On December 1, there were changes in Matís' senior management.
Doctor Sjöfn Sigurgísladóttir, who has been the CEO of Matís since the company took office on 1 January 2007 and the CEO of the Fisheries Research Institute before that, is now resigning at her own request.
Dr. Sveinn Margeirsson will take over from her as CEO. Along with the changes, dr. Hörður G. Kristinsson will take over the new position of Matís' research director, as well as continue to work as the director of the biotechnology and biochemistry division at the company.
Sveinn and Hörður, who have both held key positions at Matís, are well acquainted with all of the company's operations. In addition, they have jointly managed the company for the past four months with good results.
The board of Matís thanks Sjöfn for the excellent work she has done for the company and for its fast and safe development over the past four years and wishes her well in her new job.
At the same time, the board welcomes Svein and Hörður to work in new roles and wishes them to continue the good work they have done for Matís ohf.
Matís aims to increase the competitiveness of Icelandic food production on an international level. Among the company's roles are the promotion of innovation and the increased value and safety of food through strong development and research work. In that field, exciting times lie ahead in this country with the further development of fisheries, agriculture, biotechnology and other food production.
On behalf of the board of Matís ohf., Friðrik Friðriksson, form. 896-7350
The press release in .pdf format can be found here. Matís's new organization chart here.
Recently, Matís and Fisktækniskóli Suðurnesja signed a co-operation agreement which, among other things, promotes the professional knowledge, skills and abilities of students in studies in fishing, processing and aquaculture.
Matís is the largest research company in the country in the field of food research and food safety.
Matís' policy is to strengthen the competitiveness of Icelandic products and the economy, improve public health, ensure food security and sustainable use of the environment through research, innovation and services in the field of food and biotechnology.
Matís employs many of the country's leading experts in food technology and biotechnology; food scientists, chemists, biologists, engineers and fisheries scientists. A number of M.Sc. and Ph.D. students in research-related studies at Matís.
Fisktækniskóli Suðurnesja (FTS) is a collaborative forum for parties in Suðurnes who work on building knowledge at the upper secondary level in the field of fishing, processing of marine catch and aquaculture.
The School of Fisheries Technology is also a collaborative forum for the preparation and implementation of retraining of employed people in aquaculture, fishing and the processing of marine catch. The School of Fisheries is responsible for and encourages research and development work in the field of education in fishing, processing of marine catches and aquaculture.
Fisktækniskóli Suðurnesja is a leader in a collaborative network of schools, companies and lifelong learning centers in nine places around the country under the name Fisktækniskóli Íslands (FTÍ).
Hörður G. Kristinsson, acting CEO of Matís and Ólafur Jón Arnbjörnsson, Director of the School of Fisheries, sign the agreement.
Through their co-operation, the parties intend to:
Strengthen the professional knowledge, skills and abilities of students who study at school and in the workplace in fishing, processing and aquaculture.
Promote professional knowledge, skills and abilities of teachers and supervisors of students in fishing, processing and aquaculture.
Encourage young people's interest in the industries and thus promote staff recruitment and increased respect for jobs, companies and institutions.
Increase the understanding of company representatives in the industries of the necessity and profitability of the education of general employees.
Develop teaching methods and vocational training at the upper secondary level and in upper secondary education, both in schools and in companies.
Advise the government on the structure and organization of studies at the upper secondary level and in upper secondary education.
Apply for grants to domestic and foreign funds to promote curriculum development and curriculum development
For further information, contact Margeir Gissurarson at Matís, margeir.gissurarson@matis.is, and Ólafur Jón Arnbjörnsson, director of the School of Fisheries, olijon@fss.is.
Back row from left: Gylfi Einarsson, FTÍ project manager, Margeir Gissurarson, Matís, Franklin Georgsson, Matís, Lárus Þór Pálmason, FTS, Nanna Bára Maríasdóttir FSS project manager, Guðjónína Sæmundsóttir, director of MSS and deputy in the board of FSS. Front row from left: Hörður G. Kristinsson, acting CEO of Matís and Ólafur Jón Arnbjörnsson, CEO of FSS
EPCIS standard used to demonstrate the traceability of products in the Icelandic fisheries sector.
