The Ministry of Food is currently working on a road map for the use of organic materials for fertilizer in agriculture and land reclamation. The roadmap takes into account the government's climate policy and circular economy policy and is intended to show the way to how the set goal of sustainable use of organic materials for fertilizer will be achieved step by step in 2040 or earlier.
The project consists, among other things, in presenting a straightforward and credible plan that includes, among other things: assessment of the current situation, analysis of opportunities and their prioritization, as well as the presentation of scenarios. The Ministry of Food is responsible for the preparation of the roadmap, but has hired the Efla engineering firm to help with the work, in addition to the fact that the Ministry's institutions and stakeholders sit on the steering committee, i.e. Matís, RML, Landgroðslan and MAST.
Fourth of October a working meeting was held in the project where 35 business partners from various industries had the opportunity to get to know the preparation of the road map and bring input to the work. The meeting was held in Matís' house, and good discussions took place there, which will undoubtedly be useful in the preparation of the road map, which is expected to be published before the end of the year.
A delegation from Sierra Leone came to the country at the end of September at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to learn about the activities of the main institutions related to the blue economy - Matís, the Norwegian Marine Research Institute, the Norwegian Fisheries Agency and the Maritime School GRÓ.
The committee was chaired by Emma Josephine Kowa, Minister of Fisheries. The committee's visit was a preparation for upcoming cooperation projects between Iceland and Sierra Leone, which are related to an agreement on bilateral cooperation between the countries in development matters. Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in the world despite access to considerable wealth, both on land and sea. A long and cruel civil war tried the nation, but the current government is determined to develop the state for the better and look at better utilization of the riches of the sea.
The delegation together with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visited Matís on September 20 last, where the company's activities were presented and the premises were inspected. In continuation, there were discussions about Matís involvement in various projects that affect the blue economy and that falls under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' goals for bilateral cooperation. The Minister of Fisheries especially thanked Matís for a successful project concerning the smoking of fish, which results in better quality and improved health of the staff. But Matís designed the smoker and assisted in its construction.
Matís and Verkmenntaskóli Austurland recently organized the Innovation Competition of the primary schools in Fjarðabyggð, and this is the second time that such a competition has been held. Junior high school students took part in the Innovation Competition and had six weeks to come up with ideas for the possible use of seaweed and kelp from the area.
This year, the award ceremony took place on the family's Technology Day, which was held in Neskaupstaður on October 1st. The purpose of the Technology Day is to promote the technical and scientific work carried out in the East, as well as to promote the work of the Vocational School of the East, and it was therefore appropriate to announce the winner of the competition on the Technology Day.
The teachers in Fjarðabyggðar's primary schools did an excellent job in helping the students implement the ideas, and in addition to them, two "mentors" were recruited to help with the project, they were Dr. Hildur Inga Sveinsdóttir (Matís) and Dr. Guðrún Svana Hilmarsdóttir.
In order to decide the winner of the competition, judges from the local community who have a lot of experience from different fields were brought in. This year's judges were Arnfríður Eide Hafþórsdóttir, human resources and safety manager of Fur Processing, Hjördís Helga Seljan Þóroddsdóttir, president of the town council in Fjarðabyggð and Guðmundur Rafnkell Gíslason, manager of the Shipowners' Cooperative in Neskaupstað. The task of the judges was great as about 30 solutions were received from the elementary schools.
The President of Iceland, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson was hired to present the award and he did so at a ceremony on Technology Day. Suffice it to say that the project Seaweed plastic won and it was the students Júlíus Sigurðarson and Svanur Hafthórsson from Nesskóli who were responsible for the project. The jury had this to say about the project: "In the opinion of the jury, there is a lot of innovation in the project and the authors have a great vision of how the project can change the world."
Second place went to the project Beach salt but they were Þór Theódorsson and Stefanía Guðrún Birgisdóttir from Nesskóli. The jury had the following to say about the project: "the idea is ambitious for the use of mountain and sea, and it would be exciting to see it come to market."
The project won third place Seaweed paint and they were Anna Ragnarsdóttir, Ólafía Danuta Bergsdóttir and Kolka Dögg Ómarsdóttir from Eskifjarðar School, and the jury described the project in the following way: "extremely original idea and great innovation present."
Stefán Þór Eysteinsson was project manager on behalf of Matís. Matís would like to express special thanks to Birgis Jónsson, the project manager from the Vocational School of East Iceland, the jury, teachers, school administrators, "mentors", the President of Iceland and all those involved in the project.
Below you can see a video from the winning project:
Matís is participating in a new project funded by Horizon Europe. The project, called Giant Leaps, aims to accelerate the transition from animal proteins to new food proteins.
