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The number of holiday homes has increased significantly in recent years, but according to the National Registry of Iceland, there were 12,225 holiday homes in the country in 2011. With the increase in holiday homes, the number of privately owned water utilities has increased. The Municipal Health Inspectorate monitors drinking water from larger water utilities, but it is the responsibility of the owners of private water wells to monitor the quality of drinking water from smaller utilities.

The microbiological state of drinking water is one of the most important factors regarding its quality and safety. Microorganisms are hidden in many places in the environment and can easily enter the drinking water and many serious diseases can be transmitted by drinking water such as infections caused by Salmonella, Campylobacter and norovirus.

The greatest risk of infection is when drinking water has been contaminated with human or animal feces, which contains bacteria, viruses and protozoa that can cause infections in humans. There have been several group infections caused by Campylobacter in drinking water in Stöðvarfjörður in 1984, Djúpavogur in 1993 and in a hunting lodge in Borgarfjörður in 1998. There have also been several group infections caused by norovirus, but they were in Húsafell and Mývatn in 2004. more than 300 people became infected in these group infections. There have also been many cases where people were thought to have contracted noroviruses after consuming drinking water, but in those cases it was not confirmed.

The finish of the water bubble must be correct to ensure the safety of the drinking water. At boreholes and wells, it is important that the groundwater is not contaminated by surface water in the area as it can often be contaminated by unwanted microorganisms. There have also been cases where drinking water has been contaminated by septic tanks that are close to the water collection point, and therefore their location and finishing must also be carefully considered.

To ensure the safety of drinking water, it is necessary to have it tested regularly for certain microbial factors. The results of such studies indicate whether the drinking water meets certain requirements of the Drinking Water Regulation on usability and safety for consumption. 

The vast majority of measurements of the chemical content of groundwater have shown that Icelandic water is very safe in terms of chemical pollution and therefore it is not considered necessary to carry out expensive chemical measurements of drinking water from smaller water bubbles.

In recent years, there has been a great awakening among cottage owners who want to ensure that their drinking water meets the requirements for drinking water. Matís Laboratory has decades of experience in research on drinking water and you can get all information about the implementation of sampling and the necessary sampling containers from the laboratory at tel. 422-5116 and the e-mail address radgjof@matis.is.

The "Fiskiperlur" project, which was carried out in collaboration with Vignis G. Jónsson's company in Akranes and Matís and was funded by the AVS research fund in the fishing industry, is now coming to an end. The goal was to develop a consumer product (caviar-like) in a high price range, especially for the French and Spanish markets.

The project carried out a feasibility study on the use of various raw materials and worked on the development of seaweed caviar, cuts of smoked salmon, minced meat and herring. The product development has been done in collaboration between the company and Matís.

A marketable product is now ready from Vignir G. Jónsson, which has now been tested in the French market, as the company Vignir G. Jónsson has strong market connections. The product will be sold under the brand PEARLS or pearls which is a direct connection to caviar. Recipes and the production process for the production of herring pearls is ready and has been tried. The company will continue product development of pearl barley and other raw materials in the future.

The production of such a product increases the value of raw materials tenfold, has created knowledge and will create more jobs in the future, thus strengthening the marine community in Akranes.

For further information Emilia Martinsdóttir at Matís.

Want to know if mold has lived in your home? Matís has good equipment for accurate measurements of mold spores and other microorganisms in the atmosphere.

You can get Matís experts to come to places to take samples, but you can also rent the equipment for a fixed daily fee. Matís provides all cultivation equipment and cultivates samples. Assistance in interpreting the results is also provided upon request.

Customers can contact range of Measurement and dissemination to get more information about the service and offers for individual projects. For further information Franklin Georgsson at Matís.

Mildew pollution in the atmosphere - more information

Individuals living or working in mold-contaminated premises or the environment can suffer from a variety of symptoms that include fatigue, headaches, lack of concentration, difficulty breathing, eye irritation and itchy skin. Contact with mold can also have a stimulating effect on diseases such as allergies, asthma, colds and various other infections.

