Category: News

The title of this year's conference will be Is there information on nutrition and supplements in the wild?

With this press release, the preparatory committee for MNÍ Food Day 2010, which will be held on Wednesday 27 October at the Hilton Reykjavík Nordica Hotel, reminds the media and others concerned about MNÍ day and encourages good writing and active news coverage on the important issue that will be discussed.

The consumption habits of the Icelandic nation as a whole are of great importance to all of us with their direct impact on health and various lifestyle-related diseases. The Icelandic Food and Nutrition Association (MNÍ, www.mni.is) wants to contribute by dedicating itself to the company's annual conference, Food Day MNÍ, a discussion on nutrition and dietary supplements. The importance of the correct dissemination of information on nutrition and dietary supplements and their scientific background is the main focus of the day, as incorrect information on nutrition can have a detrimental effect on people's health.

The title of this year's conference will be "Is there information on nutrition and supplements in the wild? "

At the conference, Icelandic experts will discuss in a professional way various facts regarding nutrition and dietary supplements based on evidence-based knowledge. The interpretation of research will be discussed, and why individual research, which even goes against accepted scientific knowledge, often has easier access to the media than other research. It will also discuss how information to the public can be misleading and often lead to misunderstandings that are difficult to reverse. The value of various dietary supplements, herbal remedies and natural substances will be discussed and whether their consumption is in fact healthy, who is most at risk of health damage due to the consumption of dietary supplements and which social groups can benefit from them. There will also be a discussion on the control of food supplements, the strong influence of the media and market forces, and on the relationship between health and health claims.

MNÍ hopes that Food Day will be informative for the general public, healthcare professionals as well as anyone involved in advice on diet, nutrition and health.

Fjöregg MNÍ 
In connection with Food Day, Fjöregg MNÍ is handed over. Fjöreggið is a great asset, awarded for a commendable initiative in the field of food production and human consumption. The grip is designed and built by Gleri in Bergvík and has been donated by the Confederation of Icelandic Industries since 1993.

An innovation will be tried this year that individuals who have done research in the field of nutrition, herbal medicines, natural substances and dietary supplements are invited to present their results on posters. Interested companies in the food, dietary supplements, herbal medicine and natural chemicals sectors are also invited to present their products at a presentation booth during coffee breaks for a small fee.

From the very beginning, MNÍ's Food Day has been well received by parties working on food, education and training, food production and food control. This year we expect to appeal to an even wider group due to the great health awareness and public interest in various health products and supplements. The program starts at 12: 00-17: 30. Here you can see the programs.

REGISTRATION

For further information, contact Fríða Rún Þórðardóttir, 898-8798, frida [at] lsh.is
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

The Icelandic Food and Nutrition Association
The Icelandic Food and Nutrition Association is a professional association of food scientists, nutritionists, nutrition consultants and other professions with a university degree in related disciplines. The aim of the association is, among other things, to promote the development of food companies and strengthen co-operation with them, promote increased education and the strengthening of scientific research in the field of food and nutrition, work on reforms in the nation's food and seek to influence legislation. The association's website, www.mni.is, is updated regularly and contains event calendars, news and various information, including articles that members have written in the media and presentations from the association's conferences in recent years. The magazine Matur er mannsins minn is also published with in-depth coverage of food, nutrition and the content of Food Day every year. The magazine has been distributed all over the country with Morgunblaðið and will continue to be so this year.

Topics of the previous MNÍ Food Days
1993 Food Production - Quality  
1994 Food industry and human consumption  
1995 Education for the food industry  
1996 Product development and value creation  
1997 Food in the New Century   
1998 Food and the environment       
1999 Offita   
2000 Safe foods       
2001 Food and politics 2009 Icelandic food production and currency creation
2002 Food Control
2003 Consumer trends
2004 Research
2005 Large kitchen and canteen
2006 Powerful food industry in constant development
2007 Who is responsible for and influences the nation's food choices and nutritional status?
2008 Icelandic food traditions and regional registers

The first conference on environmental pollution in Iceland will be held on Friday 25 February 2011 in the vicinity of Reykjavík.

