Category: News

A total of eighteen new projects were initiated by entrepreneurs, companies, universities and institutions in collaboration with Matís from the Food Fund. The projects focus on increased value creation, sustainability and competitiveness and include the production of meat, vegetables, fruit, salted fish, roe deer, redfish, protein processing, astaxanthin rich fish oil, cereals, seaweed in feed, rapid brewing, rapid digestion, on Icelandic fish, food labeling and environmentally friendly food packaging.

One of the main roles of Matvælarannsókna Íslands (Matís) is to support innovation in the Icelandic food and biotechnology industry, and Matís is currently working on 120 research and development projects in collaboration with companies and institutions across the country. The government's direct funding to Matís to carry out its role, research and innovation in the field of food for the benefit of the economy, however, is the same in ISK terms as when Matís was founded in 2007. This certainly limits Matís' ability and potential to collaborate with small , as a large domestic enterprise and sprout and formulate practical projects.

The success of Matís and our partners in the recent allocation by the Food Fund of development and innovation grants for the production and processing of food and by-products from Icelandic agricultural and marine products is therefore to be welcomed. It is thanks to this great result of tireless work and the great ambition of Matís employees to support innovation in Icelandic food production. Matís employees involved in these research and innovation projects are proud to have the opportunity to work with forward-looking companies, institutions and entrepreneurs in shaping the future, ensuring food security and promoting increased value creation and improved public health. The following is a brief overview and information about the 18 projects that Matís is connected to and received a foothold in the Food Fund this month, as well as our partners in the projects. 