The main causes of mold problems in homes can be leaks from pipes, roofs and due to the formation of moisture in various places. It is important that the housing is well ventilated and if damp and wet areas are noticed, immediate action must be taken to dry up the areas and thus prevent mold growth permanently. Sometimes it can be difficult to trace the origin of mold growth when it is hidden in various inaccessible places such as inside walls and window posts, under stoves or floor coverings and under or behind heavy furniture.   
                          
As mold is able to grow to some extent, increased pollution can be expected in the indoor air of the building in question, which is primarily caused by a large number of mold growths that the fungi form and release into the atmosphere.

Mildew spores in the atmosphere are part of the natural microbial flora of the air. In a standard, well-ventilated residential building, it is common to find as much airborne fungal growth as in outdoor air. When indoor fungal spores are more than ten times greater than outdoors, some individuals can be expected to begin to experience some form of disease symptoms or discomfort.

It is difficult to set a fixed health limit for the amount of mold growth in the atmosphere and there are no official rules for residential or office premises regarding mold growth or risk limits related to the risk of infection for individuals. As a result, the composition of mold species often varies greatly with different levels of infection, and individuals are also very susceptible to infections. The reference values that have been used for indoor mold pollution take into account the number of mold growths in one cubic meter of the atmosphere. Thus, the amount of mold growth that is over 1000 in cubic meters is considered to indicate a probable mold contamination indoors, but if the amount is 100-200 in cubic meters or less, it indicates an acceptable condition.

Instructions for using a measuring device.

Here are some pictures from research trips

Matís, the Icelandic Innovation Center, the University of Iceland and the Confederation of Icelandic Industries will hold an open seminar on the Icelandic food industry, environmental issues and ecological innovation, on Saturday 20 April at 13-17 in Háskólatorg University of Iceland.

The seminar will discuss the green economy and the government's policy in these matters. The European projects Ecotrofoods (www.ecotrophelia.eu) and Converge (www.convergeproject.org) and how to reduce the environmental impact of the food industry in Iceland. There will also be an exhibition and presentation of students' projects in environmentally friendly food innovation and an award will be presented for the best project.

The entire program of the event is as follows:

13.00-15.00 Seminar
13.00-17.00 Exhibition
15.00-16.00 Prize giving in a student competition for ecological food innovation

Seminar agenda:

13.00-13.20 The green economy and Icelandic food production. Skúli Helgason, chairman of the committee for strengthening the green economy in Iceland.

13.20-13.40 Environment and the Icelandic food industry. Bryndís Skúladóttir, director of environmental affairs at the Confederation of Icelandic Industries

13.40-14.00 Value creation and environmental challenges, Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís

14.00-14.20 Eco-friendly food innovation. Fanney Frisbæk, project manager, Materials, Life, and Energy Technology, Iceland Innovation Center

14.20-14.40 How can food security be ensured in Iceland? Kristín Vala Ragnarsdóttir, Professor at the Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland

14.40-15.00 Discussion

Moderator:    Guðjón Þorkelsson, Head of Department, Matís and Associate Professor of Food Science at the University of Iceland, who provides further information (858-5044).

Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about food safety and the falsification of food information, as consumers have in some cases been deceived when buying consumer goods. A conference on these issues will be held on Tuesday 16 April at 08: 30-12: 30.

It has often been possible to investigate fraud with the help of traceability information. This has often been the case, as increased transparency and active traceability in the food value chain could have prevented fraud or at least minimized the damage. Consumers understandably want to know where the product they buy and consume comes from, whether it is meat, fish, Easter eggs or sausages.

Next Tuesday, the Icelandic Product Management Association will hold an informative conference on traceability and food safety in collaboration with GS1 Iceland, Matís and the University of Iceland. The conference will seek answers to how food security can be improved and preventable incidents similar to those that have been discussed in recent months. Ways and solutions to ensure food traceability and how information can be brought to consumers with modern technology will be discussed. Three foreign experts as well as a number of domestic parties working on these issues will give presentations.

