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Work has recently begun on a new European project, TDS Exposure, in which Matís participates. The aim of the project is to coordinate research on the total consumption of undesirable contaminants in food.

The project is important for risk assessment and all those who monitor the effects of the contaminants on health. The name of the European project in English is Total Diet Study Exposure and its short name is TDS-Exposure, but the project has been given the Icelandic name Research on the total consumption of contaminants from food.

The project aims to improve and standardize monitoring of how exposed we are to unwanted contaminants in food as we eat it. The work on the project is based on a method known in English as Total Diet Studies (TDS). The method assesses the amount of unwanted contaminants people receive from finished and cooked foods and therefore gives a solid picture of the problem from the perspective of the consumer and regulators.

The part of the research in which Matís participates includes the development and implementation of a quality framework for parties that conduct research on the total consumption of contaminants, but also the analysis of data on contaminants. Matís will also take part in an experiment to carry out a harmonized study of total consumption of at least one foreign substance in Iceland, and these results will be compared with comparable studies carried out in the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany and Portugal. Matís also manages a work package that is to disseminate information regarding the results of the project to stakeholders.

Active control of undesirable substances in food and risk assessment are key elements in ensuring safe foods that are free of harmful substances such as fungicides, heavy metals and pesticides. The results of research on the total consumption of contaminants enable regulators to obtain an actual assessment of which contaminants and which foods are most important in assessing the total consumption of undesirable substances in food. But they also provide information so that a risk assessment can be made for the consumption of these substances and assess their impact on human health over a long period of time. A number of different methods have been used in Europe, but in some countries research into the total consumption of contaminants has not yet been conducted.

Researchers from 19 different European countries are taking part in the project, which will test and harmonize the methods used in Europe for food sampling, measurement of food contaminants and data quality assessment, and subsequently define best research practices. This information will be invaluable for regulators and risk assessors and for organizations such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

For further information Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir at Matís.

Recently, two master's students in energy biotechnology at the University of Akureyri worked for Matís in sequencing thermophilic bacterial strains.

The bacterial strains in question are from hot springs in Iceland and are interesting because they produce hydrogen, ethanol and methane among other end products.

The students' master's project is research on microorganisms from hot springs in Iceland that produce products that can be used as energy sources. The main emphasis is on looking for bacterial strains that produce desirable substances from cheap raw materials that are produced in Iceland or are easy and profitable to cultivate domestically for production. These students are named Hrönn Brynjarsdóttir and Jan Eric Jessen and it will be interesting to see the progress of their project. Their supervisor is Jóhann Örlygsson.

Matís has extensive knowledge of thermophilic microorganisms and one of the projects in which Matís is a key participant is to develop methods in biotechnology for the production of ethanol from wood and plant mass, ie to utilize biomass that can be used. as fuel.

Timber on the fuel tank
One of the growing aspects of Matís' operations is biotechnology and how that technology can be used to develop new production methods and thus strengthen new knowledge. One of the Nordic projects that Matís is currently working on is the development of biotechnology for the production of ethanol from wood and plant biomass. This could be said that timber is converted for use on the fuel tank, ie. that biomass will be used for fuel production, but a significant amount of it will be generated in the Nordic countries.

The project is run by Matís from Iceland, Statoil ASA, Wayland AB and SINTEF from Norway, INNVENTIA AB from Sweden, the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and the Technical Research Center of Finland (VIT). The project received outstanding funding from the Nordic Council of Ministers through the Nordic Energy Fund.

The project is very diverse and involves, among other things, developing methods for pre-treating the biomass so that it can be used by fermentation organisms for ethanol production. Also to develop efficient enzyme technology to break down biomass into fermentable sugars and genetically modify yeast so that they can break down polysaccharides. Matís will develop and improve thermophilic ethanol-forming fermentation bacteria using genetic engineering, but bacteria that have been isolated from hot springs can often break down cellulose efficiently. However, these bacteria produce additives such as acetic and lactic acid.

The goal is that with stronger thermophilic bacteria it will be possible to increase ethanol production, reduce or completely stop the production of additives and break down cellulose. The ultimate goal is to create a production system that combines the breakdown of cellulose and the fermentation of ethanol in one biological unit / system.

For further information Guðmundur Óli Hreggviðsson at Matís.

Four years ago, an innovation project was launched at the Iceland Academy of the Arts entitled The Designers 'and Farmers' Meeting, and Matís is an important link in this project.

The project brought together one of the country's oldest professions, farmers, and the youngest, product designers. The result is now on display for the first time in its entirety in Sparkdesign Space by Klapparstígur. Þórunn Kristjánsdóttir, a journalist at Fréttatími, recalls this adventure, but this coverage was published in Fréttatími on March 30, 2012.

