasible under controlled laboratory settings, predictions in nature are difficult. One major challenge lies in translating performance under constant conditions to fluctuating environments. Using the butterfly Pieris napi as a model system, we show that development rate, an important fitness trait, can be accurately predicted in the field using models parameterized under constant laboratory temperatures. Additionally, using a factorial design, we show that accurate predictions can be made across microhabitats but critically hinge on adequate consideration of non-linearity in reaction norms, spatial heterogeneity in microclimate and temporal variation in temperature. Our empirical results are also supported by a comparison of published and simulated data. Conclusively, our combined results suggest that, discounting direct effects of temperature, insect development rates are generally unaffected by thermal fluctuations.

Link to article.

Peer-reviewed articles

Seasonal specialization drives divergent population dynamics in two closely related butterflies

Seasons impose different selection pressures on organisms through contrasting environmental conditions. How such seasonal evolutionary conflict is resolved in organisms whose lives span across seasons remains underexplored. Through field experiments, laboratory work, and citizen science data analyses, we investigate this question using two closely related butterflies (Pieris rapae and P. napi). Superficially, the two butterflies appear highly ecologically similar. Yet, the citizen science data reveal that their fitness is partitioned differently across seasons. Pieris rapae have higher population growth during the summer season but lower overwintering success than do P. napi. We show that these differences correspond to the physiology and behavior of the butterflies. Pieris rapae outperform P. napi at high temperatures in several growth season traits, reflected in microclimate choice by ovipositing wild females. Instead, P. rapae have higher winter mortality than do P. napi. We conclude that the difference in population dynamics between the two butterflies is driven by seasonal specialization, manifested as strategies that maximize gains during growth seasons and minimize harm during adverse seasons, respectively.

Link to article.

News

Side products and Ideas: Discussed sludge from fish farming

Contact

Anna Berg Samúelsdóttir

Specialist

annab@matis.is

The workshop of the project Microorganisms for the enrichment of fish farm sludge was held on Thursday, June 8 last. in Sjávarklasan's premises. The project is carried out by Matís in collaboration with Sjávarklasann and Samherja. The main purpose of the project is to investigate whether microorganisms that thrive in fish farm sludge can be used to enrich the nutrients in the sludge so that it can be used as fertilizer.

Parties working in the field of fish farming in Iceland were invited to the workshop. There were four lectures about the project, the abbreviation ÖAF, the sludge, its chemical composition and challenges related to the use of the raw materials sludge and other by-products from fish farming. After the lectures, there was group work where the participants of the workshop worked on the subject and reviewed the opportunities as well as challenges related to the future possibilities of aquaculture sludge and other by-products from aquaculture.

The workshop was well attended, but the participants numbered more than 20 people, and there were good discussions among the participants about the subject they work with every day. Part of the project "Microorganisms for the enrichment of fish farm sludge" is to work with the results from the workshop ie. ideas and experiences of the participants.

One of the results of the workshop is that there are many uses for the sludge as well as other side products from fish farming, such as the use of the raw material as fertilizer and soil improver for agriculture. But alongside those opportunities are challenges related to regulation and making the raw material viable for use based on economics. The efficiency is twofold ie. collection and handling of the raw material at the companies so that it becomes a sought-after product.

The project is one part of a large puzzle to promote the circular economy and is funded by the Circular Economy Fund.

Anna Berg Samúelsdóttir
Matís' expert in the field of sustainability and fire.

News

Do you want to participate in a study of a new face cream?

Do you want to participate in a study on the effects of substances from seaweed on the signs of aging in healthy skin?

The study includes a comparison of elasticity, moisture and sebum in the face before and after about 12 weeks of using a face cream. Half of the participants will receive a cream with ingredients from seaweed, while the other half will receive the same cream without ingredients from seaweed. After the study ends, two 20,000 ISK will be drawn from the group of participants. cash prize.

You can participate if you are:

  • between the ages of 40 and 60
  • with healthy skin and no known underlying skin problems

What do you need to do?

  • Use the face cream twice a day, in the morning and in the evening.
  • Do not use other facial creams during the study
  • Visit Matís, Vínlandsleið 12, 113 Reykjavík for measurements three times: before use, after about 6 weeks and about 12 weeks of using the face cream
  • Answer a questionnaire about the experience of the cream after the last measurements

How do you register?