The aim of the conference is to present the work and results of the main parties working to assess pollution in Iceland. Emphasis will be placed on all monitoring and research participants contributing to the conference.

The conference is divided into two parts. Before noon, emphasis will be placed on monitoring environmental pollution in Icelandic nature. After the lunch, there will be presentations of research on pollution in the air, uterus, soil, humans and animals. The arrangement of the conference is that in each section, several presentations from submitted abstracts will be selected, with an emphasis on monitoring on the one hand and research on the other. These presentations provide an overview of the state of affairs in Iceland today. There will also be a strong emphasis on posters where researchers are given the opportunity to present their projects. Conference guests will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the various monitoring and research projects on these posters and discuss these projects in person with researchers during coffee breaks and poster presentations. 

The deadline for submitting abstracts is 1 December 2010 environ@matis.is. A draft agenda can be found here.

The Planning Committee answers questions
Gunnar Steinn Jónsson Environment Agency, gunnar@ust.is
Hrönn Ólína Jörundsdóttir Matís, hronn.o.jorundsdottir@matis.is
Taru Lehtinen HÍ, tmk2@hi.is

Scientific Committee
Hrund Ólöf Andradóttir, UI
Taru Lehtinen, HÍ
Kristín Ólafsdóttir, UI
Gunnar Steinn Jónsson, Environment Agency (UST)
Hermann Sveinbjörnsson, Ministry for the Environment
Anna Kristín Daníelsdóttir, Matís
Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir, Matís
Hrönn Jörundsdóttir, Matís

Science Week 2010 will be held today, Friday 24 September, at the Reykjavík Art Museum from 17 to kl. 22. Matís is a participant in the science vigil and a large number of people can be expected to visit.

The day is dedicated to European scientists and is celebrated in major European cities. The aim of Science Week and related events is to bring science closer to the public, to introduce the people behind the research and to make the public think about the importance of research and scientific work in modern society. Rannís stands for Science Week in Iceland.

The bombing gang and more show up!
Science Week is full of information for people of all ages and this year there will be events in the field, such as the Bomb Gang that comes to the area. At Science Week, scientists from universities, institutions and companies present research projects to the public in a lively and fun way. Guests get to see and test various devices and tools used in research, view the products of projects and chat with the scientists themselves about how to work on science, research and innovation. The family is at the forefront of Science Week and there is an excellent opportunity to introduce the world of science and technology to children and adolescents, but young people are especially welcome at Science Week.

Hopefully, as many people as possible will be able to visit the Reykjavík Art Museum and chat with scientists and see what is on display at Vísindavaka. There is no entrance fee and everyone is welcome. Here an overview of the program and participants can be found.

Matís has participated in the European Food Information Resource (EuroFIR) project on the chemical content of food, which ended this summer.

It lasted for five years and was funded by the 6th Framework Program of the European Union and its participants. The project was carried out by 49 companies, universities and institutions from 27 European countries and was managed by the Institute of Food Research in Norwich in the UK.

The main objective of the project was to harmonize and standardize work on European databases on the chemical content of food. A variety of tools were developed to achieve this goal. These include a standard for the presentation of data, a quality assessment system for data on the chemical content of food, the LanguaL system for defining food types and a coding system for describing the data.

Among the topics in the project was the publication of data on the chemical content of food on the participants' websites. Matís was one of the first to publish the data, but this was done in 2007. Since then, it has been possible to search part of the ÍSGEM database on www.matis.is under Educational Websites - Nutritional Value of Food. In the project, web applications (web services) were developed to search for defined data in the various databases. For example, if we lacked values for vitamin B2 in cells, we could search for the other participants and get values along with a variety of coded information.

The project succeeded in harmonizing databases on the chemical content of food in 25 European countries, including the Icelandic database (ÍSGEM), which is run by Matís. A new registration system was introduced for the ÍSGEM database in 2009 and was designed in accordance with the new requirements of the EuroFIR project. Database harmonization greatly facilitates the transfer of data between countries. The number of food brands in the West now numbers in the tens of thousands and new products are constantly being added. It is too costly to analyze all these products, so it is important to be able to obtain defined data from other countries.

