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Reports

Biodiversity in hot springs in high-temperature areas in Iceland. Overall summary prepared for the Framework Program. Final report

Published:

01/12/2010

Authors:

Sólveig K. Pétursdóttir, Snædís H. Björnsdóttir, Guðmundur Óli Hreggviðsson, Sólveig Ólafsdóttir

Contact

Guðmundur Óli Hreggviðsson

Strategic Scientist

gudmundo@matis.is

Biodiversity in hot springs in high-temperature areas in Iceland. Overall summary prepared for the Framework Program. Final report

Research was carried out on the ecosystem in hot springs in five high-temperature areas in Iceland under the framework of the Framework Program in the years 2004-2009. The aim was to answer questions about the extent and nature of the variability in microbial flora between high-temperature areas in Iceland, which were studied mainly in terms of diversity and rare groups. This report summarizes the results obtained from the above studies. The areas that were examined were the Hengill area, Torfajökull area, Krafla / Námafjall, Krísuvík and Vonarskarð. Furthermore, the results of a similar study carried out for the environmental assessment of the geothermal areas at Þeistareykir and Gjástykki were included in this summary. A total of 115 samples were taken in the six areas and a species composition in 80 of them was analyzed. Species-identifying bacterial and archaeal bacteria in the DNA from the samples were amplified and sequenced. The sequences were classified by affinity and classified by species or genus by comparison with comparable sequences in Genbank. A total of 4424 bacterial sequences and 1006 ancient bacterial sequences were detected from the samples. The distribution of bacteria and ancient bacteria in the samples was examined and it was found that 16 bacterial assemblages were found in most areas and species of the Aquificae array were most common, as they are often primary producers in hot springs. Species of the β- and γ-proteobacterial and Deinococcus-Thermus factions were also found to a significant extent in all areas except Krísuvík. In addition, several other factions were found in individual areas. Within the ancient bacteria, Crenarcheota species were found in all areas, Euryarchaeota species were found in Vonarskarð and Þeistareykir, Thaumarchaeota was found in Vonarskarð and in Krafla / Námafjall and Nanoarchaeota in the Torfajökull area. Calculations of biodiversity (H) microorganisms in the six areas showed that the Krafla area was the most diverse, then Torfajökull, then Vonarskarð, Þeistareykir, Hengill and finally Krísuvík. The assessment of biodiversity by calculating the collection curves largely supported this conclusion. Biological specificity was assessed on the basis of rare species by ≤96% corresponding to close relatives in Genbank. A total of 74 rare species or genera were found in the samples and they seemed for the most part regional and it is not unlikely that some of them are endemic. Most new species or genera were found in the Torfajökull area. Vonarskarð, Krafla / Námafjall and Þeistareykir had slightly fewer rare species or genera. New tribes were also found in the Hengill area, but not to the same extent as in the former.

Culture independent methods were used to study the microbial composition of hot springs in five geothermal areas in Iceland in 2004-2009. The aim was to answer questions on the degree of biodiversity and to what extend the species found were unique to the sites investigated. In this report the site specific research results were combined and compared. The geothermal sites investigated were the Hengill area, the Torfajökull area, the Krafla / Námafjall area, Krísuvík and Vonarskarð. Results from a similar research from an environmental assessment of the geothermal areas of Þeistareykir and Gjástykki were also used. A total of 115 samples were collected from the six geothermal areas and the microbial species composition was estimated in 80 of them. The 16S rRNA genes were amplified from DNA from the samples and partially sequenced. The obtained sequences were classified and identified to the species or genus level by comparison to similar sequences in Genbank. The total of 4424 bacterial sequences and 1006 archaeal sequences were analyzed. The distribution of bacterial and archaeal phyla of the samples was investigated and revealed that 16 bacterial phyla were represented in all areas. Also, that the phylum of the primary producers of hot springs - Aquificae - was dominating. Species belonging to β‐ and γ ‐ proteobacteraa and Deinococcus - Thermus were also found in considerable amounts in all areas except Krísuvík. Several bacterial phyla were only found at one or two geothermal areas. Species belonging to Crenarchaeota were found in all six areas, Euryarchaeota were found in Vonarskarð and Þeistareykir, Thaumarchaeota was found in Vonarskarð as well as in the Krafla / Námafjall area and Nanoarchaeota in the Torfajökull area. Calculation of the biodiversity index (H) of microbial species of the six geothermal areas revealed that the index for the Krafla / Námafjall area was highest, then Torfajökull, Vonarskarð, Þeistareykir, Hengill and finally Krísuvík. The estimate of biodiversity based on Rarefaction curves confirmed the results. The estimation of uniqueness of the areas was based on the number of novel species found using ≤96% similarity to closest relative in Genbank as the cutoff value. The total of 74 novel species or genera were found in the samples most of which were only found in one or at most two areas. Most of these were from the Torfajökull area. A considerable number of novel species were also found in Vonarskarð, Námafjall and Þeistareykir. Novel species or genera were also found in the Hengill geothermal area.