This change in diet is the key to transforming the food system in terms of environmental impact and improving the health and well-being of people, animals and the planet. The project will deliver strategic innovations, methodologies and open data to accelerate such changes accordingly Farm-to-Fork the strategy and the goal of the European Green Deal to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
Achieving the dietary shift in practice is inherently complex due to the diverse set of actors involved and further hindered by major knowledge gaps – scattered across the various alternative protein sources and the domains of health (safety, allergenicity and digestibility), environment (GHGs and other environmental and climate impacts, biodiversity, circularity), and/or barriers to adoption (technological, sensory, and consumer acceptance).
New technologies and improved methods, together with accessible and comprehensive information about novel proteins, will enable policymakers to prioritize changes in the food system. It will also be useful for stakeholders in the food value chain to make strategic decisions in research, trade and investment. In addition, the public gets a more sustainable and healthy alternative to diet.
The GIANT LEAPS group consists of 34 partners from all over Europe, from start-ups to universities and research institutes. At the beginning of September, the project manager, Dr. Paul Vos from Wageningen Research, the first meeting of the project in Wageningen, Holland. There, the partners had the opportunity to meet and plan the 4-year project.
Matís is involved in developing and characterisation of novel alternative proteins developed in the project; their value chain mapping; assessment of circularity potential, impacts on sustainability, biodiversity and ecosystem services, and climate change mitigation potential.
Follow the Giant Leap project on LinkedIn and Twitter, where you can monitor the progress of the project.
Nordic Salmon workshop will be held on October 19 at the town hall in Ölfus. The meeting is held in collaboration with Ölfus Cluster in Þorlákshöfn.
This workshop aim is to connect and support a broad range of stakeholders working in the salmon farming industry in the Nordic region, with the focus of exploring options and feasibility for secondary processing. This group includes salmon farms, sales and marketing, technical designers, processing equipment developers, research groups and transport/freight companies.
The objective of the project is to establish a network of specialists to analyze if secondary processing of salmon is a feasible option in the Nordic. The group will then evaluate the viable production scale and list necessary tasks and suggestions to achieve the overall objective.
The original idea behind this project is to use knowledge transfer from the Icelandic fresh cod industry success to the Nordic salmon industry to facilitate valorisation and create jobs in the Nordic countries. By using the future “smart” secondary processing factories and make ready-to-eat production economically feasible, provide added value to the Nordic salmon industry. Filleted salmon and portions will reduce export cost and allows local utilisation and processing of side products that are currently exported, such as cut-offs, bones and heads, as well as reducing the carbon footprint.
08:30 Opening the workshop: Short introduction to the SWOT analysis, Sæmundur Elíasson 08:45Address, Elliði Vignisson, mayor of Ölfus municipality 09:00-10:30 Session 1: Competitiveness in secondary processing in the Nordics
Halldor Thorkelson, Marel
Frank Yri, Seaborn/Iceborn
Per Alfred Holte, Maritech
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee
11:00 – 12:30 Session 2: Marketing and environmental footprint
Ingólfur Friðriksson, EEA affair, Ministry of foreign affairs
Sigurður Pétursson, Nova Food
"Consumer decision making and carbon footprint"
Audun Iversen, Nofima
Jón Hafbo Atlason, Hiddenfjord
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch
13:30 - 14:45 Session 3: Side streams production
Matti Isohätälä, Hätälä
Dennis Lohman, BAADER
14:45 Coffee break
15:15 – 16:00 Discussions and Round up
16:00 Closing
17:00 Refreshments at Lax-inn Mýrargatu 26, 101 Reykjavík
The key to developing a good product in the spirit of sustainability is to use the power of sensory science to bridge the gap between science, industry and consumers. The title of the conference is "From idea to consumption" and at the conference we will examine the process from idea to market, with an emphasis on sustainability, the challenges that such a process often entails and the important role that sensory evaluation plays in the development of quality and sustainable food and beverage product.
Professionals and scientists who work on sensory assessment, quality issues and consumer issues in the field of food and other consumer products will have the opportunity to meet and compare their books. The conference is also chosen to promote connections and opportunities in the Nordic areas. Sensory evaluation, for example evaluation of quality and consumer issues, is an important link in the work that takes place in companies that produce and sell consumer goods.
The Nordic Sensory Workshop is a Nordic conference that has been held approximately every other year. The conference is attended by experts in the field of sensory evaluation and consumer research in the Nordic countries who also take turns hosting the conference. This year, Denmark (Teknologisk Institut) is in charge of planning with help from Nordic partners in Iceland (Matís), Norway (NOFIMA), RISE (The Swedish Research Institute) and Finland (VTT-Technical Research Center of Finland).
The conference will be held on April 25-26, 2023, Gregersenvej 1, 2630 Taastrup, Denmark.
Registration will open in January 2023, but you can sign up for the reminder list by email to the following address: lesh@teknologisk.dk
More information about the conference can be accessed by clicking here or by sending an inquiry to Kolbrúna Sveinsdóttir at Matís at the email address kolbrun@matis.is.