The conference will be held at the Grand Hotel Reykjavík on Tuesday 16 April and will take place from 8: 30-12: 30.

You can access the program and register on the website www.logistics.is.

An interview with Svein Margeirsson, CEO of Matís, about food safety and traceability in food production can be found at this link: www.ruv.is/neytendamal/eftirliti-med-matvaelum-abotavant

At the turn of the month, there were changes in Matís 'operations, in the field of chemical analysis, that pesticide measurements on fruit and vegetables that have been at Matís' office in Akureyri were moved to Reykjavík.

It is important for Matís to ensure the utmost efficiency in operations, without compromising the professional aspects of these specialized measurements. However, with the introduction of food legislation in 2011, the requirements for measurements in this area have increased significantly.

The development of equipment for pesticide measurements, which Matís has financed with grant applications, is now imminent, but in order for it to be possible to operate such equipment, it is necessary that all expertise is utilized as much as possible. It has therefore been decided to gather expertise and equipment in the field of chemical analysis in one place in Reykjavík. This change is therefore primarily made with a view to improving the quality and service of Matís to companies and regulators due to the pesticide measurements.

What are pesticides?

Pesticides are substances such as insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and various control agents used in the production and / or storage of fruits and vegetables. Some of these substances can have far-reaching health-damaging effects on organisms, including humans. Therefore, measurements of these substances are very important to ensure consumer safety.

Further information is available from Vordís Baldursdóttir at Matís.

Matís and the company MPF Ísland in Grindavík have developed a new product - a fish tank. The processing uses marlin, which today is used in less expensive products. The product was presented at a meeting of the Ocean Cluster for the Green Marine Technology project. The new product was well received and the photos show the President of Iceland enjoying a fish factory produced by Matís.

The development of a fish salon has been supported by Impru in a project that is now being completed. The next steps involve the continued development, upscaling and marketing of the new product, and a grant has been obtained from AVS to take part in this project.

Further information is provided by Hörður G. Kristinsson at Matís.

International master's program in food science in collaboration with the University of Iceland and Matís. Presentation and interviews with interested parties will be in room HT-300 at Háskólatorg on Friday 12 April at 14–16.

More about the program here: www.framtidarnam.is

Advertisement for the presentation can be found here: Presentation by UI and Matís.

Everyone welcome!

In recent months, Matís, in good co-operation with the Marine Research Institute, has been responsible for research into microorganisms in the ocean around Iceland.

This is the first time such a study has been carried out, but the aim is to examine both the number of different microbial groups and the diversity in different sea areas and depths. In the future, the idea is that it will be possible to monitor the progress and changes in microbial composition between years, which can help to assess the impact of climate change on the biological system and its primary production. It should be borne in mind that the health of the microbial community is a condition for the life of the upper layers of the food chain to thrive, and it is therefore economically and environmentally important to acquire further knowledge in this field.

Further information about the project can be obtained from Eyjólfur Reynisson and Viggó Þór Marteinsson at Matís.

On Tuesday 16 April, Vörustjórnunarfélag Íslands will hold a conference on traceability and food safety. Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís and Valur N. Gunnlaugsson from Matís will give presentations, but in addition Sveinn will chair the meeting.

The conference will seek answers to how it is possible to ensure increased security in food production and prevent incidents similar to those that have been discussed in recent weeks. Among other things, ways and solutions to ensure consumer safety regarding information on the origin of raw materials in food will be discussed.

The conference is held in collaboration with GS1 Iceland, Matís and the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences at the University of Iceland.

Three foreign and seven domestic experts with experience from the food supply chain and food security will speak at the conference which will be held at the Grand Hotel Reykjavík, Gullteig, from 8:30 to 12:20 p.m.  

General price ISK ISK 12,900, price for only ISK 3,900 kr.