Category: News

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.

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.