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AVS recently completed the project "rapeseed meal in feed for salmon 2". The aim of the project was to investigate the effect of the incorporation of rapeseed meal into feed on the growth, feed utilization and chemical content of salmon fillets.

Experiments were made with 5 types of feed with different proportions of mixed rapeseed meal and then standard feed for comparison. The initial weight of the fish was 350 grams and the experiment lasted for eight months, during which time the fish quadrupled in weight. The results of the project were numerous, but it stands to reason that the incorporation of rapeseed meal into salmon growth feed for salmon does not appear to have a measurable negative effect on the growth, feed utilization or meat quality of small salmon.

The final report of the project will be treated as confidential until 1 January 2024, after which time it will be possible to access the report on Matís' website.

For further information, contact Birgir Örn Smárason at Matís birgir@matis.is
and Ólafur Ingi Sigurgeirsson at Hólar University olisig@holar.is.

How can we increase the supply of food and boost food production without depleting resources in an unsustainable way? How can we use by-products to create value within the life cycle economy? What are the environmental impacts of food?

Matís works systematically to increase sustainability and value creation in food production to strengthen Icelandic products and the economy, and now we are looking for a specialist who can help us answer these questions.

If you have a keen interest and knowledge of sustainability and a desire to be involved in shaping our sustainable food production policy, you may be the right person. The job includes work on innovation and research projects as well as consulting and customer service regarding sustainable food production; environmental impact analysis, carbon footprint, resource utilization within a circular economy to name a few.

In this job you take part in:

• Work on and shape innovative and research projects in the field of sustainable food production
• Analyze the environmental impact of food production; from fisheries and agriculture to insects and algae
• Further shape the company's environmental policy and support its implementation

Competence and experience:

• University education that is useful in work, eg environmental science, resource science, environmental engineering
• Knowledge and experience of concepts and methodologies such as life cycle analysis (LCA), carbon footprint, circular economy
• Good communication skills and willingness to work in a team
• Good command of Icelandic and English, in speech and writing
• Initiative, organized and independent work methods

The employment rate is 100% 

The job is without a location, but Matís' offices are in Reykjavík, Neskaupstaður, Vestmannaeyjar, Akureyri and Ísafjörður.

Further information about the job is provided Birgir Örn Smárason, birgir@matis.is. 

With reference to Matís' gender equality policy, all genders are encouraged to apply. Applications must be accompanied by a detailed CV and cover letter outlining the applicant's qualifications for the job in question. 

The application deadline is March 3, 2022. 

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Sustainable food production and innovation

How can we increase the supply of food and strengthen food production without depleting resources in an unstustainable way? How can we use by-products to create value within the circulareconomy? What are the environmental impacts of food?

Matís works systematically on increasing sustainability and value creation in food production to strengthen Icelandic products and the economy, and now we are looking for a specialist who can help us answer these questions.

If you have a keen interest and knowledge of sustainability and a desire to be involved in shaping our sustainable food production policy, you may be the right person. The job includes work on innovation and research projects as well as consulting and customer service regarding sustainable food production; environmental impact analysis, carbon footprint, resource utilization within a circular economy to name a few.

In this job you will participate in the following:

• Work on and shape innovative and research projects in the field of sustainable food production
• Analyze the environmental impact of food production; from fisheries and agriculture to insects and algae
• Formulate further the company's environmental policy and support its implementation

Competence and experience:

• University degree that is useful for this work, eg environmental science, resource science, environmental engineering
• Knowledge and experience of concepts and methodologies such as life cycle analysis (LCA), carbon footprint, circular economy
• Good communication skills and willingness to work in a team
• Good command English, in speech and writing. Icelandic proficiency is an advantage.
• Initiative, organized and independent work methods

The job is without location, but Matis is located in: Reykjavík, Neskaupstaður, Vestmannaeyjar, Ísafjörður and Akureyri.

For further information, please contact Birgir Örn Smárason, birgir@matis.is

With reference to Matís' gender equality policy, all genders are encouraged to apply. Applications must be accompanied by a detailed CV and a cover letter outlining the applicant's qualifications for the job in question.

The application deadline is 03.03.22

A workshop on salmon farming was held in Ölfus Cluster's premises in Þorlákshöfn on 27 October 2021. The topics of the meeting were issues that are important to salmon farming in the sea and an attempt was made to identify all the main and latest solutions in those areas.