Recently, an experimental run took place in HB Grandi's redfish processing plant in Reykjavík, where the EPCIS standard was used to demonstrate product traceability with the aim of increasing product security and information flow within the value chain. The experimental run went well and the main results will be presented at conferences on both sides of the Atlantic in the coming months.
The "eTrace" project is defining, developing and implementing a traceability system based on the EPCGlobal EPCIS standard (www.epcglobalinc.org) which is based in part on RFID (Radio Frequency IDentificaton) technology. The EPCIS standard enables the exchange of information on EPC-labeled products, within and between companies. In this project, food safety information is integrated with other real-time traceability information. The main purpose of such a system is to ensure complete traceability and at the same time increase product security and information flow.
In addition to Matís, the Norwegian companies SINTEF and TraceTracker, Lund University, the technology company Roi4u and the Swedish Fisheries Inspectorate are participants in the project, which is funded by the SafeFoodEra program.
The experiment took place in such a way that HB Grandi's fish tanks were marked with an electronic identification (RFID) that emits radio waves. The signals consist of a circuit that stores and processes information and an antenna for transmitting and receiving information. There has been a rapid development in the making of such labels in recent years and now such labels can be accommodated in small stickers. A handheld device from Nordic (ID PL3000) was used, and the data was uploaded wirelessly via a Wi-Fi connection where the web-based EPCIS system from TraceTracker received the data.
These electronic labels were then read by fish tanks, processing tanks, foam boxes and pallets throughout the process to obtain product traceability through the processing process. This experiment only took place within the walls of HB Grandi, but there would have been nothing to prevent it from following the product all the way to the consumer. This regular reading achieves a connection from fishing and processing to the final product. This opens up the possibility of greatly improved information provision between parties within the value chain and to consumers.
Figure 1. Overview screen from HB Grandi's basket processing from TraceTracker software developed in the project.
Figure 1 above shows one fishing day, which yielded 38 pots of frozen redfish. These pots go through the processing in Reykjavík where they become 12 pots of filleted perch. In this project, 7 pots were followed through the packaging where they ended up in 329 foam plastic boxes stacked on 5 pallets. Behind each item in this image is extensive information about each item with a traceable ID.
This system makes it possible to link other information to an upcoming traceable item or event in the processing itself. For example, temperature graphs were read with the same handlers and electronic identifiers, and thus temperature results could be linked directly to specific pots or boxes in the process, or even entire batches of products if necessary. It is also possible to link information from quality systems, regulators and certification bodies directly to the relevant group of identifiers, so that other parties in the value chain can be shown measurement results for undesirable substances, temperature curve, connection of products to quotas or certification information.
With such a system, "finer" traceability is achieved than is currently the case. With current traceability systems, it is usually possible to trace products down to ships and fishing days, but such systems could even trace products down to specific fishing holes. With increased information, it should be possible to control the processing of products better and achieve even better utilization, and such a system also opens up the possibility of increased automation in production and increased provision of information to buyers.
With the standardization of information, it is possible to combine information from different systems, but as things stand today, many systems are usually used in fishing, processing and sales of products. The idea is that the existing systems send information in a standard form to an EPCIS system, so that each party in the value chain controls what information it wants to show to other parties, as shown in Figure 2. This opens up possibilities for greatly increasing information provision. between parties in the value chain and to consumers.
Figure 2. Overview of the intended functioning of the EPCIS traceability system. The flow of products in the value chain creates a variety of information that can be useful in providing information to customers but is also necessary to comply with regulations. Standardized information is placed in an EPCIS database by each individual member of the value chain, who then controls what information he wants to share with other members of the chain, as well as consumers.
It is clear that product traceability requirements are constantly increasing. The use of electronic identifiers and automatic data sources is a good way to ensure their traceability. It can be assumed that Icelandic fishing companies and processors will go beyond automatic data collection as soon as fish tanks are marked with an electronic ID. Then the automatic reading stations will replace the handlers as used in this experiment.