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Reports

Shortening the growing time of mussels - FINAL REPORT / Shortening the growing time of blue mussels on long lines

Published:

01/12/2010

Authors:

Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir, Guðrún G. Þórarinsdóttir, Jón Benedikt Gíslason, Hreiðar Þór Valtýsson, Björn Theodórsson, Hrönn Jörundsdóttir

Supported by:

Increased value of seafood (AVS), Marine Research Institute, Matís, Fisheries Center at the University of Akureyri

Shortening the growing time of mussels - FINAL REPORT / Shortening the growing time of blue mussels on long lines

The main objective of the project was to develop and evaluate a method for the cultivation of mussel shells on seaweeds that yields at least a year earlier than the traditional cultivation method. The sub-goals were to assess the stock size and recruitment capacity in the experimental small shellfish fishing areas in Hvalfjörður and the uptake of cadmium in mussels after transport and in further cultivation.

The summary conclusions of the project are as follows:

a) The stock size assessment of mussels in Hvalfjörður revealed a fairly large fishing stock and based on a 10% fishing quota of stock size, it would be possible to fish 1,500 tonnes annually in the fjord. The mainstay of the population in most areas are large shells that are not suitable for cultivation.

b) The collection of wild small shells (approximately 20-30 mm) for soaking and rearing of hangers (rotating) in the sea yields a harvest at least a year earlier than the traditional cultivation method.

c) Small shells can be fished, transported, socked and released in cultivation areas away from fishing grounds. However, the size of the shells has a lot to say about the possibilities for further cultivation, as their mobility seems to decrease from 25 mm shell length. In the study, a crop of lines of caught and plucked shell was about 5 kilograms of marketable shell per meter of length.

d) This cultivation method can be useful in addition to conventional cultivation. Being able to pick up wild mussels can be very important, especially if traditional larval collection has been destroyed for some reason. The results of the current project will potentially be useful for more than shortening the growing season and can play a key role in the development of mussel farming around the country.

e) Uptake of cadmium in mussels can be a problem after transport and in further cultivation and it is important to monitor the concentration of cadmium in mussels before it is placed on the market.

This report presents results from a research project funded by AVS year 2009. The main aim of the project was to evaluate whether it would be possible to shorten the growing time of blue mussels so that they reach market size more rapidly. The following technique was tested; harvesting of natural stocks of blue mussel in two fjords in West Iceland where small individuals were sorted out from the catch (<40 mm) and put into socks to grow to market size in hanging culture. > <40 mm) and put into socks to grow to market size in hanging culture. Using this technique, small mussels between ca 20-30 mm in shell length reach market size (45mm +) in hanging culture in one year, while using traditional methods (spat collection and growth) this takes 2-3 years. This technique thus offers possibilities to utilize an unexploited natural stock of mussels and shorten considerably the growing time to market size.

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News

Press release from the board of Matís ohf.

On December 1, there were changes in Matís' senior management.

Doctor Sjöfn Sigurgísladóttir, who has been the CEO of Matís since the company took office on 1 January 2007 and the CEO of the Fisheries Research Institute before that, is now resigning at her own request.

Dr. Sveinn Margeirsson will take over from her as CEO. Along with the changes, dr. Hörður G. Kristinsson will take over the new position of Matís' research director, as well as continue to work as the director of the biotechnology and biochemistry division at the company.