Ever since the establishment of the Sea Cluster in 2011, Matís has had a good and successful collaboration with the cluster itself and the companies in it. It has been an adventure to participate in and observe how the cluster has flourished and produced new companies, products and valuables for the benefit of the country and the nation.
Among the projects that are being worked on at the moment is consulting with the authorities and companies around the Great Lakes in Canada in terms of the full utilization of the catch available there. The project is carried out in connection with the philosophy of 100%fish. Last week, a group associated with the project came to record promotional material at Matís' laboratories. For the group, dr. Alexandra Leeper, research & development director of Sjávarklasan, who is also a former employee of Matís. Here are some photos from the visit. Matís' staff is particularly proud to participate in the collaboration with Sjávarklasann.
The project Vegetable value chain started at Matís in 2021 with a grant from the Food Fund. The project considered the quality and shelf life of Icelandic vegetables, as well as exploring new opportunities for making use of by-products. The project has now been completed and the results have been published in four reports. Project manager Ólafur Reykdal and expert Eva Margrét Jónudóttir tell us about the project and its significance for stakeholders.
Increased value creation in the business world
The aim of the project was to improve the quality, shelf life and reduce waste in the value chain of Icelandic vegetables in order to promote the vegetable sector in Iceland with new knowledge and increase the quality of production. The main subjects of the project were shelf-life studies, investigations of ways to create value from by-products, and analysis of ways to reduce shrinkage in the value chain. The project exceeded expectations and new practical information is now available. It is interesting to wonder why it was decided to start this project in the beginning?
"It is in line with Matís' role to increase value creation in the business world. Not much has been done for the vegetable sector, so there was reason to improve it," explains Ólafur Reykdal.
Interesting results and far-reaching implications
The project has now been completed and reports have been published on Matís' website. The results are diverse and the project provides increased knowledge that will be useful to business partners.
The results of measuring the chemical content of potatoes may surprise many. It turned out that there were more antioxidants in the potatoes than expected and different amounts of carbohydrates (9-20%) depending on the potato varieties. The lower the percentage of carbohydrates, the fewer the calories in the potatoes. In light of the antioxidants, it can be said that the healthiness of potatoes has been underestimated. The impact of these results did not stop, and the potato farmers in Þórustaðir responded in the following way:
"The project led to potato farmers in Þórustaðir in Eyjafjörður revising the labels on their products, and a special chemical composition was revealed for new potato varieties that the farmers had taken up for cultivation," says Ólafur Reykdal.
Common herbs were also studied. Herbs are extremely healthy, as they are full of vitamins and minerals and are used to flavor food. "The project demonstrated the high antioxidant activity of herbs and the importance of storing them in the right conditions. A leaflet was prepared which has been distributed," explains Ólafur Reykdal. You can access the leaflet here at the bottom of the news.
Image from a single sheet
"We compared vegetables wrapped in plastic and unwrapped vegetables for up to 12 weeks. There was a decisive difference between the lightness of packaged and unpackaged vegetables, this was especially noticeable for carrots. The quality of beets in plastic film was maintained for at least 12 weeks and they did not lose weight," explains Ólafur. A leaflet was prepared with the results, which those interested can access here at the bottom of the news.
The pictures show packaged and unpackaged carrots after 10 weeks in a shelf life experiment.
"Packaged broccoli received good quality ratings for seven weeks, but unpackaged broccoli lasted much less. For more types of vegetables, refer to reports."
Here you can see Ólaf Reykdal and Eva Margréti Jónudóttir presenting the results of the project during Innovation Week 2022.
"Various checks were made on the vegetable supply chain. Temperatures were measured with thermometers during transport of vegetables around the country. Weak links were revealed especially in distribution centers and shops in rural areas. The relevant parties were notified and hopefully they have worked on fixes. "Suggestions were put forward on how to reduce the deterioration of vegetables in the value chain," says Ólafur Reykdal.
The results of the potato measurements were surprising
"Surprisingly, more antioxidants were measured in potatoes than in various brightly colored vegetables. It was interesting how high a percentage of minerals could be found in vegetable by-products. For example, there is relatively more minerals in dry matter from side products (leaves) than in common vegetables. This indicates that more minerals can be found in side products than in common vegetables, and thus exciting possibilities for the processing of that raw material.
Another thing that caught my eye was how common it is for horses to be partially fed on horticultural by-products without any apparent harm. Someone could claim that by using various by-products in feed, there could be a toxic effect, but according to our sources, this does not seem to be the case based on the amount of by-products that are used in feed in this country.
It was also a real surprise how much perfectly good vegetables are wasted because the market can't accept them all when they're at their freshest. Although we always want to try to reduce plastic use as much as possible, at the same time we want to reduce food waste by increasing shelf life. As the results of this project indicate, the shelf life of vegetables can be significantly increased by packaging, and therefore it can be said that packaging in this case truly prevented wastage. It will probably be possible to reduce the use of plastic with new packaging materials," says Eva Margrét.