The project set up a specialized database on bioactive substances in plants. The quality of the data was evaluated and information was recorded on the concentration of the substances and their bioactivity. Traditional foods were examined in a special section. Their production was recorded and selected foods were then chemically analyzed. The Icelandic food was skyr, ham, pickled blood butter, delicious shark and dried fish.

Databases on the chemical content of food are constantly evolving due to the new needs of the health sector, the economy and the general public. The databases need to be constantly updated, as the chemical composition of food changes, among other things, with changed recipes and environmental factors.

In order to continue developing the framework for harmonized European databases, an international association based in Belgium (EuroFIR-AISBL) was established. The role of the company is to share expertise and operate an information network for participants in the company. The company has, among other things, taken over the operation of a database for bioactive substances and the operation of web searches for European databases. More information about the EuroFIR project is available at www.eurofir.eu and at Ólafur Reykdal Matís employee.

Research is necessary for innovation, says Sjöfn Sigurgísladóttir, CEO of Matís.

Sjöfn Sigurgísladóttir, CEO of Matís and professor at the University of Iceland, said at the beginning of the conference that progress and innovation in the fisheries sector can only be ensured through strong research and development work.

An interview with Sjöfn was published in Útvegsblaðið recently and can be found here.

On Monday 27 September, an employee of Matís will, Snædís Huld Björnsdóttir, defend his doctoral dissertation “Genetic changes in the bacterium Rhodothermus marinus“(E. Genetic engineering of Rhodothermus marinus).

Supervisors were Guðmundur Eggertsson Professor Emeritus and Ólafur S. Andrésson professor. In addition, Dr. Jakob K. Kristjánsson CEO of Arkea, Sigríður H. Þorbjarnardóttir expert at the Institute of Biology and Dr. Ólafur H. Friðjónsson, project manager at Matís. 

Opponents are Daniel Prieur, Professor at the Université de Bretagne Occidentale in Brest, France and Dr. Valgerður Andrésdóttir, scientist at the University of Iceland Laboratory of Pathology at Keldur.

Snædís was born in 1973. She has worked at the Institute of Biology, at Prokaria and as a specialist at Matís 'Department of Biotechnology and Biochemistry since 2007. Snædís' research focused on the development of methods to genetically modify the thermophilic bacterium. Rhodothermus marinus. Snædís 'husband is Ægir Þór Þórsson, a horticultural consultant at the Icelandic Farmers' Association. 

Vice President of the Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Karl Benediktsson professor, presides over the ceremony requested The main hall of the main building and starts at 13:00.

Abstract
Rhodothermus marinus is an aerobic, thermophilic bacterium that was first isolated from underwater hot springs at Ísafjarðardjúp. The species is interesting, partly because of its position in the bacterial classification system and because of its adaptation to its natural environment. In addition produces R. marinus a large collection of heat-resistant enzymes that can be used in industry. These include enzymes that break down polysaccharides and biomass. Here's another one Rhodothermus type described. It was isolated from a depth of 2634 m in the Pacific Ocean and was named R. profundi. 

The main objective of this project was the development of methods for genetic modification R. marinus. A method was invented to transfer foreign genes into the bacterium. Two options were used, trpB and purA, but they list for enzymes involved in the synthesis of tryptophan and adenine.  R. marinus a strain that did not appear to have curvature activity was selected for genetic uptake. Both trpB and purA were removed from the chromosome of the receiving strain and therefore both substitutes can be selected. The precipitates prevent rearrangement between the valgenes and the chromosome and the formation of spontaneous Trp⁺ and Ade⁺ reversals. 

A small plexiglass, pRM21, was isolated from R. marinus and sequentially. It consists of 2935 base pairs and its largest reading frame records for proteins that correspond to the replication proteins of large plasmids of the IncW family. The plasmid was used in genetic engineering experiments. A good transformation was obtained by electrolyzing the bacterium. The plasmid was also used as a basis for the construction of shuttle boats that replicate both R. marinus and Escherichia coli.  Ferries were constructed for the expression of foreign genes in R. marinus and increased protein production was obtained by using thermodynamic control sequences. Vices that also make it possible to study expression were also found R. marinus and its stewards.