Sveinn and Hörður, who have both held key positions at Matís, are well acquainted with all of the company's operations. In addition, they have jointly managed the company for the past four months with good results.

The board of Matís thanks Sjöfn for the excellent work she has done for the company and for its fast and safe development over the past four years and wishes her well in her new job. 

At the same time, the board welcomes Svein and Hörður to work in new roles and wishes them to continue the good work they have done for Matís ohf.

Matís aims to increase the competitiveness of Icelandic food production on an international level. Among the company's roles are the promotion of innovation and the increased value and safety of food through strong development and research work. In that field, exciting times lie ahead in this country with the further development of fisheries, agriculture, biotechnology and other food production.

On behalf of the board of Matís ohf.,
Friðrik Friðriksson, form.
896-7350

The press release in .pdf format can be found here. Matís's new organization chart here.

News

Matís and Fisktækniskóli Suðurnesja sign a co-operation agreement

Recently, Matís and Fisktækniskóli Suðurnesja signed a co-operation agreement which, among other things, promotes the professional knowledge, skills and abilities of students in studies in fishing, processing and aquaculture.

Matís is the largest research company in the country in the field of food research and food safety.

Matís' policy is to strengthen the competitiveness of Icelandic products and the economy, improve public health, ensure food security and sustainable use of the environment through research, innovation and services in the field of food and biotechnology.

Matís employs many of the country's leading experts in food technology and biotechnology; food scientists, chemists, biologists, engineers and fisheries scientists. A number of M.Sc. and Ph.D. students in research-related studies at Matís.

Fisktækniskóli Suðurnesja (FTS) is a collaborative forum for parties in Suðurnes who work on building knowledge at the upper secondary level in the field of fishing, processing of marine catch and aquaculture.

The School of Fisheries Technology is also a collaborative forum for the preparation and implementation of retraining of employed people in aquaculture, fishing and the processing of marine catch. The School of Fisheries is responsible for and encourages research and development work in the field of education in fishing, processing of marine catches and aquaculture.

Fisktækniskóli Suðurnesja is a leader in a collaborative network of schools, companies and lifelong learning centers in nine places around the country under the name Fisktækniskóli Íslands (FTÍ).

Hörður and Ólafur sign
Hörður G. Kristinsson, acting CEO of Matís and Ólafur Jón Arnbjörnsson,
Director of the School of Fisheries, sign the agreement.

Through their co-operation, the parties intend to:

  • Strengthen the professional knowledge, skills and abilities of students who study at school and in the workplace in fishing, processing and aquaculture.
  • Promote professional knowledge, skills and abilities of teachers and supervisors of students in fishing, processing and aquaculture.
  • Encourage young people's interest in the industries and thus promote staff recruitment and increased respect for jobs, companies and institutions.
  • Increase the understanding of company representatives in the industries of the necessity and profitability of the education of general employees.
  • Develop teaching methods and vocational training at the upper secondary level and in upper secondary education, both in schools and in companies.
  • Advise the government on the structure and organization of studies at the upper secondary level and in upper secondary education.
  • Apply for grants to domestic and foreign funds to promote curriculum development and curriculum development

For further information, contact Margeir Gissurarson at Matís, margeir.gissurarson@matis.is, and Ólafur Jón Arnbjörnsson, director of the School of Fisheries, olijon@fss.is.

Partners
Back row from left: Gylfi Einarsson, FTÍ project manager, Margeir Gissurarson, Matís,
Franklin Georgsson, Matís, Lárus Þór Pálmason, FTS, Nanna Bára Maríasdóttir
FSS project manager, Guðjónína Sæmundsóttir, director of MSS and deputy
in the board of FSS.
Front row from left: Hörður G. Kristinsson, acting CEO of Matís and Ólafur Jón
Arnbjörnsson, CEO of FSS

Reports

Sókn á ný mið / Thawing processes

Published:

01/12/2010

Authors:

Róbert Hafsteinsson, Albert Högnason, Sigurjón Arason

Supported by:

