Category: News

About 20 people on a course on grain processing for human consumption that Matís ohf. was held at Verin science parks in Sauðárkrókur in collaboration with the Guidance Center with the support of the Vocational Training Council.

Eyfirðingar, Húnvetningar and Skagfirðingar learned about the handling of grain, demonstrated the diverse usefulness of Icelandic grain and reviewed recent examples of the development of new products from Icelandic grain. The guests also enjoyed quality bread from Skagafjörður barley as well as bread for which Skagafjörður flour was used for baking. An enthusiastic grain grower brought a sample of his production, oats, barley and wheat, both whole and ground. Ólafur Reykdal, project manager at Matís, gave a talk, taught the audience and answered questions.

For more information Arnljótur Bjarki Bergsson and Ólafur Reykdal.

On Wednesday 1 June, Vordís Baldursdóttir will hold her master's defense in the field of biotechnology. The defense takes place at 10:00 and will be in room M101 in Sólborg.

Master's thesis at the Faculty of Natural Resources, School of Business and Science, University of Akureyri

On Wednesday 1 June, Vordís Baldursdóttir will hold her master's defense in the field of biotechnology. The defense takes place at 10:00 and will be in room M101 in Sólborg. Vordís' project is entitled: "Occurrence of different persistent organic pollutants in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.) in Icelandic waters”.

Vordís' project was a joint project of Matís ohf., The University of Iceland and the University of Akureyri.

The project was part of the project, "Let's take a closer look at the Yellow from fishing in the stomach - a study of factors that affect the value of cod catches", Which was funded by the AVS Fisheries Research Fund. Vordís' master's program was also funded by Matís ohf. and BYR Sparisjóður.

In the dissertation, Vordís discusses persistent organic pollutants in Icelandic cod. The amount and variability of persistent organic pollutants were examined and whether factors such as gender, age, puberty, fishing season and season affect the amount of the substances. Also whether the measurement methods that have been developed on the equipment of Matís ohf. in Akureyri for the measurement of persistent organic pollutants in fish products would be comparable to the methods used elsewhere. Some persistent organic pollutants were measured in the flesh of 64 cod and 38 of them in the liver. A small amount of persistent organic pollutants was detected in the cod. The amount measured in the liver was approx. 300 times more than in meat, but the substances follow the fat and the cod muscle is very low in fat. The measurement method used is perfectly comparable to the methods used elsewhere, and the method also seems to be useful for detecting the same substances in chicken.

Vordís Baldursdóttir completed a bachelor's (B.Sc) degree in biotechnology from the University of Akureyri in 2008 and started working as a specialist at Matís ohf. in the spring of 2010. She has been working on her research and dissertation for the past three years.

Main supervisor was Dr. Kristín Ólafsdóttir, Head of the Toxicology Department of the Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Iceland.

Co-supervisors were Dr. Rannveig Björnsdóttir, Associate Professor at the University of Akureyri and Director of Matís ohf. as well as Dr. Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir, director of Matís ohf. and Dr. Hrönn Ólína Jörundsdóttir, project manager of Matís ohf., Who were also the project supervisors.

Opponent is Dr. Stefán Einarsson, expert on climate and global pollution at the Ministry for the Environment. Stefán has, among other things, worked on the development of methods for the analysis of persistent organic pollutants and participated in international co-operation regarding the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, among other things in drafting guidelines on the best available technology to limit the release of persistent organic pollutants into the environment.

An international fisheries conference is currently being held in Ancona, Italy, for the 71st time. Matís participates in these conferences and will present the EcoFishMan project and how to improve the fisheries management system used within the countries of the European Union (EU).

Matís is specially invited to this conference by the Marche Regional Authority in Italy and the purpose is, among other things, to present the Ecofishman multinational project that Matís manages. At the meeting, for example, there will be an open discussion with stakeholders about their involvement in the EcoFishMan project, which is about the development of a new fisheries management system within the EU.

Further information about the project can be found on Matís' websites, e.g. here and here.

Further information about this meeting / conference can be found here.

For some, the Blood Bank car arrived at Matís at Vínlandsleið 12 in Reykjavík. Matís staff received well and almost half of the employees in Reykjavík (28 individuals) donated blood this morning.

• The blood bank, which is the only specialized institution in its field in the country, accepts the blood of healthy individuals to help the sick.
• Eligible blood donors are between 18 and 60 years old, over 50 kilos, healthy and drug-free.
• The blood bank is open every weekday and also has a blood collection vehicle that collects blood in the capital area and in neighboring settlements.

Many people donate blood to the Blood Bank, but the donation is essential for various hospital activities. Then people can fill out a card for an organ donation after death and complete a biography, a document that contains people's wishes regarding the end of life.

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.