Category: News

Recently, an article was published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal in which Matís' employees are co-authors.

Arsenic is a well-known toxin as well as a carcinogen, however, the toxicity of arsenic depends on its chemical form. Arsenolipids have so far received very little attention compared to other forms of arsenic, despite the fact that they can be a significant part of the total arsenic in seafood. Much remains to be seen, both in terms of chemical formulas and structures, as well as the toxicity of these arsenic compounds. The article shows how arsenolipids can be identified and quantified without having specific arsenolipid standards at hand. Using a signal from the ICP mass spectrometer, for a known arsenic standard, a special response factor could be calculated. This response factor could then be used to quantify the unknown chemical form of arsenolipids. Among other things, one fatty acid (C24H38AsO3) was identified and identified for the first time. It has a smooth number of carbons, which is unusual because all previously found arsenic fatty acids have had an odd number of carbons.

Link to science article (here).

For further information, contact Ásta Heiðrún Pétursdóttir at Matís, tel. 422-5000.

The Nordic Innovation Center on behalf of the Nordic partners in the project "Innovation in the Nordic marine sector" is advertising for project applications in Parts 2 and 3 of the program.

Part 2
Tasks in Part 2 shall contribute to:
1. New and innovative recruitment processes,
2. New and innovative solutions to improve and increase safety in the work environment,
3. Coordination and increased transparency for seafood and related services in the Nordic market.

Examples of participants in the project group are: Nordic fisheries companies, fisheries service providers (who sell technology, services and / or knowledge), industry associations, innovation and research institutes, public bodies, both regional and national, and companies with marketing expertise and public relations.

The total amount available in this part is NOK 6 million. The application deadline is August 8, 2011.Further information can be found here: By Sigríður Þormóðsdóttir, s.thormodsdottir@nordicinnovation.org.

Part 3
This application call emphasizes the methodology of user-driven innovation and collaboration between companies, companies and researchers and companies and users / consumers.

Tasks in Part 3 shall contribute to at least one of the three components:
1. Sustainability in the fisheries sector,
2. Higher quality of seafood and raw materials
3. Variety of seafood and products.

Examples of participants in the project group are: Nordic fisheries companies, fisheries service providers (who sell technology, services and / or knowledge), industry associations, innovation and research institutes, public bodies, both regional and national, and other parties with expertise in the field .

The total amount available in this part is NOK 24 million. The application deadline is August 8, 2011.

Further information can be found here: By Sigríður Þormóðsdóttir, s.thormodsdottir@nordicinnovation.org.

The Nordic Innovation Center has recently launched a new website (www.nordicinnovation.org). The Center works to promote innovation in the Nordic countries through co-operation between innovative parties, both within and outside the region.

Matís has had very good co-operation with the Nordic Innovation Center, which is a forum for Nordic countries and companies and institutions in developing world-class innovation ecosystems to support the growth of business and the Nordic Region's long-term competitiveness.

Well-functioning and co-ordinated ecosystems of innovation are essential for fostering and supporting the development of new Nordic business. Efficient innovation ecosystems need to be aligned with market needs to ensure strong and competitive growth. The development of companies and industries is a necessary precondition for maintaining competitiveness in the coming years. Strong ecosystems of innovation also play a key role in making society more sustainable, while at the same time providing significant business opportunities in creating new «green» companies.

The Nordic Innovation Center has been responsible for many research projects on innovation and public innovation plans in the Nordic countries.

For further information, please contact Sigríður Þormóðsdóttir, s.thormodsdottir@nordicinnovation.org.

The Fisheries Conference calls for futuristic innovation ideas, which should be recognized at the next conference of the forum. The aim is for the ideas to be progressive and original and to create a basis for discussion or new thinking.

Futuristic idea of the Fisheries Conference 2011

What to keep in mind

A futuristic idea shall be presented in a concise manner where a description of the idea, a proposal for implementation, expected results and effects will be beneficial for the image of Icelandic products (maximum 2 pages). Individuals can submit their own ideas and / or nominate the ideas of others on their behalf. All ideas must meet the following conditions:

• The idea is futuristic
• The idea is realistic

Deadline

The deadline for submitting applications is 23 May 2011.

Where to send the idea?

The avant-garde concept is only expected to be submitted electronically. Send the idea as an attachment (word or pdf file) to the conference email address: info@sjavarutvegsradstefnan.is Wait for confirmation of receipt and if it does not arrive within 24 hours, call 695 2269.

Evaluation of an idea

When evaluating ideas, the following factors will be taken into account: Originality, added value, sustainability, and the image of the country or industry abroad.

The evaluation committee consists of: Ásgeir Ásgeirsson, Guðrún Ólafsdóttir, Lúðvík Börkur Jónsson, Hjálmar Sigurþórsson and Halldór Ármannsson. Regarding disqualification, the existing RANNÍS rules are used Here.

