Category: News

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.

We hereby announce the winner of the Matís fish consumption survey.

As well as thanking everyone who took part in the fish consumption survey, we hereby announce the results of the extract.

Winners are as follows:

Winner no.1: 84a53

Winner No. 2: yjei5

Winner no.3: 35317

You can contact Gunnþórunn Einarsdóttir, gunna@matis.is, to access the gift certificates.

Another conference on environmental pollution in Iceland will be held on Friday 22 March 2013 in Nauthól, Reykjavík.

Emphasis will be placed on the effects of water utilization, land utilization and pollution in water and sea.

Further information:
Admission is free, but as the number of seats is limited, it is important to register. Please send your name, company and email address to environ@matis.is. The last day to register is March 20, 2013.

The conference proceedings will not be distributed on site, but an electronic version can be obtained for printing here on the site within a few days.

Planning Committee:

• Gunnar Steinn Jónsson, Environment Agency, gunnar@ust.is
• Sophie Jensen, Matís, sophie@matis.is
• Gísli Jónsson, The Icelandic Radiation Protection Authority, gj@gr.is
• Gerður Stefánsdóttir, Icelandic Meteorological Office, gerdur@vedur.is

Scientific Committee:

• Hrund Ólöf Andradóttir, University of Iceland
• Kristín Ólafsdóttir, University of Iceland
• Gunnar Steinn Jónsson, Environment Agency
• Hermann Sveinbjörnsson, Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources
• Anna Kristín Daníelsdóttir, Matís
• Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir, Matís
• Hrönn Jörundsdóttir, Matís
• Sigurður Emil Pálsson, Icelandic Radiation Protection Authority
• Gerður Stefánsdóttir, Icelandic Meteorological Office
• Sólveig Rósa Ólafsdóttir, Marine Research Institute

Matís conducted an informal survey on University Day as to whether visitors and pedestrians could distinguish between horsemeat and beef.

In short, the participants in 50% were able to guess the correct type of meat. Furthermore, about 40% respondents thought the horsemeat was better meat.

Is whitefish, such as cod and haddock, from the North Atlantic better food than cheap competitive raw materials from Asia and Africa? Is the environmental impact of fishing for cod and haddock less than that of competing products?

These questions and many others are tried to answer in the Whitefish project led by Icelanders, but other participants are from Norway, Sweden, the UK and the Netherlands, for example. On Wednesday 13 March, Matís ohf. at Vínlandsleið 12 in Reykjavík, an open workshop in the project.

"Based on the experience gained regarding the eco-labeling of marine products, information such as this is most important for wholesalers and retailers of the product. Few consumers make an effort to immerse themselves in these aspects, but they trust that the person who sells them seafood is offering a product that has an acceptable environmental impact. Large retail chains have their own criteria in this regard, and with the WhiteFish project we are taking a step even further than is done with "traditional" eco-labels and calculating the environmental impact for the entire value chain of the products ", says Jónas Rúnar Viðarsson, Matís's specialist manager.

"In recent months, wild fish from the North Atlantic have faced increased competition in markets from cheap farmed fish from Asia and Africa, such as pangasius and tilapia. With the WhiteFish project, we hope to be able to show that our fish have less environmental impact than this competitive product, after all. "

There is a lot at stake, as there is fierce competition in this market, and it is important to work hard to ensure that we deliver to potential buyers that it is more than the price that matters when there is fish on the one hand.

For further information Jónas R. Viðarsson.

Matís invites students to visit on Friday 15 March at 15-17: 30. This is a good place to get acquainted with the food and biotechnology industry, whether you are planning to go on to graduate school or get acquainted with job opportunities after graduation.

Further information can be found at Steinar B. Aðalbjörnsson Matís marketing manager.