Category: News

Matís advertises for applications for projects that involve the utilization of regional resources. The project is expected to deliver increased value, increased sustainability in the utilization of bio-resources and / or reduce organic waste.

The support includes expert advice on placing a product on the market and may include assistance with the installation of processing processes, product development, packaging design and measurements (eg shelf life, nutritional value, chemical measurements and / or bioactivity measurements).

The project is part of an innovation project under the "Nordbio" Presidency program of Iceland (2014-2016) in the Nordic Council of Ministers. These are projects that focus on innovation in food production, increased sustainability in food production and increased biomass production. See more about the overall project here.

The applicant's own work, raw materials or equipment will not be paid for.

The projects are expected to start in April and be completed in October 2015.

The application deadline is March 23, 2015. Participation is requested by filling out the application form which can be found here.

Assessment sheets that will be used to evaluate applications. Assessment sheet (in Icelandic), Evaluation (in Danish).

For more information Gunnþórunn Einarsdóttir and Þóra Valsdóttir at Matís.

Entrepreneurship Day of the subdivisions will be held on Thursday 12 March at 13:00 - 17:00 at Café Mika, Reykholt.

The day is held in collaboration with the municipalities in the uplands of Árnessýsla and organized by the tourism council of the uplands of Árnessýsla.

The aim is to promote innovation and the strengthening of employment opportunities in the area. Attention will be paid to how to start or develop a business. The musculoskeletal system will be introduced, funding opportunities and experiences will be shared.

Interested parties are given the opportunity to discuss their ideas with consultants. Various presentations will be made at the meeting, including guests from the Iceland Innovation Center and SASS employment counseling, but also Ingunn Jónsdóttir, a joint employee of Matís and Háskólafélag Suðurlands, will give presentations on innovative thinking and talk about Matvælabrún, a study that Háskólafélagið has been running in collaboration with Matís and food companies. Southern Iceland.

In addition, representatives of companies in the suburbs will share experiences.

Schedule and further information can be found at www.sveitir.is. 

Stykkishólmsbær, the Irish company Marigot Ltd. which owns Íslenska kalkþörungafélagið á Bíldudalur, and Matís ohf. have signed an agreement that aims to integrate co-operation between these parties in connection with a new project that is currently being prepared. The project involves increased value creation with further utilization of large algae in Breiðafjörður in a new industrial company, Deltagen Iceland ehf., Which plans to build a factory in Stykkishólmur. If these plans are successful, it can be expected that Deltagen Iceland's operations with 15 new full-time jobs will begin in the second half of 2016.

As reported last week, Marigot has bought a 60% share in the processing part of the operations of the innovation company Marinox ehf. which was wholly owned by Matís and two key executives there. This is the part of the company that handles research and processing of valuable raw materials from the sea, seaweed and kelp.

Friðrik Friðriksson, Chairman of the Board of Matís, Sturla Böðvarsson, Mayor of Stykkishólmsbær, and Einar Sveinn Ólafsson, CEO of Íslenska kalkþörungafélag, on behalf of Marigot.

Close co-operation should be considered

With the agreement that Stykkishólmsbær, Marigot and Matís have now signed, the intention is to stimulate integration in cooperation between these parties, among other things to promote new opportunities in the field of education, research and innovation in the municipality based on scientific work and industry needs. If all plans go according to plan, Deltagen Iceland will build and operate a new factory in Stykkishólmur, where high-quality algae kernels will be processed for export, not least on the basis of innovation and extensive knowledge from Matís scientists.

Precautionary principles are the basis of sustainable development

Sustainable utilization of seaweed and algae in Breiðafjörður is the basis for the collaboration. Research indicates that the sustainable return on the resource is considerably higher than the current utilization. The agreement states that precautionary considerations must always be observed in any project that the planned activities will require, as they are the basis for sustainable development in the utilization of organic resources. The main emphasis will be on a scientific approach to the utilization of the resource, with the aim of fully utilizing the raw material with the least possible impact on the environment, while maximizing the regional economic benefits.