Prize and presentation

Prize money will be awarded in the amount of ISK. 400 thousand., But in addition the ideas get a presentation and special recognition at the Fisheries Conference 13.-14. October 2011.

More information at www.sjavarutvegsradstefnan.is.

The National Association of Small Boat Owners (LS) and Matís run courses all over the country on improved catch management. Matís' experts will give lectures and present the latest science in the handling of catch, how to handle it so that the highest price is obtained from its sale and consumers are satisfied with the quality.

The catch of small boats is the freshest raw material available, but to ensure even better that the fish processing industry and consumers get the best possible fish, it is important that small boat fishermen know well which factors have the greatest effect on quality.

The catch of small boats weighs heavily in the total catch volume and catch value of the population. Boats in this fishing category, for example, caught over 75 thousand tonnes in the quota year 2009/10 to the value of ISK 19.1 billion, and it is estimated that this catch has returned around ISK 38 billion to the economy in export value.

Due to the fact that the fishing pattern and facilities on board small boats are different from those of larger boats, the main emphases regarding catch management are specific to the small boat fleet. For this reason, Matís and the National Association of Small Boat Owners will run courses around the country where various basic aspects of catch management will be taught. The courses will be in the following places:

Upcoming courses:

• Húsavík - Hall of the trade unions (Garðarsbraut 26) - 25 May at 20:00
• Patreksfjörður - The Pirate House - May 25 at 20:00
• Skagaströnd - Kántrýbær - May 26 at 20:00
• Ísafjörður - Hotel Ísafjörður - 26 May at 20:00
• Grindavík - Sjómannastofan Vör - 26 May at 20:00
• Hornafjörður - Nýheimar - 27 May at 20:00
• Egilsstaðir - Hotel Hérað - 30 May at 20:00
• Drangsnes - Malarkaffi - 30 May at 20:00
• Other courses advertised later 

The courses are open to everyone. No entry fee.
Each course takes approx. 2 hours

LS encourages its members to take advantage of this opportunity
and thus increase their knowledge in this field!

On the site, www.alltummat.is/fiskur/smabatar, various information on catch management that has a special purpose for small boat fishermen will be published, as well as a list of those who have attended the courses.

• List of participants
• Importance of good handling of fish (booklet)
• Importance of good handling of fish (single leaflet)
• Proper catch handling (single leaf)
• Comparison of refrigerants (single sheet)

For further information Jónas R. Viðarsson at Matís.

More than 70 people got on well yesterday in Matís' newest Matarsmiðja located in Flúðir.

Yesterday, Matarsmiðjan á Flúðir was formally opened with pomp and splendor. Many good guests attended and the individuals of the stakeholders who run Matarsmiðjan spoke. Jón Bjarnason, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, was the last to speak and formally opened Matarsmiðjan in a symbolic way with a table cut together with Vilberg Traustason, station manager from Matís, Ragnar Magnússon, head of Hrunamannahreppur and Gunnfríður Elín Hreiðarsdóttir, assistant to the minister (see photo).

Since 2010, work has been underway on the preparation of Matís' new office in Flúðir, which is the eighth outside the headquarters in Reykjavík. This is a so-called food factory, but Matís has built workshops like these with good results in Höfn in Hornafjörður and in Egilsstaðir.

Matarsmiðjan is run by Matís in collaboration with the municipalities in the uplands of Árnessýsla, Atvinnuþróunarfélag Suðurlands, Háskólafélag Suðurlands and Háskóli Íslands and is located at Iðjuslóð 1.

The purpose of Matarsmiðjan is e.g.

• to promote small-scale food production in the South by offering facilities, education and advice
• to promote higher education and employment opportunities in research and product development of food and related fields

For further information Vilberg Tryggvason at Matís but you can also find information about the office in Flúðir here.

Monday, May 16, 2011, at 16:00 mun Hrólfur Sigurðsson from Matís will hold a master's lecture at the Faculty of Food and Nutrition at the University of Iceland on his project: "Analysis of measurement data in cold water quality control"

Master's lecture in the Faculty of Food and Nutrition / Hrólfur Sigurðsson

Starts: 16/05/2011 - 16:00 Ends: 16/05/2011 - 17:00

Location: Háskólatorgi Further location: Room HT-101

Monday, May 16, 2011, at 16:00 mun Hrólfur Sigurðsson hold a master's lecture at the Faculty of Food and Nutrition at the University of Iceland on their project:

"Analysis of measurement data in cold water quality control"

Supervisors: Franklin Georgsson, Loftur Reimar Gissurarson

Examiner: Eyjólfur Reynisson

Guðjón Þorkelsson Associate Professor, directs the ceremony.