1. Meat production cycle economy (Kelda). Co-operation between Norðlenski in Akureyri and Matís. The main goal of the project is to improve the production and handling of raw materials for the Icelandic meat industry. The project is about researching the possibilities for increased utilization and value creation of by-products from slaughterhouses and meat processing that are currently underused in Iceland. The by-products of slaughterhouses and meat processing plants are numerous, such as various offal, blood, cuts and bones and are an excellent source of nutrients to name a few.
2. Fiber-rich and healthy skin? Pesticides, heavy metals and nutrients in the external and internal burden of Icelandic and imported vegetables and fruits. (Kelda).Collaboration between the Faculty of Food and Nutrition, University of Iceland and Matís. The Reykjavík Horticultural Farmers' Sales Association believes that the project will be useful to horticultural farmers in Iceland, and that the Reykjavík Agricultural Advisory Center will also be involved in the project. The aim of the project is twofold: a) To demonstrate the uniqueness of Icelandic vegetables in terms of pesticide residues compared to imported vegetables. b) To increase the consumption of underutilized by-products - peel and bark. The external burden of vegetables and fruits is often high in fiber and healthy, and therefore increased consumption can not only have a positive environmental impact through the utilization of underutilized by-products but also have a positive effect on Icelanders' public health.
3. Seaweed and good bacteria in aquaculture (Kelda). Collaboration between Fóðurverksmiðjan Laxá in Akureyri, Þörungaverksmiðjan Thorverk, Þörungaklaustur in Reykhólasveit and Matís. The aim of the project is to develop feed supplements with bioactive properties from lactic acid fermented seaweed for aquaculture.
4. Salted fish for the future (Kelda). Collaboration between Þorbjörn and Vísir in Grindavík, Faculty of Food and Nutrition, University of Iceland and Matís. The aim of the project is to develop and the best production process for the dehydration of salted fish with a view to exporting finished consumer goods and thus achieve increased added value.
5. Challenges when packing vegetables (Kelda).  Partners are the Association of Horticultural Farmers, the Horticultural Farmers' Sales Association in Reykjavík and Matís. The Association of Southern Municipalities will also be involved in the project. The objectives of the project are to: a) Give an overview of options for packing vegetables. b) Investigate the shelf life and quality of vegetables for different packaging in Icelandic conditions. c) Give an overview of the impact of packaging on the environment and human health. d) Carry out calculations for horticultural farmers on the carbon footprint of vegetables with regard to packaging.
6. Nutrients from the brewing streams of brewing (Kelda). Collaboration between Ölgerðin in Reykjavík and Matís. The aim of the project is to utilize by-products that are created during brewing and create value from them. The rate resulting from malting (heating to get rid of fermentable sugars from the grain) is rich in protein and hemicellulose. In the project, bioactive polysaccharides will be processed from the fast with the help of enzymes. In addition, protein will be processed from the raw material and tested in fish feed.
7. CRISP-FISH: Rapid redfish species analysis (Kelda). Collaboration between Útgerðarfélag Reykvíkingar, Brims in Reykjavík and Matís. Three types of redfish are important in our exports to foreign markets, redfish, deep redfish and small redfish. Of these species, redfish are the most valuable and it can be said that we have a dominant market position because 85% of the world catch comes from Iceland. Cheap redfish products from Asia threaten our markets, and although genetic methods are available and necessary to distinguish between species, they are time-consuming and only carried out in specialized equipment laboratories and by trained people. The aim of the project is to develop rapid genetic methods for species analysis of different redfish species.
8. Improved processing processes for sea-freezing redfish (Kelda). Collaboration between Útgerðarfélag Reykvíkingar, Faculty of Food and Nutrition, University of Iceland and Matís. The aim of the project is to find ways to use vertical plate freezers to freeze redfish in sea processing. The possibility of utilizing this equipment would lead to increased processing efficiency and flexibility, but freezing is often a bottleneck in seawater processing of redfish as it is not possible to fully utilize the freezing capacity of vessels.
9. New solutions for food labeling (Kelda). Collaboration between the Association of Small Food Producers, Hugsjár in Reykjavík and Matís. The aim of the project is to develop new solutions for food labeling in accordance with regulatory provisions, and thus promote that they are as accurate and safe as possible. The project's products will be new solutions for food producers; detailed instructions (webbook) on food labeling (nutritional value, content descriptions, additives and shelf life) as well as a software solution that works with the ÍSGEM database when calculating nutritional value based on a recipe. The solutions are labor-saving for food producers, especially small producers.
10. Utilization of eggs (Kelda). Collaboration between Arctic fish in Ísafjörður, Marine Collagen in Grindavík Marine Research Institute, University of Iceland and Matís. The main goal of the project is to investigate the utilization possibilities of egg yolks for gelatin and collagen production. Today, the grayling eggs are used for caviar production and the grayling after roe collection is often frozen for human consumption. Food markets for frozen grayling have been very volatile, so it is of great value to find more utilization possibilities for both grayling and erysipelas. 
11. Mannakorn - Better barley with improved methods (Kelda). Collaboration between the Agricultural University of Iceland in Hvanneyri and Matís. In addition, there is co-operation with barley farmers around the country in the search for the best varieties of barley. The aim of the project is to find the varieties of varieties that are suitable for Icelandic conditions that achieve satisfactory maturity and quality so that they can be cultivated in an efficient manner.
12. Mannakorn - Oats and quality maximization (Kelda). Collaboration between the Agricultural University of Iceland in Hvanneyri, the Agricultural Advisory Center, Líflands in Reykjavík, Sandhólsbændir in Skaftárhreppur and Matís. The main goal of the project is to lay the foundation for a new sector in grain farming in Iceland, oat farming. Oats are a novelty in Icelandic grain farming, a farming industry that is breaking children's shoes in Iceland. Oats have been little studied in this country and breeding for Icelandic conditions has not been practiced. Oats are farmed in Iceland, however, but there is a significant improvement in the scope and quality of that crop.
13. More environmentally friendly food packaging (Kelda). Cooperation between Tempra in Hafnarfjörður, Sæplast and ITUB Iceland in Dalvík, Samherji in Akureyri, Arnarlax in Bíldudalur, the University of Iceland and Matís. The aim of the project is to develop lighter and more environmentally friendly packaging for the export of fresh fish products.
14. Value in the processing water of catfish processing (Kelda). Collaboration between Brims in Reykjavík, Vísir and Þorbjörn in Grindavík, Samherji in Akureyri and Matís. The aim of the project is to develop valuable products from protein in processing water from catfish processing. The amount and properties of proteins in water from different processing equipment will be mapped, taking into account raw materials, equipment settings, etc. It will be assessed whether it is possible to reduce protein loss and methods developed to collect and process this side raw material for human consumption.
15. The effect of the renewal of the Icelandic fishing fleet on the carbon footprint of products (Kelda). Collaboration between Vinnslustöðin and Leo Seafood in the Westman Islands, Skinney Þinganes in Höfn in Hornafjörður, Síldarvinnslan in Neskaupstaður, Fisk Seafood and Versinn Vísindagarður in Sauðarkrókur, Hraðfrystihús Gunnvarar in Hnífsdalur, Brims, SFS, Canada and ISI Foods in Reykjavík, ICE, Salti Matís. The aim of the project is to carry out a life cycle analysis of Icelandic fish products derived from the catches of several trawlers that have come to Iceland in recent years, in order to assess the impact of fleet renewal on the carbon footprint of the products.
16. Protein quality changes in the processing of cod and redfish products (Kelda).  Collaboration between Vísir in Grindavík, Brims in Reykjavík, the Faculty of Food and Nutrition, University of Iceland and Matís. The aim of the project is to investigate the effect of light salting and salted fish processing on the quality of protein in cod products as well as the effect of freezing and cold storage on the quality of protein in redfish products. The aim is to gain a better understanding of the effects of these processing processes on protein in seafood and how to maintain the consistent quality of the proteins in terms of properties and bioactivity throughout the value chain, from fishing to consumers.
17. Red Gold (Product). Collaboration between Síldarvinnslan in Neskaupstaður, the Faculty of Food and Nutrition, University of Iceland and Matís. The main goal of the project is to complete astaxanthin-rich fish oil from redfish that arrives on land as extra raw material or by-catch from pelagic fisheries. Red-edged tributaries will be collected during the processing of mackerel in SVN's fish processing plant with new collection equipment. After collection, three different processing methods will be used in the production of astaxanthin-rich fish oil. Erythema contains a large amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids as well as the antioxidant astaxanthin, which makes it sought after in further processing.  
18. Sea Gold (Product). The collaboration between Slippinn and Samherji in Akureyri and Matís. The aim of the project is to develop solutions to obtain a stable and correct quality of catfish products during mechanical bleeding and washing on board processing vessels. 