We want to take part in further business development

"With the establishment of Deltagen Iceland, Marigot is looking at possible future growth in its operations in Iceland, and if these plans go ahead, the factory in Stykkishólmur will be built explicitly with the goals of the operations in mind. We look to Stykkishólmur due to adequate and necessary infrastructure in the municipality, available labor and proximity to the raw material. This is also a clear sign of Marigot's interest in participating in further business development in Iceland, "says Einar Sveinn Ólafsson, CEO of the Icelandic Lime Algae Association and Marigot's representative in Iceland.

Promotes more diverse employment opportunities

"We welcome this exciting agreement, which aims to create more jobs and increase the diversity of the business community in the area. According to plans, the factory itself would create 15 man-years under full capacity as well as jobs in seaweed mowing and collection, development and technical work as well as other derivative jobs that are an important boon for us in Stykkishólmur in further business development. The city authorities are now working on the necessary planning issues related to the project, which we hope will succeed. The proposed industry would need, among other things, direct access to good port facilities for large cargo ships and to land seaweed from transport barges and ships transporting seaweed from hay barges in Breiðafjörður. We will look into this project with the government, "says Sturla Böðvarsson, mayor of Stykkishólmur.

Fits well with Matís' main role

"We welcome this agreement and look forward to the exciting opportunities that the collaboration will hopefully bring. Matís has historically built a strong reputation in the field of research and innovation in food production and biotechnology. Our approach to Deltagen Iceland's operations will be through the work of Matís scientists, as there is extensive knowledge of underutilized products such as seaweed and kelp. By supporting the innovation of Matís employees in this way, we are promoting the necessary incentives to develop the ideas further and create valuable products and thus strengthen the Icelandic economy. That is in fact one of Matís 'main roles, "says Friðrik Friðriksson, Matís' Chairman of the Board.

For further information, please contact the following parties:

Sturla Böðvarsson, mayor of Stykkishólmsbær, tel. 863 8888, Einar Sveinn Ólafsson, managing director of Íslenska kalkþörungafélag, on behalf of Marigot, tel. 897 0303 and Friðrik Friðriksson, chairman of the board of Matís, tel. 896-7350.

It has long been a custom in the Icelandic fishing industry that when fishermen stab themselves at the sharp-edged redfish, they have simply cut into the fish's eyes and applied the mucus to the injection wound.

Increased value from processing at Karfi (Sebastes)
- study of the chemical composition and bioactivity of redfish mucus

By using the mucus in this way, the sailors have prevented infection and also the pain has been less than otherwise and the inflammatory response is negligible compared to when eye mucus is not applied to the wound. This was the trigger for the project and the information that was based on when the project was launched. The purpose of this project was to shed light on whether the mucus from the eyes of redfish (Sebastes) can be used for the production of substances that have a desirable bioactivity that could possibly be used in various industries, such as cosmetics, food supplements and more.

The results show that antioxidant activity is found in perch eye mucus, especially when 50% methanol solution was used in the extract and antioxidant activity was measured by a so-called DPPH test. The protein content was low in the eye mucus, but the highest was measured in the eye mucus, which was heat-dried at 30 ° C. With the methods tested, the eye mucus was found not to contain bactericidal activity or to measure β-carotene.

This project was in fact a preliminary study of material that has not been examined before and information that was not available was collected. It would be interesting to further investigate other desirable bioactivities, such as anti-inflammatory activity. It would also be exciting to isolate and further investigate the proteins that are found in the eye mucus.

Student

Friðrik Þór Bjarnason is a fisheries scientist from the University of Akureyri in the spring of 2014 and a master's student in aquaculture at the University of Bodø Norway from the autumn of 2014.

Advisor

Rannveig Björnsdóttir Associate Professor University of Akureyri and director of Matís.

The project was carried out at the University of Akureyri and Matís Akureyri, with funding from Student Innovation Fund.