Abstract
The subject of the project is the microbial, chemical and physical quality of drinking water in Heiðmörk. The project is divided into three parts. In part one, an analysis is made of available measurement data from official inspections and internal inspections of Orkuveita Reykjavíkur's water supply in the capital area from the period 1997 - 2009. The processing of the data sought to answer questions about whether there have been significant changes in various microbial, chemical and the physical properties of drinking water over the last 13 years and a comparison with data from previous periods. In part two, a study was carried out on the microbial and physical quality of drinking water from the water intake area to several locations in Orkuveita Reykjavíkur's distribution system in the capital area. A special study was also conducted on different types of culture media in determining the total bacterial count. The purpose of this was to see the effect of the distribution system on the quality of the drinking water and to verify the results that came from project part one. In work part three, bacteria in the drinking water were species analyzed using molecular biological methods to obtain basic information about the microbial flora and its diversity in the drinking water from the Heiðmerkur area.

For further information Hrólfur Sigurðsson at Matís.

Since 2010, work has been underway on the preparation of Matís' new office in Flúðir, which is the eighth outside the headquarters in Reykjavík. This is a so-called food factory, but Matís has built workshops like these with good results in Höfn in Hornafjörður and in Egilsstaðir. It is now time for a formal opening, even though activities have been there for some time.

The food factory in Flúðir formally opens on Thursday 12 May 2011 at 14. Matarsmiðjan is run by Matís in collaboration with the municipalities in the uplands of Árnessýsla, Atvinnuþróunarfélag Suðurlands, Háskólafélag Suðurlands and Háskóli Íslands and is located at Iðjuslóð 1.

The purpose of the Food Workshop is

• to promote small-scale food production in the South by offering facilities, education and advice
• to promote higher education and employment opportunities in research and product development of food and related fields

An advertisement can be found here.

For further information Vilberg Tryggvason at Matís but you can also find information about the office in Flúðir here.

Course organized by the Nordic Food Research Committee on 26 May 2011.

The course is intended for employees in laboratories, quality managers and all those who purchase chemical analysis services. Reference substances are used in all types of chemical analyzes and the methodology for their use is the same regardless of the subject at each time.

Advisor: Lars Jorhem, National Food Administration, Uppsala, Sweden. He will travel all over the Nordic countries and hold the course. In Iceland, the course will be held in English.

Place and date:    Thursday 26 May 2011 at the Iceland Innovation Center (eastern house)
Timing:                    10:00 - 16:00 (registration from 09.30)

The course will cover the following topics:

• Reference Materials (RMs) versus Certified Reference Materials (CRMs): What is the difference?
• ISO Guides and CRMs, EU legislation, CODEX requirements
• Interlaboratory studies: Differences and similarities between certification, validation and proficiency testing
• How are CRMs made?
• Recovery and bias: Relation to CRMs
• Selection, use and misuse of CRMs
• Estimation of bias using NMKL Procedure No. 9 (2007)
• A short introduction to measurement uncertainty
• Where to find CRMs and PT programs?

Registration is done through the Nordic Food Research Committee and requested to be sent to the e-mail address: nmkl@vetinst.no for Tuesday, May 10th. The course costs 2000 NOK and the amount is paid directly to the Nordic Food Research Commission. Included in course fee: Lunch, coffee and course materials.

Contact person for the course in Iceland is Guðjón Atli Auðunsson, e-mail: gudjonatli@nmi.is

Algae are an important part of the diet of many in Asian countries. Their use in cooking, however, has not gained a foothold in the West except to a small extent.

Educational meeting of the association Food-history-culture in collaboration with Nýpuhyrna, Ólafsdalsfélagið and ReykjavíkurAkademíun

New Nordic cuisine - rediscovery of algae
On Thursday 28 April, Ole G. Mouritsen, Professor at the University of Southern Denmark, will give an open lecture on the use of algae in cooking.

Algae are an important part of the diet of many in Asian countries. Their use in cooking, however, has not gained a foothold in the West except to a small extent.

Algae can be excellent foods, tasty, full of important minerals, trace elements, vitamins, proteins, iodine and healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition, algae contain plenty of fiber and, as a result, are low in calories. Algae will no doubt be a bigger part of our diet in the future. Equally important is that these "sea vegetables" can help us rejuvenate and balance our diet to counteract the increase in lifestyle-related diseases, especially cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity and mental illness.

Ole G. Mouritsen is the author of books on culinary art and the science behind it. His research is related to a broad field of basic sciences and their application in biotechnology and biomedicine. He is a respected member of the Danish scientific community and has received numerous prestigious awards for his work.

The lecture will be in the hall of the Nordic House, basement, Thursday 28 April 2011 at 19:30.

Admission is free and open to everyone.

The lecture will be given in English.

More on www.matarsetur.is and www.nordichouse.is