Matís congratulates all those involved in the above-mentioned innovation projects on the grant and that the collaboration returns the results, products and knowledge needed to further strengthen Icelandic food production throughout the country. Matís came up with other applications to the Food Fund this year that did not get off to a good start this time, but will hopefully, after improvements, become projects later. However, it is clear that there is a lot of good ideas and great growth and innovation power among start-ups, small and large companies across the country who are looking for knowledge from Matís in the development and innovation of food and by-products. Matís will continue to do its important work in supporting innovation within the Icelandic food sector with expertise, equipment and facilities.

Contact

Ólafur Reykdal

Project Manager

olafur.reykdal@matis.is

At Matís, various researches are underway on vegetables for a grant from the Food Fund. The research aims to increase the quality and shelf life of vegetables but also to reduce waste in the value chain from harvest to consumer and find new ways to increase the value of by-products in the vegetable sector.

Recently completed a project that started in 2020 and dealt with the antioxidant activity and quality of vegetables. Antioxidant activity refers to the activity of antioxidants which are among the important substances in vegetables. Antioxidants are substances that provide the body with protection against the harmful effects of substances that promote oxidation. The health benefits have been attributed to the consumption of antioxidant vegetables.

Antioxidant activity was found in all vegetable samples but varied by species. Significant antioxidant activity in potatoes came as a surprise as antioxidants are often associated with colorful vegetables.

Cauliflower and broccoli, along with potatoes, were among the vegetables that scored the highest for antioxidant activity.

The healthiness of potatoes may be underestimated, but they are often not included in the healthiest vegetables. Potatoes contain important nutrients such as vitamins and a considerable amount of starch, which makes potatoes more energetic than most other vegetables. The results of the project have been published and can be accessed here:  https://matis.is/skyrsla/gaedi-og-andoxunarvirkni-graenmetis-a-markadi-2020-21/ . New results can be expected for vegetables in the coming months, including potatoes.

Are you interested in research and innovation in the vegetable sector? Watch Matís' focus meeting on the value chain of vegetables here: Value chain of vegetables.