Such functionality as the EPCIS standard awaits, where information from different locations is integrated and linked to the relevant identified object or processing can be useful to food producers, retailers and consumers in a variety of ways. However, as things stand today, important information is often lost in the value chain or access to it is hampered by uncomplicated systems and, as a result, it is very time-consuming to find the correct information for the relevant identification number.
A good traceability system also provides an opportunity to further educate consumers about a product, demonstrate its footprint, food miles as well as factors such as how the product was processed and that it is caught from a sustainable fish stock. Other factors can also be important to consumers, such as whether the product is healthy, whether it contains known allergens, whether the packaging is reusable, whether employees have been rewarded fairly and whether the product is safe and legal. Being able to answer questions like these easily builds trust in the brand in question.
Innovations such as two-dimensional barcodes and recent mobile phones make it possible for consumers to get product information right off the shelf. But by taking a picture of two-dimensional barcodes (or traditional barcodes) on products, they drop by the product's website where they can be educated about the relevant aspects. It is important that the information available to consumers is linked to the traceability system, in order to demonstrate the most relevant information for a particular product individually. in terms of product traceability and presentation of information. It is therefore important for Icelandic companies to take part in such experiments to see what technological possibilities are around the corner.
Matvælastofnun will hold an educational meeting on trans fatty acids on Tuesday 30 November 2010 at 15:00 - 16:00.
The meeting will discuss the effects of trans fatty acids on public health, the analysis of trans fatty acids in Icelandic food and the forthcoming regulation on the limitation of the amount of trans fatty acids in food in Iceland.
What are trans fatty acids, why are they found in foods and in which foods are among the questions that will be addressed at the meeting. Analyzes of trans fatty acids in Icelandic food and the development in trans fatty acid consumption will be discussed. The health effects of trans fatty acid consumption will be examined and the proposed regulation on trans fatty acids will be presented, as well as the implementation of controls.
Guest speakers will be Hólmfríður Þorgeirsdóttir from Lýðheilsustöð, project manager of a new national survey on diet that is currently underway, and Ólafur Reykdal from Matís, who recently received Fjöregg MNÍ 2010 for a praiseworthy initiative in the field of food and nutrition.
Lecturers: Hólmfríður Þorgeirsdóttir, project manager for nutrition at the Public Health Institute Ólafur Reykdal, food scientist and project manager at Matís Zulema Sullca Porta, expert at the Food Administration
It will be possible to follow the educational meeting live on the MAST website under Publication - Educational meetings. A recording will also be published there after the educational meeting.
The educational meeting will be held in the district office of the Food Administration in Reykjavík at Stórhöfði 23. The entrance to the MAST building is on the north side (Grafarvogsmegin).
Certification in practice - introductory meeting 19 November. The meeting will be held on Friday 19 November from 14-16 in Víkinn Maritime Museum, Grandagarður 8, Reykjavík.
The purpose of the meeting is to present the status of the project on the certification of responsible fishing by Icelanders, practical information related to the certification and its utilization for market purposes.
Agenda: 14.00 Eggert Benedikt Guðmundsson, CEO of HB Grandi and chairman of the professional council of the fisheries sector at Íslandsstofa Association for marking and certification Fee and collection
14.10 Kristján Þórarinsson, vice chairman of the Icelandic Fisheries Association and chairman of the technical committee on responsible fishing Background and status of certification Technical implementation of the project
14.30 Mike Platt, Global Trust Practical information on the implementation of certification and the application process for certification Chain of Custody Application Process 14.50 Guðný Káradóttir, director of Íslandsstofa Practical instructions for using the mark of origin, with and without certification Promotion and marketing 15.10 Inquiries and discussions
Panel: Eggert B. Guðmundsson, Kristján Þórarinsson, Finnur Garðarsson, Guðný Káradóttir and Mike Platt Light refreshments will be served at the end of the meeting. Please announce your participation by sending an e-mail to islandsstofa@islandsstofa.is or by phone 511 4000.