The coverage can be found here.

The Faculty of Food and Nutrition at the University of Iceland will present a new international master's program in food science on Thursday 12 April. at 10-12 in room HT-300 at Háskólatorg.

The University of Iceland in collaboration with the University of Akureyri, the Agricultural University, Hólar University and Matís, has established a master's program in food sciences where the emphasis is different from what has been known before.

The presentation of the study will now take place on Thursday 12 April at Háskólatorg - see here.
New master's degree in food science

Master's program in food science in collaboration with the University of Iceland, other state universities and Matís, with the involvement of companies in the food and biotechnology industry.

There will be three study programs in the program, during which students will complete a master's degree in food science with an emphasis on production management, quality management or biotechnology.

• Production management line: emphasis on processing, product development and value added
• Quality management line: emphasis on microbial measurements and research and implementation and implementation of quality control
• Biotechnology line: emphasis on biochemical processing, research and innovation

The intention is to connect the study program to the business community directly, both with guest lecturers from the business community and with practical student projects that will be carried out in collaboration with powerful food companies. At the same time, to better connect the studies to the business world
but previously known in this field, international co-operation will be strengthened, in addition to which management and operational emphases have been added to the study.

It is a practical course suitable for those who have completed undergraduate studies in food science or other science subjects such as chemistry, biology and engineering and are interested in playing a leading role in the food and biotechnology industry in management, innovation or research.

Further information can be found here and also by contacting Guðjón Þorkelsson head of department at Matís and associate professor at the University of Iceland and Steinar B. Aðalbjörnsson, marketing director of Matís.

Study website: www.framtidarnam.is.

Skyrkonfekt, Ragnheiður Ösp Sigurðardóttir and KRADS received the product design award from the magazine Reykjavík Grapevine, but it is worth mentioning that Matís was involved in the development of Skyrkonfekt.

An interesting news item appeared on www.mbl.is recently. It tells about the Reykjavík Grapevine Product Design Award. Skyrkonfektið from Erpsstaðir received good reviews.

The jury says that skyr confectionery is "a well-thought-out example of the benefits that design can do to society […], tasteful

and a good product made from local and organic ingredients. ”The confectionery is also in“ beautiful packaging that suits the contents extremely well ”.

You can enjoy the skyr confectionery at HönnunarMars 2012, but more news about the festival and the project Designers 'and Farmers' Meetings can be found here.

For further information Irek Klonowski at Matís.

<sub>Photo with news: Vigfús Birgisson

The above news will be published on 11.3. at www.mbl.is and can be seen in its entirety below.</sub>

_{Skyrkonfekt, Ragnheiður Ösp Sigurðardóttir and KRADS received the product design award of the magazine Reykjavík Grapevine this year in the categories product line of the year, product of the year and project of the year. The award was presented at the premises of the Icelandic Design Center on Friday.}

_{Ragnheiður Ösp and her product line were, in the opinion of the jury, the product line of the year, but she has the honor of the NotKnot pillows. The jury's reasoning states that NotKnot is "an innovative processing of Icelandic wool, beautiful pillows with a fun shape" that shows "a strong and independent vision from creative Icelandic designers" and is "a great example of a handmade product that is at the same time affordable.}

_{For the product of the year, the group behind skyrkonfekti received recognition, but skyrkonfekt is a descendant of the Farmers' Project, which aimed to stimulate farmers to create new products in collaboration with designers. In its reasoning, the jury says that skyr confectionery is "a well-thought-out example of the benefits that design can do to society […], a tasty and good product made from local and organic ingredients." vel “.}

_{The project of the year is a new category in the product design award, and it was the architectural firm KRADS that received recognition for their collaborative project with LEGO. In the opinion of the jury, the result is an excellent example of a project that reaches everyone and is of interest to design and the environment, "a strong-looking idea that people are naturally attracted to." for learning and innovation, "a beautiful mix of play and professionalism that breathes new life into architecture."}

_{The jury was composed of the designers Herður Kristbjörnsson, on behalf of Reykjavík Grapevine, Sari Peltonen, on behalf of Hönnunarmiðstöð Íslands, Auður Karítas from the store Geysir, Hafstein Júlíusson designers and Tinna Gunnarsdóttir, on behalf of Vöruhönnun at the Iceland Academy of the Arts.}

_{The jury set the bar in their choice to award products that are real and tangible items, from ceramics to jewelry. It was decided to exclude fashion design from the set, but it was possible to award clothing lines in the category of the best product line. It was a condition that the products had appeared in 2011.}

_{The publisher of Reykjavík Grapevine, Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson, says that the aim of the award is to draw attention to what is being done well and to support a rapidly growing and extremely exciting sector in this country.}

As many people know, Elettra Wiedermann is visiting Iceland for DesignMarch 2012. Few people know that she is the promoter of a very special restaurant, but the ingredients she uses are mostly local. The same is true of food factories that are making inroads around the world.

