Category: News

News

Course on food handling for canteen and kitchen staff

Contact

Óli Þór Hilmarsson

Project Manager

oli.th.hilmarsson@matis.is

Matís offers courses on food handling, hygiene, main risks and food safety, which are specifically aimed at staff in canteens, kitchens and restaurants. The purpose of the courses is to ensure that the knowledge and understanding of those who handle food on food safety and hygiene is good, in order to minimize the risk of harmful infections reaching food and thereby threatening the health and safety of consumers. The curriculum is recognized by the Swedish Food Agency. The course will be offered both as an on-site course and as an online course.

Matís and its experts are the sponsors of this project, but the study material is recognized by the Swedish Food Agency. The educational material is prepared from various data such as the laws and regulations that deal with food, from previous research and the study and presentation material that has been prepared by Matís and Matvælastofnun.

It is estimated that two to three lessons (3×45 min) will take the student to read over and absorb what is presented and to take an exam at the end of the course. If the participant has passed the test, a certificate, known as a food safety certificate, is issued. The certificate is a confirmation that the participant has acquired solid knowledge as a result of working with food handling according to the requirements of the regulations that canteens and restaurants must comply with. The 80% correct answer is required and it is possible to repeat the test twice.

The following episodes are played:

1 Food Safety

According to the World Health Organization, about 240,000 people die each year from foodborne illnesses or food poisoning, and one third are children under the age of five. It can therefore be said that food safety is dead serious. This section reviews the main hazards in food and their possible origins. Special emphasis is placed on pathogenic microorganisms, which are the main ones and how they get into food. It is also discussed how they manage to multiply and what are the main consequences if they manage to infect consumers.

It discusses the dangers associated with food and goes over the categories (physical, chemical and biological dangers, where it is discussed what kind of dangers there are and where they might be). It also discusses how to prevent the dangers from entering food and consumers. The handling and storage of food is reviewed, and cleaning and handling of food is also discussed. Finally, the necessity of registrations is reviewed.

2 Food handling and storage

This section discusses how to protect food from external contamination. It also covers the importance of the right temperature when cooking, serving, cooling and storing food.

3 Cleanliness

Review the importance of cleaning and disinfecting the environment and utensils used in food preparation, and special emphasis is placed on the hygiene and health of those who handle exposed food.

4 Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)

Food regulations stipulate that all food handling and processing must be based on the HACCP philosophy. It goes over what it means and what requirements are made to different companies and institutions.

5 Allergens

Certain foods and ingredients can trigger strong allergic reactions in certain individuals. It discusses what foods and ingredients they are and what requirements are placed on those who offer foods that contain such ingredients.

Course information (PDF)

The price of a webinar is 22 thousand ISK. Dates will be announced later.

Further information is provided by Óli Þór Hilmarsson, olithor@matis.is.

News

Matís is looking for an ambitious specialist in food microbiology

Contact

Sæmundur Sveinsson

Research Group Leader

saemundurs@matis.is

Matís is a leader in the field of food research and biotechnology. At Matís, there is a strong group of around 100 employees who are passionate about finding new ways to maximize the use of raw materials, increase sustainability and promote public health. Matís' role is to strengthen the competitiveness of Icelandic products and business life and to ensure food safety, public health and sustainable use of the environment through research, innovation and services.

Main tasks and responsibilities

  • General microbiological research using professional methods
  • Participation in skills tests in the field of food and medicine
  • Participation in internal control sample testing of various foodborne pathogens
  • Participation in projects that fall under the field's reference research
  • The structure of professional focus regarding service measurement in microbiology

Qualification requirements

  • Education in food science, biomedical science, biology or related subjects is a requirement
  • Experience with research and measurement is desirable
  • A positive attitude and agility in interpersonal communication are a requirement
  • Interoperability and flexibility
  • Independent and organized way of working
  • Initiative and professional ambition
  • Good general Icelandic and English skills, both spoken and written.
  • Good general computer skills

Employment rate is 100%. The person concerned will work at Matís' laboratory at Vínlandsleið 12, Reykjavík.

