Category: News

Awareness has been raised about the importance of reducing the use of single-use packaging, and this is especially true for the use of plastic.

The consumer market has recently called for environmentally friendly packaging, and there is a loud demand for less use of plastic in the vegetable value chain. Producers and sellers are faced with the fact that using plastic is the easiest way to reduce the moisture loss of vegetables and thus preserve their quality and shelf life. The plastic is also used to differentiate products and to arrange pieces together in sales units.

Matís' staff has worked on a project aimed at highlighting the facts about vegetable packaging. Vegetables as a living tissue, the properties of the various packaging materials and environmental effects, especially the harmful effects of chemicals in plastic, were discussed.

You can read about all this and more in Matís's report:

• Chapter 10, for example, provides advice on packing vegetables.
• Appendix 3 contains detailed tables of ideal storage conditions for vegetables, fruits and spices.

Matís is looking for a strong person for the position of real estate manager in 100% job at Matís's location in Reykjavík. The job is suitable for a resourceful person who strives to achieve diverse projects and can take care of Matís' establishments, research and equipment.

Main tasks and responsibilities

• Supervision of Matís' establishments, site and various research, equipment and technical equipment
• Supervise maintenance, improvements and other works related to establishments, devices and equipment. Enter into smaller projects as needed
• Communicate and negotiate with contractors for maintenance projects
• Supervision of security, supervision of establishments and cleaning services
• Assist in the preparation and installation of facilities related to daily work and events organized by Matís
• Receipt of supplies and management of related household appliances, research equipment and gas canisters
• Instruct staff on appropriate handling and use of equipment

Educational and qualification requirements

• Appropriate vocational training, such as mechanics, electronics, carpentry
• Strong communication and organizational skills
• Independent and disciplined work style
• Knowledge and experience of general maintenance and construction is an advantage

Employment rate is 100%. The person concerned will work at Matís' workplace in Reykjavík, at Vínlandsleið 12.

Applications must be accompanied by a detailed resume and cover letter.

All genders are encouraged to apply.

The application deadline is up to and including July 30.

More information about the job is provided by:

Andri Gunnarsson, Head of Finance and Operations, andri@matis.is, phone: 422 5040.

Matís is a leader in the field of food research and biotechnology. At Matís, there is a strong group of around 100 employees who are passionate about finding new ways to maximize the use of raw materials, increase sustainability and promote public health. Matís operates five establishments throughout the country.

At Matís, numerous projects have been carried out aimed at promoting knowledge about vegetables for the benefit of the public, the food industry and other interested parties. Matís' subjects cover a large part of the value chain of vegetables, from harvest all the way to the consumer's table. Domestic vegetable production only contributes more than 40% of all the vegetables consumed in Iceland. Therefore, the country's food security could be increased by increasing vegetable production.

There are more reasons to focus on vegetables. Vegetables have a lot of health value and this is confirmed in the new Nordic nutritional recommendations that you can see here and here. Increased consumption of vegetables can reduce the risk of stomach and lung cancers and also cardiovascular diseases. It is recommended to consume 500-800 grams of vegetables, fruits and berries daily. This is much more than most Icelanders currently consume National dietary survey. It is best to consume a wide variety of these foods and limit the consumption of processed foods with added sugar. Vegetables, fruits and berries are important sources of nutrients such as fiber and vitamins C, E and K along with folate.

It is worth noting that Matís employees are currently working on a new vegetable website with support from the Horticulture Development Fund. The online book will be available on Matís' website and will deal specifically with results from Matís' projects. Methods to maximize the quality and shelf life of vegetables, measures to reduce their waste, packaging instructions, nutritional value and processing of valuable substances from by-products of vegetable production can be mentioned. These points will be explained in an accessible way and there will be links to the detailed discussion and the reports themselves. It is hoped that this initiative will increase interest in vegetables and contribute to their increased consumption. An example of Matís' project on vegetables can be seen here.

"We need to realize that we are facing big challenges," says Jónas Viðarsson in an interview on Rásar 2's Morgunútvarp and mentions the growing protein shortage in the world in that context. "This relates to both food safety and food safety, i.e. that we both have enough and wholesome food for us into the future. This is a big challenge for the world as a whole and part of what we at Matís are working on every day."

He points out that there are many projects underway in Iceland aimed at creating more food. "We in Iceland can teach the world a lot in relation to full utilization, especially of fish," says Jónas, but adds that Icelandic consumers have a rather large carbon footprint compared to other nations.