Genetic resources of Icelandic freshwater fish - value and dangers. The symposium of the Agricultural Genetics Committee on the occasion of the year of biological diversity will take place in the National Museum of Iceland from 13-16, Friday 26 November. nk.
Moderator: Skúli Skúlason Rector of Hólar University
Agenda
13:00-13:05 Skúli Skúlason, Rector of Hólar University, Opening of a seminar
13:05-13:25 Áslaug Helgadóttir, professor at AUI The value of genetic resources in agriculture, their utilization and conservation.
13:45-14:05 Leo Alexander Guðmundsson, Directorate of Fisheries Genetic variability of salmon in the Elliðaán river in time and space.
14:05-14:25 Bjarni Kr. Kristjánsson, Hólar University Variety of char.
14: 30-16: 00 Panel discussion
The aim of the symposium is to present the latest knowledge on the genetics of Icelandic salmonids with regard to fishing utilization and handling of the resource.
Hörður G. Kristinsson, acting CEO of Matís, will give a lecture tomorrow, Friday 19 November at 12:30 in room 158, VR-II at the University of Iceland. The topic is "Marine bioactive ingredients" which can be translated into Icelandic as "Bioactive substances from the sea".
SYSTEM in Chemistry and Biochemistry
Seminar - Department of Chemistry
Marine bioactive ingredients
Dr. Hörður G. Kristinsson Acting CEO, Matís ohf
Place (Place) Room 158, VR-II, Iceland University of Education Date (Date) Friday, November 19, 2010 Time (Time) 12:30 p.m.
The lecture will be given in English (The talk will be given in English)
Abstract.Vast amounts of marine based raw materials are still largely underutlized. Major opportunities exist with these raw material sources as they are rich in various natural and highly functional compounds, which with proper extraction, isolation and processing techniques can find use in various foods, specialty feeds, neutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals and even medical products. The market for natural products is growing very rapidly, particularly products which possess bioactive properties which can have positive effects on health and performance. The past few years have seen significant advances in the isolation and production of novel ingredients from underutilized raw materials. This includes the production of enzymes, cartilage compounds such as chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine, bioactive fish peptides, protamine and various seaweed based compounds, to name a few. Some of these ingredients have very unique functions compared to their non-marine counterparts, and display very high activity. This includes the ability to inhibit the angiotensin I converting enzyme, strong free radical scavenging ability as well as good ability to chelate metals and high reducing power. In addition, the peptides have been shown to inhibit lipid oxidation in food systems, thus showing good potential as natural food antioxidants. Human and animal clinical trials are also ongoing with select peptide products.The industry is realizing that very significant value addition can be realized with underutlized raw materials. Currently many of these ingredients are being moved from pilot to commercial stage and represent a promising way to utilize previously poorly or unutilized raw materials.
For further information, contact Hörður at 422-5000.
Recently, the scientific publication of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea published the results of genetic research on lobster, which experts from the Marine Research Institute carried out in collaboration with Matís and funded by the Fisheries Project Fund.
Genetic samples taken from lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) from separate fishing areas in the Southwest and Southeast Iceland have shown that there does not seem to be a decisive difference in the genetic structure of the species from one area to another, even though up to 300 nautical miles are between areas (see photo with news). Labels have long shown that lobster is a very local species that does not move from one fishing area / spawning area to another. Fluctuations in catches, lobster size and recruitment have also varied over time, for example in the westernmost and easternmost fishing areas, and this was the motivation for this study.
The results of the genetic studies therefore strongly indicate that at the 4-8 week larval stage, lobster larvae move between areas with currents in the upper layers of the sea and then settle in holes in the clay bottom when the larval stage ends. Furthermore, it is clear that biological factors such as recruitment, lobster size and catch per unit of effort will continue to play an important role in the management of the fishery. The article can be read here.
Figure 1. Sampling locations 1-5. Lobster fishing area 2005-2009. The darkest areas show the largest catch (tonnes / sqm2). Red arrows represent the North Atlantic current and the blue coastal current. See photo.