Applications must be accompanied by a detailed CV and cover letter.

All genders are encouraged to apply.

Information is provided by Sæmundur Sveinsson, professional manager of microbiological measurements and genetic analyses, saemundurs@matis.is, 422 5130.

Apply for a job

News

E. coli STEC in ground beef – Source of foodborne infection confirmed by whole-sequencing of Matís

Contact

Sæmundur Sveinsson

Research Group Leader

saemundurs@matis.is

Matís can identify whether E.coli STEC is in food products

Over the past two weeks, Matís' experts have been working hard to trace the source of the group infection E. coli STEC that appeared in a kindergarten in Reykjavík in mid-October. The study was carried out in close collaboration with the National Food Agency, the Epidemiologist, the Department of Pathology and Virology of Landspítál and the Reykjavík Health Authority.

A number of suspect foods were screened for
E. coli STEC but this bacterium can hide in many places. It soon became clear that mincemeat, which was used in cooking at the kindergarten, was by far the most likely source of the infection. A large number of bacterial strains were cultured from the mince, and finally three strains containing characteristic virulence genes and of the same serotype as the strain isolated from the patient were isolated. The genomes of these four strains were finally sequenced at Matís. That analysis revealed that the strains from the hack and the patient were genetically identical. Matís was a pioneer in the implementation of this methodology in Iceland to trace the origin of foodborne infections.

Finally, Matís would like to draw attention to the fact that the company offers analyzes of E. coli STEC in food. Matís is a reference laboratory (NRL) for these analyzes in Iceland. This means that Matís constantly updates his methods according to the latest knowledge and methods in Europe. E. coli STEC is a bacteria that can cause serious illness.

Press release MAST

Brain isolation of Listeria and other foodborne pathogens
Measurements of STEC in meat on the domestic market in terms of food safety

News

The importance of research infrastructure for the development of the bioeconomy

Contact

Katrín Hulda Gunnarsdóttir

Project Manager

katrinh@matis.is

On 5-6 In September, Matís and RISE from Sweden hosted a workshop on behalf of the European project BIO2REG. The workshop was called "BIO2REG expert workshop on research infrastructure and living labs" and discussed the connection of the bioeconomy with research infrastructure and "living labs". Experts in various fields of the bioeconomy were brought together and they learned about projects related to bioeconomy, the development of the last decades and the importance of green energy.

Day 1 was spent visiting. The day began in Brim, where visitors were introduced to the company's activities, but Iceland's bioeconomy is largely based on fishing. Next, we went to Vaxa Impact Nutrition in Hellisheidi and learned about their activities, where microalgae are produced in a unique way. The day ended at Matís' aquaculture research station, MARS, and their activities were presented. Day 2 took place at Matís headquarters. There were presentations from a number of speakers, including Matís, RISE, Orkídeu and Forschungszentrum Jülich. There was a lot of discussion and lively discussions took place.

Sven-Ole Meiske, Matís fish farm's test manager, presents the facility's activities to the visitors of the workshop
Katrín Hulda Gunnarsdóttir takes guests around Matís' premises
It was accompanied by a film team working on videos about the project. In the picture, they can be seen photographing Cecile Dargentolle, project manager at Matís, at her usual work
The guests of the workshop visited VAXA technologies

The workshop was one of the five that the project held. The other four covered bioeconomy education, social aspects of bioeconomy, value chains and financing. The results of the workshops will be used to achieve the goals of the BIO2REG project, the aim of which is to facilitate the green transformation of industrial areas that emit large amounts of greenhouse gases. For more information about BIO2REG you can visit project webpage and website of the project. BIO2REG is a three-year e-project and there are 9 participants from all over Europe. BIO2REG is a coordination and support project (CSA) funded by the European Union.