Discussions included preventive measures against salmon lice, innovations in feed production where the utilization of feed is maximized compared to the environment of aquaculture in the sea, and juvenile farming in controlled conditions on land; so-called Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS). Scholars and experts in these fields from Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Norway, Denmark and Finland gave presentations on the latest trends and trends in the meeting's topics. The project was funded by AG Fisk, a Nordic grant fund, and led by the following scientists, experts and farmers from all the Nordic countries.

• Gunnar Thordarson, project manager, Matís, Ísafjörður, Iceland
• Björgolfur Hávardsson, NCE Seafood Innovation Cluster AS Norway
• Gunnvør á Norði and Jóhanna Lava Kötlum, Fiskaaling, Faroe Islands
• Kurt Buchmann, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
• Henrik Henriksen, The Danish Aquaculture Organization, Aarhus, Denmark
• Marko Koivuenva, Finnish Fish Farmers' Association, Helsinki, Finland.

About 60 people attended the meeting, which began early in the morning and lasted until the middle of the day. The presentations of the performers who informed the participants about all the latest things that are happening with these important issues in fires in sea cages were very well received. There was great satisfaction with the performers and the presentations that were made, and a lot of questions and comments to them.

 The workshop was held in connection with Lagarlíf, which is a conference on aquaculture and breeding in Iceland, which was held on 28-29 October. It was almost possible to hold the workshop and conference due to disease control measures, but a short window was formed during this time to hold these meetings. As usual, people got off the train who were supposed to be on duty due to quarantine, but in time they managed to get other specialists in to fill the gap.

The project was linked to Matís' website, where you can access all the issues of the meeting. The page is accessible here: Nordic Salmon.

Following the meeting, a report was written on the performers' presentations and an introduction to the relevant parties: Nordic Salmon - Report.

The Krakkakropp project was nominated for the President of Iceland's Innovation Award. The project was funded by the Student Innovation Fund and was carried out in connection with the project "Improved quality, shelf life and less waste in the vegetable value chain" at Matís. Krakkakropp is ready-made baby food made from Icelandic vegetables.

The project was carried out by Arnkel Arason, Sigrún Anna Magnúsdóttir and Vaka Mar Valsdóttir, students in food science at the School of Health Sciences at the University of Iceland. The supervisor was Ólafur Reykdal, project manager at Matís.

The President of Iceland's Innovation Award was presented on 10 February. The award went to the project "Better intensive care with a data monitor. "

The President of Iceland's Innovation Award is given annually to those students who have done outstanding work in solving a project that was funded by the Student Innovation Fund the previous summer. 

Krakkakropp was among 6 projects nominated for the award and received special recognition. This is considered a very good result as a number of projects were considered. Following the project, students have now founded the company Sifmar ehf. The company has also received additional grants, students have participated in business and marketing accelerations and Landsvirkjun has invested in the company.

Further information about the project:

Krakkakreistur and Krakkakropp: Icelandic baby food.

The project was carried out by Vaka Mar Valsdóttir, Sigrún Anna Magnúsdóttir and Arnkel Arason, students in food science at the School of Health Sciences at the University of Iceland. The supervisor was Ólafur Reykdal, project manager at Matís. The trigger for the project was a big hole in the market, but at the moment no ready-made Icelandic baby food is available. At the same time, imports of foreign baby food increase by hundreds of tonnes annually.

Iceland has green energy, sustainable production, clean water, excellent raw materials and the negligible use of pesticides in vegetable production. Therefore, we in Iceland have full capacity to produce good and healthy baby food for our children.

The students' ideal was to use their learning experience to develop prototypes of Icelandic baby food that could be produced responsibly with environmental considerations and hygiene in the forefront. Children's public health is an urgent problem, but approx. a quarter of Icelandic children measure their ideal weight. It is therefore important to respond with healthy and suitable solutions for families with children. Food waste has a huge impact on climate change, but about 45% of the world's vegetables are considered to be wasted. In collaboration with Sölufélag garðyrkjumanna, the students developed baby food from, among other things, vegetables that are either too small, too big, curved or broken. Such vegetables would not be useful in traditional sale products but are otherwise of perfect quality and therefore ideal for the production of mashed and dried baby food.

At the end of the project, five prototypes remained Kids' circles - suitable baby food in bags and three prototypes of Kids body - pediatric nasal congestion.

Following the project, students have now founded the company Sifmar ehf. The company has also received additional grants, students have participated in business and marketing accelerations and Landsvirkjun has invested in the company. During the day at Sifmar ehf. is an ongoing financing process so that safer and more environmentally friendly production can be offered in this country.

It can therefore be said with truth that Icelandic production, sustainability, children's public health, combating food waste, positive environmental impact, agriculture and technological development are all issues that affect the project and go hand in hand with the United Nations' global goals.