Contact

Eva Margrét Jónudóttir

Project Manager

evamargret@matis.is

Horse and foal meat has many good qualities, but is a little known consumer product in the world. The nutritional value of the meat is good, it is lean and at a relatively low price compared to other meats. Research on horse and foal meat has been deficient over the years, but Eva Margrét Jónudóttir and other experts at Matís have worked diligently to improve it in recent years.

This summer, Eva Margrét's last project, a specialist at Matís, completed horsemeat, but she has in recent years conducted various research in that field. In connection with her BS degree in agricultural sciences at the Agricultural University of Hvanneyri, her interest in this work was sparked and her final project dealt with the attitudes and buying behavior of Icelandic consumers of horsemeat. Subsequently, she pursued a master's degree in food science at the University of Iceland in parallel with her work at Matís, where her main research topics were the quality and properties of horsemeat. We talked to Eva Margrét about the projects she has done in this field, their origin and her ongoing work in the field of food research.

What was the original purpose of your research?

"I had long wondered that the people I met were rather indifferent to horsemeat, but I myself was raised with home-slaughtered horsemeat and thought it was tasty and wonderful. I wanted to study horsemeat and draw attention to it, but had difficulty finding guidelines for such research. I was then pointed out to Guðjón Þorkelsson, who applied for and received funding for the projects in the Productivity Fund and Kolbrúna Sveinsdóttir, experts at Matís, and they were there for the fight, "says Eva Margét.

"In the previous study I did, the goal was to submit proposals to improve the position of horsemeat in the domestic market. This was done by analyzing the attitudes and buying behavior of Icelandic consumers of horsemeat, discussing with stakeholders the status of horsemeat in the country and examining the actual state of knowledge in this field at that time. The purpose of subsequent research was to obtain and disseminate information that supports and paves the way for marketing and sales of horsemeat, "explains Eva Margrét.

The purpose was also to show that horsemeat is of high quality, has a full mission in the market as a luxury product and that its shelf life can be extended considerably with shorter processing processes, better packaging and more cooling. It all worked out.

Surprising results

Initially, it was planned to get 400 answers to a questionnaire that was posted online in the previous study. A total of 850 responses were received, which immediately gave the idea that consumers were interested in the material.

The main results were that most of the participants in the study were really positive and welcomed the discussion about horsemeat, but the public's knowledge of its quality and treatment could be increased. They showed that 96% participants had tasted horse and / or foal meat, but those who had not tasted were not interested, either because they did not eat meat over their heads or because they felt like eating the dog. time and considered it wrong for emotional reasons. Most people considered horsemeat and foal meat to be a clean and environmentally friendly food, free of antibiotics and contaminants. It also became clear that people from all over the country did not think horse and foal meat was prominent enough and visible in shops.

The results of the latter studies showed in black and white that horsemeat is a quality product that can be maintained in good condition for a long time if it is handled correctly. Chemical measurements were performed confirming that foal meat is nutritious and the total number of micro-organisms after 15 days of storage at 2-4 ° C was below the limit values which confirmed good production methods and safety for consumption. The foal meat was tender and the taste and desire smell was generally not or not very measurable.

The results of experiments on shelf life exceeded expectations for wholesale packaged vertebral muscles as no changes were measured after 28 days at -1.5 ° C compared to the stated 2-3 weeks shelf life at 4 ° C. This was possible by lowering the temperature by 3-4 ° C, blocking light and limiting access to oxygen. Experiments with retail packages such as foam plastic trays with plastic film over as is common in meat tables did not work as well, but the number of days in wholesale did not affect the shelf life of retail in this case as there were no damage during the wholesale storage period and the meat quality was very constant.

The results of the study as a whole showed that horsemeat should have good potential on the market and it is hoped that it will be useful in preparing guidelines in this regard. They could lead to improved work processes that increase the shelf life of products and thus prevent unnecessary waste of horsemeat.

Eva Margrét hopes that over time, people will start to see horsemeat as a limited resource and not as a surplus of something else.

What have been the effects of this research and what are the future prospects for horsemeat in the Icelandic market?

"There was a lot of interest in this topic first when we were starting the research and we got coverage in the various media. I went to a variety of interviews and people along the way were endlessly asking about this research, what was in the news and how it was going. But after we finished the projects, the discussion has calmed down, "says Eva Margrét. 