All raw materials for the study came from processing Samherji hf.

For further information Rannveig Björnsdóttir, professional manager at Matís in Akureyri.

An agreement has been reached on the purchase of the Irish company Marigot, the owner of Íslenska kalkþörungafélagið in Bíldudalur, for a 60% share in the innovation company Marinox ehf., Which is owned by Matís ohf. and two key executives there. A new share capital will be issued for Marigot's share as a result.

Matís has historically built a strong reputation in the field of research and innovation in food production and biotechnology. More often than not, these have been underutilized products, such as seaweed and kelp, around which Marinox's operations have been built. Matís has thus been involved in companies that have been tempted to create value from an underutilized resource that others would not have been interested in using. By supporting the innovation of Matís employees in this way, an incentive is created for the company's researchers to go further with their work and create a valuable product out of it, for the benefit of the entire business community. Such an arrangement has long been used all over the world and in Iceland as well, for example within the university community.

At the same time as it has been Matís' competitive force to assist entrepreneurs and companies in taking the first steps in valuable food production and biotechnology, it has never been the case that Matís has a long-term shareholding in start-up companies. It is important that entrepreneurs and companies receive the expert assistance that Matís has to offer only for the time necessary and that Matís then sells its share in the companies. A good example of such a process and Matís' involvement is the innovation company Iceprotein in Sauðárkrókur, which was sold to FISK-Seafood ehf. in 2012.

Now it's time to sell shares in Marinox's production division. This is the part of the company that handles research and processing of valuable raw materials from the sea, seaweed and kelp. The company will therefore continue to operate under the same name but with a new controlling shareholder. In parallel with the share capital increase in Marinox, the skincare line, UNA Skincare, will be separated from the company and transferred to a new company, which will initially be owned by the same parties that now own Marinox. In the immediate aftermath, new investors in UNA Skincare will be sought.

Matís celebrates this milestone and looks brightly at the opportunities that open up for Marinox and Matís in collaboration with the Irish company, which has already made a name for itself in Iceland.

Further information is provided by Friðrik Friðriksson, Chairman of the Board of Matís (896-7350). 

An open presentation meeting is called where the NordBio program and its projects will be presented, but the Nordic Bioeconomy (NordBio) is a priority in the Icelandic Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers. NordBio's goal is to make the Nordic region a leader in sustainable production and use of living resources in order to reduce waste and promote innovation, a green economy and rural development.

The NordBio program brings together a broad group of Nordic experts who join forces and work on projects that promote the sustainable use of living natural resources. The plan covers three years (2014-2016).

When

Tuesday, March 3, at 13-16.

Where

The Nordic House, Sturlugata 5, 101 Reykjavík.

No entrance fee and everyone is welcome.

Agenda:

• Meeting minutes | Eygló Harðardóttir, Iceland's Minister for Co-operation in the Nordic Council of Ministers.
• The bioeconomy - the basis of sustainable development | Daði Már Kristófersson, Associate Professor of Natural Resource Economics at the University of Iceland.
• The NordBio program | Halldór Runólfsson, Chairman of the Icelandic Project Board of NordBio. 
• WoodBio. The role of wood biomass in the Nordic bioeconomy | Ólafur Eggertsson, State Forestry.
• Innovation in the bioeconomy. Opportunities for product development and value creation | Sigrún Elsa Smáradóttir, Matís.
• Marina. Increased use of environmentally friendly energy at sea | Ágústa S. Loftsdóttir, National Energy Authority.
• Ermond. Reservation against natural disasters | Guðmundur Halldórsson, Landgræðsla ríkisins.
• Biophilia. Creativity as a teaching method Björk Óttarsdóttir, Ministry of Education and Culture.
• The Nordic Region's living resources: sustainability goals | Brynhildur Davíðsdóttir, University of Iceland.
• Organic waste for innovation | Guðrún Lilja Kristinsdóttir, Environment Agency.
• Opportunities related to the bioeconomy in selected regions | Sigríður Kristjánsdóttir, Iceland Innovation Center.
• Sustainable protein production | Torfi Jóhannesson, Ministry of Industry and Innovation.
• Inquiries and discussions.