News

Natalie's annual meeting in Gran Canaria

On the 14th-16th October, all 43 participants of the European project met Natalie in Las Palmas on Gran Canaria to discuss the progress of the project in the first year and the next steps. The participants also had the opportunity to meet in person, many of them for the first time. The project brings together 43 companies and organizations from across Europe with the aim of developing nature-based solutions that increase the resilience of regions against the effects of climate change. The project lasts for five years and is funded by the Horizon program of the European Union.

Around 100 people participated in the meeting and representatives of most of the partners were present, along with stakeholders in the region and other stakeholders. The discussions at the meeting included the following:

Status of the project after the first year

The project involves many participants in different countries where the needs are diverse. Reviewing the situation together gave them the opportunity to gain an insight into what is going on elsewhere in Europe. Each research area updated partners on what had gone well and what the main challenges had been over the past year. 

The study area of Gran Canaria visited. The picture shows a constructed wetland with a measuring device.
Contributors section of CS7. From left: Annar Berg Samúelsdóttir (Matís), Tinna Halldórsdóttir (Austurbrú), Gabríel Arnarsson (Austurbrú), Katrín Hulda Gunnarsdóttir (Matís) and Jess Penny (University of Exeter).

Preparing for the next workshop

An important aspect of the project is to connect with stakeholders in the area, and four workshops are held for this purpose. The first one has already taken place, but the meeting discussed how it would be most efficient to hold the next one.

Next steps

At the end of the meeting, the participants had the opportunity to sit down and plan the next steps. In such an extensive project, there are many aspects that need to be looked at, so it is important that everyone is on the same page.

In addition, a field visit was made to one of the research areas, where the participants got a good idea of the real impact of implementing a nature-based solution on the local environment. After long, but successful meeting days, Matís' representatives enter the next year of the project full of anticipation.

About the project

Natalie's project concerns the development of nature-based solutions that increase the resilience of regions against climate change. Austurland was chosen as the seventh research area (CS7) of the project and the participants in CS7 are Matís, Austurbrú, University of Tromsø and University of Exeter. More information can be found at project website.

Natalie Leaflet (PDF)

News

How do we make the food system of the future more sustainable?

An international conference on neoproteins for food and feed will be held in Berlin on the 3rd-5th. next december Matís is one of the organizers of the conference, which is an important forum where ways are sought to promote sustainable agricultural practices and food systems, which covers production and consumption, in a holistic way and integrates innovation and environmental protection.

Food and feed systems around the world face the challenges of ensuring food security and nutrition for all the world's population, while at the same time needing to secure the livelihoods of farmers and other stakeholders in the food chain and maintain a sustainable environment.

Alternative proteins such as insects, mushrooms, algae and microbes fill the gap of sustainable, nutritious and safe food in the future.

The conference will discuss sustainable neoproteins and explore how they can transform existing food systems. The focus is on safety and nutrition, as well as consumer perception and economic fundamentals.

As mentioned earlier, the conference will take place in Berlin on the 3rd-5th. December 2024, but the conference can also be attended online, so you can participate wherever you are.

The organizers of the conference are:

  • German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung, BfR)
  • European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
  • US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  • Singapore Food Agency (SFA)
  • Matís ohf.

More information and registration can be found here.

News

Doctoral defense in food science – Anna Þóra Hrólfsdóttir

Next Friday, November 1, Anna Þóra Hrólfsdóttir will defend her doctoral thesis in food science at the University of Iceland in collaboration with Matís. The thesis is entitled: Improved utilization, preservation and quality of brown algae.

The doctoral defense will take place in the Banquet Hall of the University of Iceland's Main Building from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Opponents will be dr. Susan Løvstad Holdt, associate professor at the Food Institute of the Danish University of Technology, DTU, and dr. Marthe Jordbrekk Blikra, researcher at the Norwegian food research institute Nofima.

The supervising teacher is María Guðjónsdóttir, and her supervisors are Hildur Inga Sveinsdóttir, assistant professor and expert at Matís, and Sigurjón Arason, professor emeritus and expert at Matís. In addition to them, Ólafur Eysteinn Sigurjónsson, professor, sits on the doctoral committee.