New opportunities following a successful project
The project has resulted in two exciting projects. On the one hand, a project about the challenges of packing vegetables, and on the other hand, a project that deals with the value of horticulture by-products. Both projects have received funding from the Swedish Food Fund.
The project on the challenges of packaging vegetables started in 2022. "It is hoped that the results of this project will help in the selection of packaging materials and packaging methods," explains Ólafur
The foundation has been laid for new research on the by-products of horticulture aimed at the production of valuable products, a grant has been received from the Food Fund and it is estimated that the project will start in 2022. when defoliating tomato and cucumber plants, leaves of outdoor vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, turnips, carrots, leaves and stems from floriculture. In addition, the basis for improved utilization of second-class products and excess amounts of carrots will be examined. Biomaterials and bioactive substances will be isolated from each biomass and the amount, bioactivity properties and processing properties will be studied with the aim of using them as ingredients in new products," explains Eva Margrét.
Special thanks to partners in the project: Gardeners' Sales Association, the gardeners' section of the Farmers' Association, the Agricultural Advisory Center, the Samkaup retail chain and numerous gardeners.
Below you can find the four reports:
Report 1: Improved quality, shelf life and less waste in the value chain of Icelandic vegetables, click here
Report 2: By-products of vegetable production, click here
Report 3: Analysis of Atrophy in Vegetable Value Chain, click here
Report 4: Shelf life and deterioration in the vegetable value chain, click here
Single leaf Herbs- Healthy but delicate, can be found here
The single leaf packaging of carrots preserves quality and prevents water loss, it can be found here
Projects on vegetables are carried out in various areas at Matís, but fall under the service category Vegetables and grains.If you are interested in learning more about research and innovation in that service category, you can access information by clicking here:https://matis.is/thjonustuflokkar/graenmeti-og-korn/
Vestmannaeyja Knowledge Center (ÞSV) and Matís ohf. wish to hire a project manager for a 100% job, about a 50% job at each company. The office is in the creative environment of ÞSV and partners at Ægisgatu 2 in Vestmannaeyju.
The main part of the work at ÞSV, in collaboration with its manager, consists of carrying out regional projects on behalf of the Association of Southern Municipalities (SASS) according to a special agreement. Including providing advice in the field of employment and culture and overseeing grants for more interesting projects in the field of regional development in the South.
The work at Matís is related to procurement, planning and participation in national and international research and innovation projects in the field of sustainable food production. It is also expected that the establishment in Vestmannaeyjar has a good relationship with food producers in the South and serves the companies, among other things, with grant applications and in connection with other Matís experts.
Area of work:
Cooperation with companies, individuals and municipalities on regional development and innovation in the South
Business and operational consulting
Project procurement and assistance with project financing, such as by preparing grant applications
Project management
Qualification requirements:
Education that is useful in work
Good interpersonal skills
Good oral and written communication skills
Initiative, independence and ambition
All genders are encouraged to apply. Applications must be accompanied by a detailed CV as well as the phone number or email address of the recommender.
More information about the job is provided by: Hörður Baldvinsson, co. ÞSV hbald@setur.is simi 841 7710 and Jónas R. Viðarsson, division manager at Matís jonas@matis.is 422 5107.
The application deadline is until September 20 please send an application to hbald@setur.is
Take part in the EIT Food North-West event which will be held on 3-5 next october The focus is on knowledge sharing and networking. The event is for the food industry, technology partners and product manufacturers.
Why attend?
To gain knowledge of the UK food industry.
To connect with industry experts who have important relationships with technology centers and the market.
To hear from people in the UK and Iceland who work in the food industry and have grown successfully.
The event will take place on the 3rd-5th. October:
Monday, October 3
What do buyers and retailers want? The UK retail market. Matís, Reykjavík
Tuesday, October 4
Iceland's blue economy and 100% fish Iceland Ocean Cluster, Reykjavík
Wednesday, October 5
Introduction to controlled environment in agricultural production Orchids, Selfoss
Come and join us!You can find the program of Matís and EIT Food for Monday, October 3 here:
09:00
Opening, Oddur M. Gunnarsson CEO of Matís
The consumer, demand and the UK market
Networking and sharing – speed networking – session I
The mission of Mackies, the global small producer – ice cream straight from the farm
12:15
Lunch break – networking and sharing
13:15
Micro mission; Food Innovation Wales, Scottish Rural Agricultural College, National Manufacturing Institute and Strathclyde
The opportunities; presentation of EIT Food/EEN
Networking and sharing – speed networking – Session II
16:30
Summary and end of program
Participation is free, but registration is required by clicking the registration button below:
