Author: admin

The results of a study carried out over a 12-month period with the aim of examining the frequency of the pathogens are now available. Salmonella and Campylobacter in Icelandic fresh chicken products on the market. 

The premise of the study was that Iceland has now adopted most of the food rules and EU food legislation, so it is clear that the import of fresh meat products to Iceland could become a reality, but so far the government has banned such imports. Therefore, there was a need to gather data to assess the safety status of Icelandic fresh products on the market with regard to microbial contamination, and chicken manure was selected where the contamination of these pathogens is most prevalent.

Comprehensive data are available on frequencies Salmonella and Campylobacter in poultry farming in Iceland and at slaughter in recent years, but there has been a lack of information on the state of affairs in the consumer market. The study took 537 samples from May 2012 to April 2013 from the country's three largest producers. 183 consumer packages of whole chickens, 177 packages of breasts and 177 packages of wings were examined. All the samples in the study turned out to be negative for both Salmonella and Campylobacter. It is therefore clear that the situation in these countries is very good and as good or better than what is happening in other countries.

The report of the study can be found here.

The study was a collaborative project between Matís and Matvælastofnun (MAST).

For further information Eyjólfur Reynisson at Matís.

Can Iceland play a role in both food security and our own food security? But what about other countries? Can the country play a role elsewhere than in Iceland?

Below you can see a video where Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís, explains the difference between food safety and food safety.

The start-up company Hafbor in Siglufjörður has designed and built an underwater drilling machine that attaches to the seabed for various equipment. The project was funded by the Technology Development Fund and the NORA-Nordic Technology Development Fund in collaboration with Matís and more.

The machine option has already been used in Iceland and is on its way to projects abroad.

Hafbor ehf.

According to Ingvar Erlingsson, CEO of Hafbor, the machine was fully developed in Iceland and has already performed several projects in Iceland. A contract is being negotiated with a distributor in Sweden and the machine will go to the USA at the end of the month.

More information and a video with the news can be found here.

The above article first appeared on Morgunblaðið's website, www.mbl.is.

On the 1st and 2nd of October next. In collaboration with a number of domestic and foreign experts, Matís will hold a workshop entitled "New technology for the Nordic fishing fleet: fishing gear and catch management". The meeting takes place at Matís' headquarters in Reykjavík at Vínlandsleið 12. Participation is open to everyone and free of charge, but people are asked to register by sending an e-mail to jonas () matis.is.

Workshop on research and development on fishing gear and catch management

The aim of the meeting is to present the main innovations in the field of research and development related to fishing gear and catch management on board fishing vessels. The meeting is sponsored by the Nordic Council of Ministers through AG-fisk (Working group for fisheries co-operation), whose main goal is to promote co-operation in the fisheries sector among the Nordic countries.

At the meeting, nineteen experts from nine countries will present research and the main innovations in fishing gear development and technology related to catch management. The meeting is divided into four parts and at the end of each part there is project work and a panel discussion. The hope of the participants is that it will promote increased co-operation among professionals in the Nordic fisheries sector.

All information about the meeting can be found at www.fishinggearnetwork.net and the site will be used to share information about the main innovations regarding fishing gear and catch management following the meeting.

All further information provides Jónas R. Viðarsson at Matís, tel. 422 5107

Matís is launching a national campaign called Fishing day and is intended to make consumers more aware of the importance of fish consumption and fish-related products such as fish oil and other seafood. The aim of the campaign is to increase Icelanders' fish consumption, but the campaign is funded by the AVS fund.

Many are involved in this positive effort. There will be several 5-minute interludes on RÚV, where myths about seafood will be addressed and we will also prepare study material for primary and secondary schools on seafood handling, nutrition and cooking. The biggest factor, however, is in the form of an advertising campaign where the unique characteristics of each type of seafood are hammered out and consumers are encouraged to have fish in their food at least twice a week and of course to take fish oil.

The Fish Today campaign will formally begin this weekend and the opening ceremony will be held in Smáralind on Saturday 28 September between 12: 00-16: 00.

… And when the kids ask: "what's for dinner?", The answer is of course: "we are going to have Fish Day"!

Rannís Science Week will take place in Háskólabíó on Friday 27 September. A selection of exciting research projects will be presented at the Science Week this year, as in recent years.

You will be offered a taste of the whey drink Íslandus, but the whey ice cream Íslandus, on which the drink is based, was chosen as the most environmentally friendly and promising innovation idea in Iceland in the food field in a student competition that was held recently. Mysuklakinn has a direct reference to Sölvi Helgason's life and Iceland 100% is natural and organic.

Elín Agla Briem and Sigríður Anna Ásgeirsdóttir, students in environmental and resource science at the University of Iceland, are the authors of Íslandus. The authors emphasized the improved utilization of products, the imaginative use of local raw materials and environmentally friendly production methods in the creation of the ice. Kjartan Þór Trauner, a student at the Iceland Academy of the Arts, was in charge of the product design.

Iceland was Iceland's contribution to the European EcoTrophelia 2012 competition, where ecological ideas from various European countries competed with each other.

Further information about Vísindavökan and Vísindakaffi, which will take place throughout the week, can be found on Rannís' website, http://www.rannis.is/visindavaka/visindavaka/

For further information Steinar B. Aðalbjörnsson, marketing director of Matís.

In Akureyri, Matís conducts research, development and innovation in collaboration with the University of Akureyri and other institutions and companies in the North, as well as elsewhere in the country.

Matís' operations are housed in the Research House at Borgir, where research facilities in the field of molecular science have been built up, but research is also carried out there in the fields of microbiology, chemical research, enzyme research, immunophysiology and food imaging.

During the development of Matís in Akureyri, emphasis has been placed on the involvement of students in research-related master's programs in extensive collaboration with domestic as well as foreign universities, research institutes and companies. In addition to most of the projects carried out at Matís in Akureyri, students in research-related postgraduate studies take a BSc degree in biotechnology or fisheries sciences.

At Matís' office in Akureyri, 2 specialists work in addition to a researcher and students in research-related postgraduate studies in projects carried out by Matís.

Matís' station manager in Akureyri is Rannveig Björnsdóttir, subject manager at Matís and associate professor at the University of Akureyri.

More information can be found here.