Ólöf Guðný Geirsdóttir, professor and president of the Department of Food and Nutrition, presides over the ceremony, which takes place in the University of Iceland's Festival Hall and starts at 9.00 am.

The following abstract of the essay:
Despite the enormous increase in macroalgae production in recent decades, they are still a relatively underutilized resource in Europe. However, interest in macroalgae has increased significantly in Europe in recent years and it has been predicted that production could increase enormously in the coming decades. With the increased production of macroalgae, it is important to fully utilize, preserve and handle the biomass in an appropriate way to maximize the quality of the product. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate and improve the value chains of selected brown algae, with an emphasis on the full utilization of raw materials in the production of flour from kelp, the preservation and shelf life of cultured kelp and marin core, and to evaluate the use of multispectral imaging technology (MSI) to assess the quality of macroalgae within the industry. The results of the study show opportunities in increasing the value of macroalgae through improved production processes. Furthermore, the results suggest that acidification may be suitable as a preservation method for cultured brown algae and that MSI may be used for industrial quality assessment of macroalgae.

News

A new database on microorganisms in food and production environments

Contact

Sigurlaug Skírnisdóttir

Project Manager

sigurlaug.skirnisdottir@matis.is

Microorganisms are part of our food. However, knowledge of which microorganisms are found in food and in the production environment is still limited. A recent study, in which Matís participated, has provided new insight into this subject. The results will contribute to a better understanding of the effect of microorganisms on various aspects of food, such as shelf life, safety, quality and taste.

The study was part of the European project MASTER, which brought together 29 partners from 14 countries. One of the goals of the project was to create a database of microorganisms in food by sequencing genetic material from 2533 samples taken from various foods and their production environment. Matís was in charge of studying samples from Icelandic fish processing plants, but the research project covered all major food groups. This is the largest study ever conducted on the microbial composition of food and production environments, but a better understanding of these microbes could contribute to the improvement of people's health, as some microbes from food can become part of our microflora.

A total of 10899 food-associated microorganisms were identified in these samples, half of which were previously unknown species. The results showed that food-related microbes form an average of about 3% of the intestinal flora of adults and about 56% of the intestinal flora of infants.

"These results suggest that some of the microbes in our gut come directly from food, or that humans have historically acquired them from food, where they have later adapted and become part of the human gut flora," says Nicola Segata, a microbiologist at the University of Trento and the European Cancer Institute in Milan. Although 3% may seem like a low percentage, these microbes can have a major impact on the functioning of the intestinal flora. The database is therefore an important contribution to science and public health, as it will be useful for research on the effects of food-related microorganisms on our health.

Although few pathogenic microorganisms were identified in the food samples, there were several species that may be undesirable due to their effects on the taste or shelf life of foods. Knowledge of which microorganisms belong to certain foods can therefore be useful for producers, both large and small, to improve product quality. This information can also assist food control in defining which microorganisms should and should not be present in certain foods as well as tracking and certifying their origin. The results of the study were published last August 29 in the magazine Cell Press and the database is now accessible. Findings specifically related to seafood have also been published in the journal Heliyon, published by Cell Press. As mentioned above, the research is part of the European research project MASTER and was funded by Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Research Council, the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, the Science Foundation of Ireland and the Irish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.

News

Workshop on Catch Quality and Pricing in the Nordic Region

Contact

Sæmundur Elíasson

Project Manager

saemundur.eliasson@matis.is

Thursday November 7th 2024. Held in Ríma conference room in Harpa, Austurbakka 2, 101 Reykjavík. Supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers – Working Group for Fisheries (AG-Fisk).

Workshop description:

The workshop is held to discuss and investigate factors that affect catch quality and pricing, how they interconnect and differ between the Nordic countries. This includes discussions on quality characteristics, how quality parameters currently are and should be measured, regulation frameworks and what affects pricing and market situations. The outcome of the workshop will outline the strengths of different strategies that relate to catch quality within the Nordic region and explore if there are opportunities to implement different methods between regions to achieve higher overall catch quality and value.