"I have no follow-up projects on my cards yet, but I still hope that in the future I will be involved in more horsemeat research or some kind of product development project in connection with horsemeat. There is still so much to take in and many untapped opportunities there.

As for the future, we have one more idea for a project that did not receive funding in the last experiment, and it was called "Horse meat - cooking and value added". In short, it was about promoting horsemeat as a quality food product for restaurants, canteens and general consumers in collaboration with stakeholders through open horsemeat events, experiments on the various versions of cooking and the preparation of promotional material for publication. Here one would have to keep going and not give up. There is a lack of a website about horse products where you can find research on horsemeat, nutritional value, cooking instructions, recipes, meat cuts, bits of information or fragments from the history of horsemeat, storage instructions, etc. all in one place. This could even be an improved version of The Icelandic meat book which is a fairly good foundation to build on, "says Eva Margrét.

"It is also my distant dream to one day, together in a book or web magazine, take everything between heaven and earth that concerns the consumption of horsemeat and the utilization of the Icelandic horse. Both on a theoretical basis from the point of view of a food scientist but also in a historical or more creative way. "

Trivia and live footage from Eva Margrét's project work and research on horsemeat can be found on Matís' Instagram page here: Instagram.com/matis.

Projects such as the horsemeat projects in question are carried out in various areas at Matís but fall under the service category meat. If you are interested in getting to know more about research and innovation when it comes to meat processing and production, you can watch a presentation of the material here: Emphasis: Meat production and meat processing - research and innovation.

In the next few days there will also be a new episode of Matvælinu, Matís' broadcast on research and innovation in food production. Eva Margrét will talk about her horsemeat research as well as other projects she has worked on and put these issues in context with fun experiences and bits of information.

Contact

Eva Margrét Jónudóttir

Project Manager

evamargret@matis.is

Matís, the University of Iceland and the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research The Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn is currently organizing the course School on adding value to food side streams 2021 which will take place in Iceland 7.-17. next October.

A search has begun for talented students and young scientists who want to increase their knowledge of innovation and strengthen their skills in management by solving various tasks.

The objectives of the course include:

• Raising awareness of the social and environmental responsibility of food producers and of the opportunities that exist to improve the utilization of by-products in food production.
• To build a platform where students and young professionals with diverse backgrounds can exchange ideas and tackle the opportunities and challenges that exist when it comes to adding value to by-products in food production.
• To promote overall concept work and product development.
• To strengthen, expand and strengthen the network of young entrepreneurs.

The course will be taught in English and is free of charge for students.

Here you can see the program of the course

An introductory video about the course is in the player here:

More information about this great opportunity can be found here:

Registration takes place here:

The application deadline is 30 September

Contact

Óli Þór Hilmarsson

Project Manager

oli.th.hilmarsson@matis.is

Matís holds a special course website where a variety of educational material is available. This is a website that hosts 7 courses, but each one addresses certain aspects that are important for small food producers to get acquainted with. The content of the courses is presented in a lively and practical way and can therefore also be useful for food production enthusiasts or curious entrepreneurs.

Small-scale food production in Iceland is, however, considerable and will probably increase in the coming years. Licensors and regulators demand to a much greater extent that manufacturers have the professional knowledge and experience to be able to produce safe and good products. The course material and course instructions allow those who intend to start small-scale food production to acquire knowledge that is useful, for example, in all kinds of raw material handling, storage and labeling of food, application for an operating license, internal control and the preparation of a quality manual.

The topics of the courses are as follows:

• Licensing, quality manual, internal control and establishment of companies - Instructions for starting small-scale food production, distribution and sale.
• Microorganisms on meat - Study materials and guidelines aimed at explaining the importance of proper processing and handling of food so that it does not cause harm.
• Slaughter and meat eating - The meat assessment, ie. The classification of carcasses by sex, age, body fat and fat, plays an important role as a basis for pricing and trade in meat and for information for animal husbandry.
• Salting and smoking - Taste properties and technical purpose of salting and smoking foods.
• Food packaging labeling and packaging - All foodstuffs intended for end-users or commercial kitchens must be accompanied by food information in accordance with regulations. It can also be good to pack products in packaging and then it is important to know how to work.
• Raw processing and sausage making - Educational materials on processed meat products, such as food that has been changed from its natural state in some way, mainly for safety reasons, to improve the taste quality or increase the comfort of consumption.
• Sawing, deboning and marinating - Material on different divisions of an entire carcass into individual parts as well as marinating and the science behind it.