Technology Development Fund

Contact

Sigurjón Arason

Chief Engineer

sigurjon.arason@matis.is

Sókn á ný mið / Thawing processes

This project is a joint project of Brims hf, Matís ohf and 3X Technology ehf and aims to develop new equipment and processes for thawing gutted catfish for processing. The project was for two years and was funded by the Technology Development Fund. The project contains several experimental reports that were made by the participants of the project and were carried out in Brims' premises in Akureyri. The experiments were largely based on examining the heat distribution of cod at different thawing temperatures on the lake. Thermal inserts were placed in the core and redness of the cod to monitor the temperature in the fillet. The aim was to try to find out the best thawing method in terms of the quality of the raw material after thawing and storage in the refrigerator overnight. The main variables in these experiments were time and temperature. The thawing was tested in a so-called auger made by 3X Technology in Ísafjörður. By using snails in thawing, it will be very easy to control the thawing time and also ensure that the raw material that enters first comes out first. The main results of the project were that the best result from the thawing in terms of color and loss of the fillet in the processing was to thaw the cod in the shortest possible time and have the temperature of the water (thawing temperature) even throughout the thawing process. Then after storage in the refrigerator overnight, the temperature of the fish is about zero to -1 ° C. This will give the best result in terms of the quality of the raw material.

This project is a collaboration work between Brim hf, Matis ohf and 3X Technology ehf. The project objectives is to develop a new equipment and processing for thawing fish. This project is for two years and is supported by Icelandic Center for Research (Rannis). This project contains several experiment reports and their payoff which was executed by the members of this project. All these experiments were done within Brims accommodation. Their main object was to investigate the temperature gradient of codfish with various thawing temperature. Thawing experiments were executed in so called screw tank, manufactured by the company 3X Technology. By using these tanks you will ensure that the fish whos goes first in the tank will go first out when thawing is over. And thereby all control of time and temperature will be much easier. The primary conclusion from this project is that the best outcome from the thawing experiment, when taking into account the color and looseness of the fish fillet, is to have the thawing time as short as possible and the temperature of the water as even as possible throughout the thawing process.

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Reports

Food safety and added value of Icelandic fishmeal - Determination of toxic and non ‐ toxic arsenic species in fish meal / Verðmæti og tryggi íslensks fiskimjöls - Kaupthing

Published:

01/12/2010

Authors:

Ásta Heiðrún E. Pétursdóttir, Hrönn Ólína Jörundsdóttir, Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir

Supported by:

AVS Fisheries Research Fund

Contact

Ásta Heiðrún E. Pétursdóttir

Project Manager

asta.h.petursdottir@matis.is

Food safety and added value of Icelandic fishmeal - Determination of toxic and non ‐ toxic arsenic species in fish meal / Verðmæti og tryggi íslensks fiskimjöls - Kaupthing

There is a lot of arsenic in the ecosystem in organic compounds as well as in inorganic form and more than 50 natural chemical forms of arsenic have been found. Seafood naturally contains a high concentration of the total arsenic compared to, for example, agricultural products. However, most arsenic in seafood is bound in an organic form called arsenobetanide, which is considered safe. Other forms of arsenic in marine products are generally present in lower concentrations, including inorganic arsenic (arsenite and arsenate) which is toxic and rarely exceeds 3% of the total concentration of arsenic in fish and crustaceans. The morphology of arsenic in seafood is important because the bioavailability and toxicity of arsenic depend on its chemical form. Recently, the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) called for information on inorganic and organic forms of arsenic in food and for chemical analysis methods to detect inorganic arsenic. This dissertation presents the results and evaluation of measurements of the total concentration in over 100 samples of Icelandic fishmeal. Among other things, it was examined whether there was a seasonal difference in the total concentration of arsenic. The samples were first decomposed by microwave and then measured on an ICP mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). To evaluate the chemical forms of arsenic present in the flour, a three-part distribution method was first developed. Emphasis was then placed on the analysis of toxic inorganic arsenic. The previously published alkali-alcohol extraction method, for the detection of inorganic arsenic, was adapted and the samples were measured by HPLC equipment connected to ICP-MS. Arsenobetanide was found to be the predominant form of arsenic in all cases. Inorganic arsenic was found to be less than four percent of the total concentration in twelve measured fishmeal samples. On the other hand, when another chemical analysis technique (HPLC-HGAFS) was applied to a sample of certified reference material, the concentration of inorganic arsenic was three times lower. The alkali-alcohol distribution method proved to give a convincing upper limit on the concentration of inorganic arsenic. The results also show that it is not enough to rely on one method when analyzing and quantifying arsenic forms. In addition, they demonstrate the need for a certified concentration of inorganic arsenic in standard materials to test the reliability of chemical analysis methods. The need for further development of chemical analysis methods in this field is urgent.