A meeting is currently taking place in Iceland about New Nordic Food and the meeting will take place at Matís' premises. Many good guests attend the meeting, including the owner and one of the founders of the most popular restaurant in the world in 2010 and 2011, NOMA - Nordic Cuisine. Claus Meyer, who together with René Redzepi, founded NOMA in 2004, is here for this meeting. The importance of Nordic cuisine and people's interest in it has seldom been greater. René is gracing the cover of TIME on March 26. and it is a sign of increased US interest in what the Nordic countries are doing in food and drink, especially when it comes to local food production and the full utilization of raw materials.

The importance of food factories is significant, not only here in Iceland but elsewhere, especially in the other Nordic countries. Most of our cousins have invested considerable sums in supporting food production from the local area, both for the development of tourism but also for creating added value that the sale of food itself creates. When looking at local food production, it is safe to say that little else contributes to the equally healthy development of the economy. Here we are creating value from a real product, not an imaginary product as we knew until the collapse in 2008. Local food production is extremely important for the economy of each region and each country, but also because of the countries' own image creation in a large context where full utilization raw materials are more often than not guided.

In Matís food factories, entrepreneurs and small businesses are offered the opportunity to develop products and start small-scale food production for a small rent. In this way, they save on investments in expensive equipment right from the start of operations. This provides a unique opportunity to continue testing oneself both in production and in the market. Special emphasis is placed on development in connection with local food and food tourism services.

The facility is intended for national use. The prerequisite for getting into the facility is to buy advice on good production methods in the beginning. In this way, users will learn the correct working methods from the beginning. The facility at Matarsmiðjan in Hornafjörður provides a unique opportunity for innovation in small-scale food production. A number of projects have already started in Matís' food workshops and there is a steady increase in interest in the workshops.

More about Goodness, Elettra Wiedermann's restaurant, can be found here and information on the NOMA restaurant can be found here.

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

Collaboration between Matís and the Iceland Academy of the Arts, Meeting of designers and farmers, one of the 8 best pieces at HönnunarMars 2012.

Lilja Gunnarsdóttir, editor of the Icelandic Design Center, chose the best and most delicious crumbs from the Design March 2012 program and she considered Dating with Farmers one of the best crumbs this year.

Matís is a participant in DesignMarch 2012. On the one hand, Matís is involved in the project Dating with Farmers, which is a project led by the Iceland Academy of the Arts whose goal was to bring together two very different groups; designers on the one hand and farmers on the other. Matís was an important partner when it came to creating consumer-friendly products from raw materials, often underutilized, which farmers have in hand. 

"Farmers 'and designers' meeting" is an entrepreneurial project for the benefit of the business community where two professions are brought together to create a unique product. There are great opportunities in food production, and with systematic innovation in the raw material and product development, the value added can be multiplied.

This exhibition space takes place at Klapparstígur 33 in Reykjavík. Press release: Dating with farmers.

See more at www.sparkdesignspace.com and www.designersandfarmers.com (website opens on Saturday).

However, Matís is participating in Design March in an exhibition of the results of the university course.Eco-friendly food innovation” (EcoTrophelia Iceland).

EcoTrophelia is competing for the title of the most delicious, original and environmentally friendly food in 2012. The competition and exhibition are held within the framework of DesignMarch and the events take place in the new premises of the Design and Architecture Department of the Iceland Academy of the Arts, Þverholt 11.

The President of Iceland, mr. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson will present a prize in the student competition at a ceremony in the exhibition area on Saturday 24 March at 2.30 pm. The exhibition is open to everyone and here is an advertisement for it.

EcoTrophelia Iceland's goal is to reduce the environmental impact of the Icelandic food industry by creating new environmentally friendly food and beverage products through product development competitions for university students. The Icelandic Innovation Center together with Matís has established a collaboration with five Icelandic universities to organize a master's course in environmentally friendly food innovation. Interdisciplinary teams of students from different schools and specialties are guided through the product development process, from concept to marketable product, with special emphasis on environmental issues and design. At the end of the course, each team has an advanced prototype food product and a complete business and marketing plan. Students can market their product themselves or sell the innovation idea to an existing food company. The course ends with a competition, EcoTrophelia Iceland, between the product ideas, but the winning team will take part in the European competition EcoTrophelia Europe later the same year. In addition to the Iceland Innovation Center and Matís, the competition is run by the Food Development Center - Food for Life and the Confederation of Icelandic Industries.

More information about EcoTrophelia can be found here.