Methods for inactivating genes in the genome were developed R. marinus, both by random and targeted mutations. Genes were deleted from the bacterium chromosome without leaving any foreign sequences. Chromosome genes were also successfully replaced by double rearrangement by linear molecules. Induction of genetic modification R. marinus opens up the possibility of research into its properties as well as utilization. Such methods are even more important now than before since the sequencing of the genome R. marinus was recently published.

Starts: 27/09/2010 - 13:00
Location: Main building
Further location: Celebration hall

Matís' recent report discusses a shelf life experiment on pre-chilled, fresh cod fillets. 

The experiment took place in March 2010 as part of the European project Chill on (EU FP6-016333-2) and the Icelandic project Hermun kæliferla, which is funded by the AVS Fisheries Research Fund, the Rannís Technology Development Fund and the University of Iceland Research Fund. 

The aim of the experiments was, among other things, to investigate how well two types of foam boxes protect cod neck pieces from a typical heat load in an air transport chain from a producer in northern Iceland to a buyer in Europe. Temperature measurements, sensory evaluation, chemical and microbial measurements were used to compare the foam boxes and examine the importance of the location of fillet pieces within the box (corner and center).

The new foam box, designed with the FLUENT heat transfer model, proved to be better than the older box in terms of thermal insulation. The temperature load on the first day of the experiment caused the highest product temperature in the corners to rise to 5.4 ° C in the older model but only to 4.5 ° C in the new model. The difference between the highest product temperature in the middle and the corners of the box was about 2 to 3 ° C. 

Sensory evaluation showed that storage in the new foam box led to two to three days longer freshness period and one to two days longer shelf life for storage in the older foam box. 

Position within the box (angle and center) did not significantly affect sensory evaluation results and there was only a small difference between placements in TVB-N and TMA measurements.

Promens Tempra ehf. (http://www.tempra.is) has already started production of the new foam box.   

The report can be found here: http://www.matis.is/media/matis/utgafa/29-10-Effect-of-improved-design-of-wholesale.pdf

For further information, please contact Björn Margeirsson, mechanical engineer and doctoral student at the University of Iceland and Matís (bjornm@matis.is). 

Shelf life of cod necks in air and sea transport. In March 2010, a shelf life test was carried out, which aimed, among other things, to compare the shelf life of pre-cooled, fresh cod necks in air and sea transport from Iceland to mainland Europe.

The experiment was carried out under the auspices of the European project Chill on (http://www.chill-on.com) and the Icelandic research project Hermun kæliferla, which is supported by the AVS Fisheries Research Fund, the Rannís Technology Development Fund and the University of Iceland Research Fund, see more here: http://www.matis.is/verkefni/nr/2801.  

The available results of the temperature mapping of the cooling chain were taken into account when heating processes for air and sea transport were designed in the preparation of the experiment. The temperature-controlled cold rooms of Matís and the University of Iceland came in handy as so often before in such experiments. After moving from a producer in northern Iceland to Matís in Reykjavík, the flying fish experienced two relatively mild temperature fluctuations (about 9 ° C for 9 hours and about 13 ° C for 4 hours a few hours later) and we took a few days of storage at 1 °. C. The container fish, on the other hand, was stored at -1 ° C, which is a realistic possibility for container transport by ship, from arrival at Matís in Reykjavík. It is worth noting that the heat load in air transport can be significantly higher than the aforementioned air temperature curve states according to Art. Matís measurements. 

Temperature measurements, sensory evaluation, chemical and microbial measurements were used to compare the two modes of transport. 

Simulation of air and sea transport (temperature fluctuations and constant temperature) revealed that for well-cooled cod necks can be expected four days longer freshness period and about five days longer shelf life in well-controlled sea transport based on a typical air travel history. As sea transport from Iceland often takes about four to five days longer than air transport (depending on the day of the week and the location of the processing), this shows that sea transport is a realistic possibility for Icelandic fresh fish producers. However, this is based on the fact that the temperature control in containers is as good as it gets. Comparison of temperature control in different container types is precisely one of the subjects of the project Simulation of cooling processes. 