Arsenic is found in the biosphere in both organic and inorganic forms, and there have been recognized more than 50 naturally occurring arsenic species. Seafood products have naturally high concentration of total arsenic compared to eg agricultural produce. Arsenic is toxic to humans and animals and is known to be carcinogenic. The toxicity of the arsenic species varies severely and a large portion of the arsenic in seafood is present in the form of the organic compound arsenobetaine, which is considered non ‐ toxic. Other arsenic species are generally present in lower concentrations, including the most toxic inorganic arsenic species, arsenite, As (III) and arsenate, As (V), which usually do not exceed 3% of the total arsenic in fish and crustaceans. Existent European regulations on limits of arsenic in foodstuff and feed only take into account total arsenic concentration, not the toxic arsenic species. Recently the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) stressed the need for more data on levels of organic and inorganic arsenic in different foodstuffs and the need for robust validated analytical methods for the determination of inorganic arsenic. In this thesis results from total arsenic concentration from over 100 samples of Icelandic fish meal are presented and evaluated. The samples were microwave digested and measured with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP ‐ MS). The samples were screened for a seasonal difference in the total arsenic concentration. To evaluate the arsenic species present in the meal a sequential method of extraction was developed. In addition, a special focus was on the determination of inorganic arsenic and a previously published method for an alkaline ‐ alcoholic extraction of the inorganic arsenic was modified and applied. For determination of arsenic species high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) was coupled to the ICP ‐ MS. The predominant arsenic species found in all samples was the non ‐ toxic arsenobetaine. Inorganic arsenic was not found to exceed 4% of total arsenic concentration in 12 samples of fish meal. However, a suspicion of co ‐ elution arose, and when another analytical instrument technique (Hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (HPLC ‐ HG ‐ AFS)) was applied, concentration of inorganic arsenic was approximately three times lower in a certified reference material, TORT‐ 2. The alkaline ‐ alcoholic extraction method was found to give convincing upper limits of the inorganic arsenic concentration in fish meal samples. These results show the necessity of further method development and separate methods when identifying and quantifying species. This further stresses the need for a certified value of inorganic arsenic in a certified material to check the robustness of developed methods.

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Reports

Production of salted fish in the Nordic countries. Variation in quality and characteristics of the salted products

Published:

01/12/2010

Authors:

Kristín Anna Þórarinsdóttir, Ingebrigt Bjørkevoll, Sigurjón Arason

Supported by:

NORA (Journal No. 510-036)

Contact

Sigurjón Arason

Chief Engineer

sigurjon.arason@matis.is

Production of salted fish in the Nordic countries. Variation in quality and characteristics of the salted products

The Nordic countries are the largest exporters of salted gadoid products, whereas countries in South ‐ Europe and Latin America are the biggest importers. In Norway, Iceland and Faroe Islands, cod is primarily used for the production. The characteristics of the salted fish, such as commercial quality and weight yield vary between the countries and between producers. These attributes are influenced by differences in catching methods, handling and salting methods. This report summarizes the variation in these procedures, and in addition, the market segmentation of salted products, from the different countries.

The majority of the world's salted fish production takes place within the Nordic countries, but the largest group of consumers is in Southern Europe and South America. Cod is the main raw material, but salted fish is also produced from other related species, such as saithe, ling, haddock and saithe. Properties of salted fish products, such as quality and utilization, vary between countries of production and producers. These variables depend on fishing methods, raw material handling and salting methods. The report is a summary of the variability in these factors between producing countries, as well as an assessment of their share in the salted fish markets.

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News

Traceability of products in the Icelandic fisheries sector

EPCIS standard used to demonstrate the traceability of products in the Icelandic fisheries sector.