Much innovation has taken place in the production of school meals in recent years, but there are still great opportunities for improvement.
Cooperation between different professions, which are involved in the implementation of school meals in one way or another, can lead to various advances.
The symposium will present legal provisions and official guidelines for school meals, present the results of a project on school meals in the Nordic countries, local government policy, food procurement rules and parents' views. Panel discussions will focus on facilities in school kitchens, the production of meals in central kitchens and education and advice to municipalities and staff in canteens. The symposium invites municipal staff who are responsible for school canteens, school administrators, school kitchen staff, production kitchens and suppliers, parents and other school meal enthusiasts.
Location: Hvammur, Grand Hotel Reykjavík Time: November 23 at 15-17
Agenda: 15.00 - Sentence - Hólmfríður Þorgeirsdóttir, project manager for nutrition at the Public Health Institute 15.15 - Experience of school meals in the Nordic countries - Ragnheiður Héðinsdóttir, Director of the Food Division of the Confederation of Icelandic Industries 15.30 - Reykjavík's procurement policy and pilot project on district procurement - Ingibjörg H. Halldórsdóttir, project manager for harmonized menus at the City of Reykjavík 15.40 - Tender for school meals and service agreements, requirements for quality and follow-up - Guðmundur Ragnar Ólafsson, Purchasing Manager of Hafnarfjarðarbær 15.50 - Perspectives of parents - Bryndís Haraldsdóttir, Home and school 16.00 - Panel discussion
In addition to speakers: Jón Axelsson, Director of School Food Unnsteinn Ó. Hjörleifsson, chef, Árbæjarskóli Guðrún Adolfsdóttir, consultant, Sýn Research Service Guðjón Þorkelsson, Director of Innovation and Consumers, Matís Herdís Guðjónsdóttir, chairman of the Icelandic Food and Nutrition Association Chairman of the meeting, Atli Rúnar Halldórsson, advisor
17.00 - End of meeting
Admission is free, but participation must be announced by phone 591-0100 or by e-mail mottaka@si.is.
Monday 15 November next. Jón Óskar Jónsson, an employee of Matís, will give a lecture on his master's project at the Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland.
The project is called "β-Glucan Transferases of Family GH17 from Proteobacteria"And involved research into a special type of enzyme that converts glucan polysaccharides by switching with sugar transport.
Examiner is Dr. Jón M. Einarsson, research and development manager at Genis ehf. The supervising teacher and supervisor was Dr. Guðmundur Óli Hreggviðsson, lecturer at the Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Iceland and division manager at Matís ohf. Co-supervisor was Dr. Ólafur H. Friðjónsson project manager at Matís ohf.
The lecture will be held in room 130 in Askja and starts at 16.00.
Abstract Enzymes belonging to the GH17 family in the glycemic enzyme classification system were studied from three types of bacteria: Methylobacillus flagellatus KT, Rhodopseudomonas palustris and Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Recent studies have shown that such enzymes from Proteobacteria show transferase activity, ie. they cut β-glucan polysaccharides and splice fragments at the end of glucose with the formation of new 1.3 bonds or form branches with β1,4 or β1,6 bonds. The genes of the enzymes were cloned and expressed E. coli. The enzymes were expressed as MalE fusion proteins, but after production and purification, the MalE moiety was digested with a specific Ulp1 protease. The enzymes were defined for their activity on laminarin sugars. Imaging materials were defined in terms of size and connection type using a variety of methodologies, TLC, Maldi-TOF, electrospray and NMR. The results of the research revealed that two of these enzymes, from Rhodopseudomonas palustris and Methylobacillus flagellatus KTs form β (1-3) bonds and are therefore elongation enzymes. The enzyme from Bradyrhizobium japonicum showed β (1-6) transferase activity and is therefore a branching enzyme. It was possible to show that the enzyme cleaves polysaccharides from the reducing end of the polysaccharide substrates, in contrast to the bacterial enzymes that have been studied so far. This property should degrade the enzyme Bradyrhizobium japonicumable to create oligosaccharide rings from β-glucan polysaccharides.
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