The report can be accessed here: http://www.matis.is/media/matis/utgafa/29-10-Effect-of-improved-design-of-wholesale.pdf and provided by Björn Margeirsson (bjornm@matis.is) Further information. 

In recent months, preparations have been made for the establishment of a food factory in the uplands of Árnessýsla, which will be a center for product development and processing of vegetables and to strengthen vocational and university education in the area through teaching and research.

In Flúðir, Matís will rent premises at Iðjuslóð 2 for the food factory and the operation is secured with the cooperation of Atvinnuþróunarfélag Suðurlands, Háskólafélag Suðurlands, Hrunamannahreppur, Bláskógarbyggð, Skeiða- and Gnúpverjahreppur, Grímsnes- og Grafningshreppur, Mat horticulture, Matís horticulture, An agreement on this subject was recently signed.

The main goal of the project is to build a development center for small-scale food production, ie to establish small-scale production, product development and research of horticultural products in the area and thus create new and interesting opportunities in Flúðir and the surrounding area, but also to create an important platform for entrepreneurs and small producers complete their products for marketing.

Suðurlands Growth Agreement provided grants for the preparation and development of the food factory.

A special project for three is about the operation and operation of the food factory in Flúðir. The partners will work together to ensure the progress of the project so that the facilities can be used for development work, teaching, courses and experimental activities.

In the near future, an employee will be hired for the workshop. Matís invests heavily in its operations outside the capital area and in collaboration with companies and stakeholders throughout the country, but the company operates offices in six locations outside Reykjavík.

Further information is provided by Guðjón Þorkelsson and Hörður G. Kristinsson at Matís. The accompanying photos show when the agreements were signed.

Pollution of heavy metals and other toxins in the sea around the country is generally well below international standards, as stated in Matís' new report on changes in the marine environment around the country (AMSUM 2009).

The concentration of cadmium in Icelandic mussels, however, is higher than is generally the case in mussels from the waters of Europe and America.

Since 1989, an annual monitoring project of pollutants in the marine environment of Iceland has been underway. The project is funded by the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture and Matís ohf. The Environment Agency is the project's administrator.

Various pollutants in the ocean can enter marine organisms or organisms that feed on seafood. In many cases, this pollution is man-made and there is growing concern about this development. Pollutants are transported by air and sea currents from mainland Europe and America as well as pollution from Iceland. It is therefore important to monitor the amount of pollutants in Iceland, both in the environment and in the organisms that live in the country. It is also important to be able to compare the state of the marine life around Iceland with the situation in other countries, not least because of the importance of marine products to the nation.

In Matís' report (Monitoring of the marine biosphere around Iceland in 2008 - 2009) are the results of the monitoring project for the years 2008 and 2009. The study measures the trace elements lead, cadmium, mercury, copper and zinc, arsenic and selenium, the persistent organic pollutants HCH, HCB, PCB, chloride, trans-nonachlor, toxaphen, DDT and PBDE. The aim of the monitoring project is to identify changes that may occur in the concentration of trace elements in the marine environment around the country during a certain period and between different ocean and coastal areas. Among other things, the research is important for the sale of Icelandic seafood in both domestic and foreign markets, where it can be demonstrated with scientific data that Icelandic fish is caught in an unpolluted environment.

The report states that the concentration of heavy metals such as mercury is very low. However, the concentration of cadmium has sometimes been higher in the marine environment in Iceland than in more southerly areas. However, the amount of cadmium is low in the organisms studied, for example in the range of 0.1-1 mg / kg in mussels. The high concentration of cadmium in Iceland is regional and is considered to have natural causes as there is no evidence of man-made cadmium pollution. Thus, for example, cadmium levels in mussels have been higher in recent years in various places that are far from residential areas and commercial activities, such as in Mjóafjörður, than in Hvalfjörður and Straumsvík. Persistent organic pollutants are low in mussels and cod in Iceland.

For further information, please contact Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir and Hrönn Ólína Jörundsdóttir at Matís.