Recently, an experimental run took place in HB Grandi's redfish processing plant in Reykjavík, where the EPCIS standard was used to demonstrate product traceability with the aim of increasing product security and information flow within the value chain. The experimental run went well and the main results will be presented at conferences on both sides of the Atlantic in the coming months.

The "eTrace" project is defining, developing and implementing a traceability system based on the EPCGlobal EPCIS standard (www.epcglobalinc.org) which is based in part on RFID (Radio Frequency IDentificaton) technology. The EPCIS standard enables the exchange of information on EPC-labeled products, within and between companies. In this project, food safety information is integrated with other real-time traceability information. The main purpose of such a system is to ensure complete traceability and at the same time increase product security and information flow.

In addition to Matís, the Norwegian companies SINTEF and TraceTracker, Lund University, the technology company Roi4u and the Swedish Fisheries Inspectorate are participants in the project, which is funded by the SafeFoodEra program.

The experiment took place in such a way that HB Grandi's fish tanks were marked with an electronic identification (RFID) that emits radio waves. The signals consist of a circuit that stores and processes information and an antenna for transmitting and receiving information. There has been a rapid development in the making of such labels in recent years and now such labels can be accommodated in small stickers. A handheld device from Nordic (ID PL3000) was used, and the data was uploaded wirelessly via a Wi-Fi connection where the web-based EPCIS system from TraceTracker received the data.

These electronic labels were then read by fish tanks, processing tanks, foam boxes and pallets throughout the process to obtain product traceability through the processing process. This experiment only took place within the walls of HB Grandi, but there would have been nothing to prevent it from following the product all the way to the consumer. This regular reading achieves a connection from fishing and processing to the final product. This opens up the possibility of greatly improved information provision between parties within the value chain and to consumers.

Trace_tracker_top
Figure 1. Overview screen from HB Grandi's basket processing from TraceTracker software developed in the project.

Figure 1 above shows one fishing day, which yielded 38 pots of frozen redfish. These pots go through the processing in Reykjavík where they become 12 pots of filleted perch. In this project, 7 pots were followed through the packaging where they ended up in 329 foam plastic boxes stacked on 5 pallets. Behind each item in this image is extensive information about each item with a traceable ID.

This system makes it possible to link other information to an upcoming traceable item or event in the processing itself. For example, temperature graphs were read with the same handlers and electronic identifiers, and thus temperature results could be linked directly to specific pots or boxes in the process, or even entire batches of products if necessary. It is also possible to link information from quality systems, regulators and certification bodies directly to the relevant group of identifiers, so that other parties in the value chain can be shown measurement results for undesirable substances, temperature curve, connection of products to quotas or certification information.

With such a system, "finer" traceability is achieved than is currently the case. With current traceability systems, it is usually possible to trace products down to ships and fishing days, but such systems could even trace products down to specific fishing holes. With increased information, it should be possible to control the processing of products better and achieve even better utilization, and such a system also opens up the possibility of increased automation in production and increased provision of information to buyers.

With the standardization of information, it is possible to combine information from different systems, but as things stand today, many systems are usually used in fishing, processing and sales of products. The idea is that the existing systems send information in a standard form to an EPCIS system, so that each party in the value chain controls what information it wants to show to other parties, as shown in Figure 2. This opens up possibilities for greatly increasing information provision. between parties in the value chain and to consumers.

Trace_tracker_traceability
Figure 2. Overview of the intended functioning of the EPCIS traceability system. The flow of products in the value chain creates a variety of information that can be useful in providing information to customers but is also necessary to comply with regulations. Standardized information is placed in an EPCIS database by each individual member of the value chain, who then controls what information he wants to share with other members of the chain, as well as consumers.

It is clear that product traceability requirements are constantly increasing. The use of electronic identifiers and automatic data sources is a good way to ensure their traceability. It can be assumed that Icelandic fishing companies and processors will go beyond automatic data collection as soon as fish tanks are marked with an electronic ID. Then the automatic reading stations will replace the handlers as used in this experiment.