The educational material in the courses is compiled from various data, such as the laws and regulations that deal with food, from previous research and the study and promotional material that has been prepared at Matís and the Food Administration.

When purchasing a course, the study material opens and the buyer has access to it for 30 days.

Matís is the largest research company in the country in the field of food research and Matís' staff has many years of experience in food research. Great emphasis is placed on disseminating knowledge to the food industry in Iceland and web courses are one way to do this.

Almost no mycotoxins (fungal toxins) were measured in Icelandic oats when measurements were made earlier in the year. These results are extremely important for food safety.

Í Bændablaðið from the 26th of August discusses the results of the project Mannakorn - Hafrar, which is funded by the Food Fund. The project deals with experiments with different varieties of oats in order to find the varieties that are best suited to Icelandic conditions. The project is managed by the staff of the Agricultural University, but the staff of Matís takes care of one part of the project that deals with quality assessment and quality measurements of oat samples.

Mycotoxins (fungal toxins) were among those examined. At Matís, samples were prepared and sent to Germany for measurements of 11 mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are contaminants that some molds can produce under certain environmental conditions, especially when it is humid and warm. Mycotoxins can harm human health and livestock, but some of these substances are among the most potent toxins available. The results of the measurements showed that 10 of these substances were not measurable, but one substance was measured but in a very small amount that was far below the maximum value in a regulation.

These results are of great importance for the food safety of cereals produced in Iceland and raise hopes that it will be possible to produce Icelandic cereals that will be virtually free of mycotoxins. Nevertheless, it is very important to measure mycotoxins in Icelandic grain regularly, not least due to the warming weather.

The project Nýbylgja Bragð, which was carried out by scientists at Matís, was recently completed, but the main goal of the project was to develop valuable healthy flavors from large algae. The flavors are produced with innovative biotechnological methods, to reduce the use of salt in food processing, and they also have various other benefits.

High blood pressure is the most common health problem associated with high salt intake and is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that daily consumption of salt be significantly reduced in many parts of the world. This also applies to Icelanders who still consume too much salt.

As salt has a strong effect on taste, there is a risk that less salt consumption will reduce taste and that processing properties may change. Large algae are rich in metals such as sodium, potassium and magnesium which give a salty taste. In addition, they contain a lot of flavor enhancers that can change the taste properties of food and, for example, give them more flavor. In order to release these flavor enhancers such as proteins, amino acids and reducing sugars from the seaweed, different processing methods are sometimes required.  

In this project, biotechnological methods were used to process flavors, including the use of enzymes developed at Matís. Emphasis was placed on processing flavorings from seaweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) and gillnets (Saccharina latissima), but these species grow in large numbers near Iceland. The flavors were tested with e-tongue, e-nose and taste buds from the tongue, as well as sensory evaluation and chemical measurements. Selected flavors were used to test in saltier and tastier foods.

The attached picture shows experimental doses where the flavoring was used in mashed potatoes.

The results of the project showed that it is possible to process flavorings from seaweed with a taste-enhancing effect, but further tests and adaptation of the processing process are needed, including scaling up the production of the enzyme. 

Further information about the project is provided Rósa Jónsdóttir at Matís, but those interested are also advised to keep an eye on the project's project page here: New Wave Taste

The project also received coverage in Bændablaðið, which was published recently, and that coverage can be found here: Healthy flavors made from Icelandic seaweed.

Contact

Björn Þór Aðalsteinsson

Project Manager

bjornth@matis.is

CRISPR-Cas technology launched a revolution in biotechnology a few years ago. With technology, genetic modification can be performed easily and quickly in the cells of most organisms. However, the technology did not cover high-temperature organisms due to the fact that the original version of the CRISPR-Cas "tool" was based on enzymes that lose their activity at high temperatures. Matís researchers have now, in connection with the research project ThermoTools, designed a heat-resistant CRISPR-Cas system.