  • Sends an email to Aðalheiðar Ólafsdóttir adalheiduro@matis.is with the following information:
  • name
  • year of birth
  • email address
  • phone number
  • a short description of what skin care products you regularly use on your face (eg face cream, toner, serum, cleansing products)

The research is part of the MINERVA project, which aims to increase and improve the utilization of sustainably produced macroalgae and develop new valuable products from them. The project is funded by ERA-NET Cofund Blue Bioeconomy and is a joint project of companies, universities and research companies in Ireland, Iceland and Sweden.

More information is sent if there is an interest in participating.

News

Matís summer festival

You are all warmly welcome to Matís' summer festival on June 7 next at 16:00 - 18:00 at Vínlandsleið 12.

It will be real fun for the whole family, as Stjörnu Sævar will visit the area, face painting for the children and exciting science stations for young and old.

Click on the image below to go to the event on Facebook.

See the photos from the summer festival:

Matís' consumer research

Matís needs participants for a consumer survey on products with neoproteins.

The products are on the one hand spreads (spreadable spread on bread) and on the other hand soft bread intended for people with chewing and swallowing difficulties. The products may contain proteins from insects or yeasts. All products in the survey are produced in approved food processing facilities and are safe for consumption.

Anyone who meets the conditions of the survey can participate, even if the other type of product is intended for people with chewing and swallowing problems.

Participation consists in showing up at Matís, Vínlandsleið 12 Grafarholti, tasting two types of products and answering questions about them. Those who complete the survey will receive a gift certificate worth 20 euros from Amazon. Coffee and cakes will be served after the survey. The survey will be divided by age, so that people from 18 to 44 years old will receive spreads, while people 45 years and older will receive soft bread. A survey of ointments is carried out 23 – 25 May but a survey of soft bread May 24 and 25. Timing is from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm every day. It takes about 20 minutes to complete the survey.

The aim of the survey is to find out the consumer's opinion on the products and attitudes related to them.

The survey is part of the project NextGenProteins, where work is being done on the development of three new types of proteins (neoproteins) and investigating how they can be used in food. The project aims to strengthen food safety and sustainability in protein production in Europe. The person responsible for the survey is the research institute TTZ in Germany, and a corresponding survey is conducted in Sweden and Germany.

The conditions for participation are as follows:

  • Being 18 years of age or older
  • Participating in household grocery shopping
  • Not working in the media or in the food industry
  • Being free from allergies to the following foods: eggs, wheat, soy, dust and shellfish

If you meet the conditions for participation and are interested in participating in this survey, please send a mail to Aðalheið Ólafsdóttir adalheiduro@matis.is where the following information appears:

  • Name
  • Age
  • Phone number
  • Email address

More information will be sent if there is interest in participating.

Best regards

Aðalheiður Ólafsdóttir

News

Do you know the food artist of the future?

The project NextGenProteins, which Matís is working on, has organized a photo competition for students aged 8-10 (3rd-4th grade of elementary school). The subject of the competition is the food of the future, but the kids are encouraged to let their minds wander and put down on paper how they envision the food of the future. You can send a drawing, painting or other graphic design. The maximum size of photos is A3 and they must be sent to Matís by letter.

Main information: 

  • Opens:  May 1, 2023
  • Who can participate? Kids aged 8-10 years
  • Closes: June 1, 2023

Great work!
Award:

  1. Nintendo Switch Light
  2. 15,000 ISK gift certificate in Smáralind
  3. 10,000 ISK gift certificate in Spilavini

By participating in the competition, consent is given for the publication of the images on the media of the project. When submitting photos, the name of the participant and the name of the photo must be included.

For more information, please contact Katrín Hulda Gunnarsdóttir, an expert at Matís, at the email address: katrinh@matis.is

News

Doctoral defense in food science – Hang Thi Nguyen

Next Tuesday, April 18, Hang Thi Nguyen will defend her doctoral thesis in food science. The project is called: New proteins for human consumption from side streams of fish processing and underutilized fish species.

The doctoral defense takes place in festival hall of the UI's main building and starts at 1:00 p.m.

Opponents:

Dr. Heidi Nielsen, Research Director of Nofima in Tromsö, Norway

Dr. Ida-Johanne Jensen, assistant professor at NTNU/UiT in Trondheim, Norway.

Supervising teacher and instructor:

The supervising teacher was María Guðjónsdóttir and the instructor was Sigurjón Arason, professor and chief engineer at Matís.

Doctoral committee: Ólöf Guðný Geirsdóttir, professor and Ingibjörg Gunnarsdóttir, professor.

Dr. María Guðjónsdóttir, professor and dean of the Faculty of Food and Nutrition, presides over the ceremony.

More information can be found by clicking here.

EN