Such functionality as the EPCIS standard awaits, where information from different locations is integrated and linked to the relevant identified object or processing can be useful to food producers, retailers and consumers in a variety of ways. However, as things stand today, important information is often lost in the value chain or access to it is hampered by uncomplicated systems and, as a result, it is very time-consuming to find the correct information for the relevant identification number.

A good traceability system also provides an opportunity to further educate consumers about a product, demonstrate its footprint, food miles as well as factors such as how the product was processed and that it is caught from a sustainable fish stock. Other factors can also be important to consumers, such as whether the product is healthy, whether it contains known allergens, whether the packaging is reusable, whether employees have been rewarded fairly and whether the product is safe and legal. Being able to answer questions like these easily builds trust in the brand in question.

Innovations such as two-dimensional barcodes and recent mobile phones make it possible for consumers to get product information right off the shelf. But by taking a picture of two-dimensional barcodes (or traditional barcodes) on products, they drop by the product's website where they can be educated about the relevant aspects. It is important that the information available to consumers is linked to the traceability system, in order to demonstrate the most relevant information for a particular product individually. in terms of product traceability and presentation of information. It is therefore important for Icelandic companies to take part in such experiments to see what technological possibilities are around the corner.

For further information Valur Norðri Gunnlaugsson.

News

Matís with a talk at an MAST educational meeting on trans fatty acids

Matvælastofnun will hold an educational meeting on trans fatty acids on Tuesday 30 November 2010 at 15:00 - 16:00. 

The meeting will discuss the effects of trans fatty acids on public health, the analysis of trans fatty acids in Icelandic food and the forthcoming regulation on the limitation of the amount of trans fatty acids in food in Iceland.

What are trans fatty acids, why are they found in foods and in which foods are among the questions that will be addressed at the meeting. Analyzes of trans fatty acids in Icelandic food and the development in trans fatty acid consumption will be discussed. The health effects of trans fatty acid consumption will be examined and the proposed regulation on trans fatty acids will be presented, as well as the implementation of controls.

Guest speakers will be Hólmfríður Þorgeirsdóttir from Lýðheilsustöð, project manager of a new national survey on diet that is currently underway, and Ólafur Reykdal from Matís, who recently received Fjöregg MNÍ 2010 for a praiseworthy initiative in the field of food and nutrition.

Lecturers:
    Hólmfríður Þorgeirsdóttir, project manager for nutrition at the Public Health Institute
    Ólafur Reykdal, food scientist and project manager at Matís
    Zulema Sullca Porta, expert at the Food Administration

It will be possible to follow the educational meeting live on the MAST website under Publication - Educational meetings. A recording will also be published there after the educational meeting.

The educational meeting will be held in the district office of the Food Administration in Reykjavík at Stórhöfði 23. The entrance to the MAST building is on the north side (Grafarvogsmegin).

Everyone welcome!

More information at www.mast.is.

News

Certification of the Icelandic cod stock

Certification in practice - introductory meeting 19 November. The meeting will be held on Friday 19 November from 14-16 in Víkinn Maritime Museum, Grandagarður 8, Reykjavík.

The purpose of the meeting is to present the status of the project on the certification of responsible fishing by Icelanders, practical information related to the certification and its utilization for market purposes. 

Agenda:
14.00 Eggert Benedikt Guðmundsson, CEO of HB Grandi and chairman of the professional council of the fisheries sector at Íslandsstofa
Association for marking and certification
Fee and collection

14.10 Kristján Þórarinsson, vice chairman of the Icelandic Fisheries Association and chairman of the technical committee on responsible fishing
Background and status of certification
Technical implementation of the project

14.30 Mike Platt, Global Trust
Practical information on the implementation of certification and the application process for certification
Chain of Custody Application Process

14.50  Guðný Káradóttir, director of Íslandsstofa
Practical instructions for using the mark of origin, with and without certification
Promotion and marketing

15.10 Inquiries and discussions

Panel: Eggert B. Guðmundsson, Kristján Þórarinsson, Finnur Garðarsson, Guðný Káradóttir and Mike Platt
 Light refreshments will be served at the end of the meeting. Please announce your participation by sending an e-mail to islandsstofa@islandsstofa.is or by phone 511 4000.

www.responsiblefisheries.is

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