Revised suggestions for topics in the workshop agenda are:

  • Price and catch value: What affects the prices? Are they reflected correctly by quality parameters?
  • Quality characteristics: What are the most important quality parameters (handling factors, fish size, condition factor,...)? How do we measure the catch quality parameters? Suggestions for standardization of quality assessment?
  • Fishing methods: How do different fishing strategies and methods affect catch quality?
  • Regulations and legal matters: How do regulations vary between the Nordic countries? How does the regulation work across the countries and are there lessons to be transferred?
  • Market aspects: How do prices differ between direct sales vs auction markets and Vertically integrated company's vs fish market.
Registration

Program draft:

9:30 – 12:00 Workshop presentations and discussion

9:30 Opening and short introduction from Jónas R. Viðarsson, Matís

9:45 -10:45

  • Catch quality parameters and fishing gear, Sæmundur Elíasson from Matís and the University of Akureyri.
  • Price and catch value – Norway vs. Denmark market, Sector Sogn-Grundvåg from Nofima
  • Fishmarket perspectives on price and quality, Bjarni R. Heimisson from the Icelandic fishmarkets

10:45 Coffee break

11:00 -12:00

  • Can ecolabels tune a supply chain? The case of MSC certified haddock from Norway, Julia Bronnmann, University of Southern Denmark.
  • Pricing and markets, Direct sales vs. Auction, Freysteinn N. Mánason from the University of Akureyri

12:00 – 13:30 Lunch and networking with the Icelandic Seafood Conference

13:30 – 15:00 Group discussion and analysis

15:30 Round up

16:00 Refreshments with the Seafood Conference

News

Skir as biological cultural heritage: What is your experience with skir?

Contact

Þóra Valsdóttir

Project Manager

thora.valsdottir@matis.is

Skyr is a traditional Icelandic product that has probably been made in Iceland since the colonization, but a dairy product under this same name was then known in all the Nordic countries. Skyrgerð, however, seems to have been preserved only in Iceland. Curing was a way to preserve milk and maximize its nutritional value, but curd was an important staple food that helped Icelanders survive. In the past, butter was considered a premium food, while curd was considered a poor man's food. Now we know that due to the high protein content of curd, it was indeed the salvation of poorer households and provided the energy needed for daily work. Skyr is made from skimmed milk that remains when the cream is separated from the milk to make butter. Skyr is still a popular food and for centuries it was by far the most common dairy product in Iceland, along with butter and whey.

It is likely that the curd in the colonial era was different from what we know today, both more acidic and thinner. There has been a big change in the production of skyrs in the last century with the introduction of its factory production. Skyr is an important part of the cultural heritage of Icelanders, and it is therefore necessary to gain more knowledge about this product.

Recently, Matís and the University of Iceland started research on Icelandic curds as biological cultural heritage. The research brings together farmers, ethnologists, dairy scientists, food scientists and biologists and focuses on the cooperation of the species involved in making the curd: humans, farm animals and microbes. Live curd bacteria are a good example of how the symbiosis of microbes and humans over the centuries has contributed to a diverse microflora in curds and in the intestines of Icelanders. In the project, this diversity will be investigated and the aim will be to reproduce varieties of curd that correspond to the taste and texture of the past based on the memories of the people of curd and the experience of farmers and dairy experts in curd making. The aim is to deepen the understanding of the diversity and resilience of biological cultural heritage by looking at the complexity and transformation of curd over time. We are looking for interviewees who have experience making curd both in the past and now, and interviewees who have eaten curd for many decades and can tell stories from the past and the changes they have experienced. Those who are interested in participating in the research are kindly asked to contact Jón Þór Pétursson ethnographer or Þóra Valsdóttir food researcher at the email address skyrlifi@gmail.com or by phone at 853-5118. See more about the project at www.matis.is.

EN
IS EN