Jónas points out that Matís is at the forefront of research and development of alternative proteins in Europe. "It is one of the things that we see will be part of the solutions, ie to come in with a new source of protein." In that context, he mentions research on microalgae, kelp, bacteria or protozoa, and then insects.

The interview can be accessed in its entirety here (starts at minute 33:50).

Salvör Jónsdóttir was recently elected the new chairman of Matís. She succeeds Hákon Stefánsson, who has held the position since 2019.

Salvör completed his master's degree in planning at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has worked in planning for decades. Among other things, she has worked in the organization of the food system in the United States and for years was the director of the planning department at the City of Reykjavík. In addition, she has held the position of assistant professor at HR. Salvör is currently working on her doctoral research at the Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences of the University of Iceland, where she examines aspects of the natural and social sciences with the aim of improving production systems in agriculture with regard to sustainable development. In the study, attention is paid to food security in Iceland.

We thank Hákon Stefánsson for a job well done and extend a warm welcome to Salvár Jónsdóttir.

Barley has been grown in Iceland with good results. The cultivation of oats is a recent addition and shows great promise. In stores you can find Icelandic barley in various forms, but also oatmeal. Barley and oats are very unique among cereals, these cereals are rich in fiber substances such as beta-glucans which are very limited in wheat. Grain is very important for food security in Iceland, which means both grain as feed and for food production. Human food grain is by far the weakest link in food security in Iceland. Now there are hopes for increased grain cultivation in Iceland, and therefore there is every reason to use more of the Icelandic grain in food.

Now in June 2023, new Nordic nutritional recommendations were published, which can be found here and here. They are a big step forward and based on a solid scientific basis. The discussion on grains is of particular interest as the consumption of whole grains is associated with health benefits. It is recommended to consume at least 90 grams of whole grains per day, but there is no harm in consuming more. Whole grain products with at least 50% whole grains are included in the recommendations. Significant consumption of whole grains reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, type 2 diabetes and premature death.

Whole grains contain the husk and the supplements that come with it. White wheat and white rice obviously cannot be classified as whole grains. However, white flour can play an important role for people who need a lot of energy.

People with celiac disease still need to avoid whole grains with gluten. However, it should be noted that there are oats that have been confirmed gluten-free.

The food industry has not exploited whole grains as they should. Icelandic barley and oats could be used to a much greater extent. Matís' projects have demonstrated the usefulness of Icelandic corn:

Here are opportunities for the food industry to create a unique position and better reach consumers.

Article author: Ólafur Reykdal, olafur.reykdal@matis.is

On Tuesday, June 6, Matís' successful seminar on the future of food production in Iceland took place in Harpa's Norðurlósasal. A recording of the seminar is now available below.

Photographs: Anton Brink

The workshop of the project Microorganisms for the enrichment of fish farm sludge was held on Thursday, June 8 last. in Sjávarklasan's premises. The project is carried out by Matís in collaboration with Sjávarklasann and Samherja. The main purpose of the project is to investigate whether microorganisms that thrive in fish farm sludge can be used to enrich the nutrients in the sludge so that it can be used as fertilizer.

Parties working in the field of fish farming in Iceland were invited to the workshop. There were four lectures about the project, the abbreviation ÖAF, the sludge, its chemical composition and challenges related to the use of the raw materials sludge and other by-products from fish farming. After the lectures, there was group work where the participants of the workshop worked on the subject and reviewed the opportunities as well as challenges related to the future possibilities of aquaculture sludge and other by-products from aquaculture.

The workshop was well attended, but the participants numbered more than 20 people, and there were good discussions among the participants about the subject they work with every day. Part of the project "Microorganisms for the enrichment of fish farm sludge" is to work with the results from the workshop ie. ideas and experiences of the participants.

One of the results of the workshop is that there are many uses for the sludge as well as other side products from fish farming, such as the use of the raw material as fertilizer and soil improver for agriculture. But alongside those opportunities are challenges related to regulation and making the raw material viable for use based on economics. The efficiency is twofold ie. collection and handling of the raw material at the companies so that it becomes a sought-after product.

The project is one part of a large puzzle to promote the circular economy and is funded by the Circular Economy Fund.

Anna Berg Samúelsdóttir
Matís' expert in the field of sustainability and fire.