The project ThermoTools began in 2019 and is led by Björn Þór Aðalsteinsson, project manager at Matís. He worked on the project in collaboration with Elleke Bosma at DTU University of Technology in Denmark, and received a grant from the Rannís Research Fund. We talked to Björn Þór about the progress of the project and the opportunities for genetic modification of thermophilic microorganisms.

ThermoTools aims to develop systems and tools to genetically engineer thermophilic microorganisms.

The tools available today are usually complex and their use requires a lot of work and time. This has hindered research into organisms that live at high temperatures, both in terms of their basic biology and their practical use.

The CRISPR-Cas technology was first introduced in 2012 and it can be said that a revolution in biotechnology has been launched. With technology, genetic modification can be performed easily and quickly in cells to any organism. However, this revolutionary technology did not reach high-temperature organisms because the original version of the CRISPR-Cas tool was based on an enzyme that loses its activity at high temperatures.

ThermoTools set out to design a new CRISPR-Cas system that could be used at high temperatures, at least 60 ° C.

Who benefits from project work like this and who will benefit from the technology and the CRISPR-Cas tool?

First, the study benefits scientists who study thermophilic microorganisms for basic scientific or practical purposes.

Microorganisms are used for various types of industrial chemical production. They are grown on a large scale (tens or hundreds of liters) and the substances formed during their growth are isolated. Their products include biofuels (eg ethanol and methane), organic solvents (eg acetone and butanol), medicines (eg antibiotics), enzymes (used in detergents, cheese making and baking), vitamins and dyes (eg astaxanthin).

The use of thermophilic microorganisms for this purpose has not gained a foothold to date, partly due to the lack of effective tools for their genetic modification. Their use for this purpose, however, may have several advantages, among other things because the solubility of substances increases and chemical reactions are generally faster at high temperatures, which promotes the efficiency of such processes.

In the cultivation of micro-organisms for industrial chemical production, there will generally be considerable reductions in production due to the growth of spoilage micro-organisms, that is to say external micro-organisms that settle in the micro-culture. It can be concluded that such reductions could be significantly reduced by the use of thermophilic microorganisms due to the fact that spoilage microorganisms are unable to grow at high temperatures.

Matís conducts research with the aim of developing thermophilic microbial strains that can be used for the industrial production of biofuels, antioxidants, etc. The products of the ThermoTools project will act as a catalyst for these projects and enable complex genetic modifications that were not possible before. The products have also been made available to other scientists who can use them for the same purpose - to simplify their work on the genetic modification of thermophilic microorganisms.

What are the next steps in the ThermoTools project?

"The project is still under construction, but we have already designed a thermosetting CRISPR-Cas9 system and verified that the system can be used to genetically modify organisms that live at at least 65 ° C."

The first results of the project were recently published in a scientific article in the journal Scientific Reports but it can be read in its entirety here: Efficient genome editing of an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus, using a thermostable Cas9 variant. Björn Þór also presented the results Genome Engineering: CRISPR Frontiers conference earlier this month. It was a conference organized by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories, organized by Jennifer Doudna, who won the Nobel Prize for her research on CRISPR Cas systems in 2020.

Work will also be done on adapting the system to genetic modification in more organisms. "We are currently adapting the system to genetic modification Rhodothermus marinus and Thermoanaerobacterium AK17. We have already described the function of the system in the model organism Thermus thermophilus. R. marinus and AK17 are both thermophilic bacteria and are studied, among other things, for the production of ethanol and lycopene, "says Björn Þór.

As the project progresses, the ThermoTools project page will be updated and those interested can follow it here: Development of CRISPR-Cas systems for genetic modification of thermophilic microorganisms used for basic and practical research and in English here: ThermoTools. You can also find bits of information and live footage of the project on Matís' Instagram page here: Instagram.com/matis.

Projects such as ThermoTools are carried out by Matís' biotechnology group. If you are interested in getting to know the group's activities further, you can watch an introduction to biotechnology and biomaterials here: Focus meeting - Biotechnology and biomaterials.

In the next few days there will also be a new episode of Matvælinu, Matís' broadcast on research and innovation in food production. There, Björn Þór will discuss the ThermoTools project as well as other projects he has worked on and put these issues in the context of industry and business with other interviewees.