There will be a coffee break at 14.30.

Moderator

Danfríður Skarphéðinsdóttir, Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources.

More about NordBio at www.norden.org and on Facebook page of the meeting.

The herring processing is The educational sector of the economy 2015 but the results were introduced last Thursday on Education Day which the Confederation of Icelandic Employers, together with its member associations, SFS, SVÞ, SF, SFF, SI, Samorka and SAF.

The Education Award is a recognition for companies that have emphasized education and training issues within and outside the companies. Herring processing is well on its way to recognition, as emphasis has been placed on development work and innovation to strengthen education and training.

Matís wishes The herring processing congratulations and is proud to be a partner of this powerful company.

_{Illugi Gunnarsson, Hildur Elín Vignir and Gunnþór Ingvason at the presentation of the education scepter 2015.
Photo from the website of the Association of Companies in the Fisheries Sector, www.sfs.is.}

Very few collaborative projects between Síldavinnslan and Matís:

• Maximizing the quality of frozen mackerel products
• Processing properties of mackerel
• Production of fish sauce from Icelandic seafood with useful fermentation
• Increased value of pelagic fish
• Drying of herring fillets

and many more projects. In addition, Síldavinnslan uses services Matís in Neskaupstaður.

Every other year, Nordic Sensory Workshops are held in the Nordic countries, mostly on sensory assessment and consumer research, and Matís has taken part in their preparation. The next conference will be held in Oslo on 11 and 12 May. and is entitled: Taste of the future (e. A Taste of the Future).

The main topics of the conference this time will be:

• What do the children want to eat? (by Children and Food Preferences)
• Taylor made Healthy Foods
• Nordic Food Trends

Gunnar Karl Gíslason caterer on Dill Restaurant will give a talk on where new Nordic cuisine is heading from the chef's point of view. Gunnar recently published the cookbook North along with the American author Jody Eddy. The theme of the book is the new Nordic cuisine as it appears in Iceland, but Dill has been one of the main heralds of that policy in this country.

People in food production and others interested in this topic are encouraged to register their participation as soon as possible. Further description, registration and program are on Nofima website.

Sensory evaluation and sensory evaluation research have long been an important area of expertise at Matís, and the emphasis has increasingly been on consumer research. Matís has participated in many domestic and foreign research projects in this field and is a participant in European organizations. European Sensory Network (ESN) which deals with sensory evaluation and consumer research.

For further information Emilia Martinsdóttir at Matís.

"I see a great opportunity for Icelanders in food production and I think we should look at what the Swedes have been doing with the Matlandet Sverige project," says Eygló Harðardóttir, Minister of Social Affairs and Housing.

The vision of the Swedish government is for Sweden to become the new food country of Europe and to be based on Swedish food traditions, valuable nature and culture, unique ingredients and chefs who have achieved great success internationally. We should be able to do all this too. The governing charter emphasizes measures to increase food production in Iceland. We emphasize Iceland's exports and the uniqueness of Iceland when it comes to the purity and quality of raw materials.

With increased sustainable and environmentally friendly food production, we had a rapidly growing target group both here at home and abroad. An increase in domestic food production provides an opportunity to increase economic growth and increase employment. The opportunities are found in food processing, exports, tourism and experience as well as in agriculture itself.

Our specialty when it comes to food freshness is unique. The land is large and we have access to large amounts of clean water. Good raw materials are the basis of everything else in food production, and it is good to be able to rely on agriculture and unspoiled Icelandic nature.

The world is facing challenges when it comes to food production, and when innovating in the food industry, it is not least important to think about food quality and food safety at the same time as trying to ensure food security in the world. The government should consider increasing the number of food producers, both large and small, and increasing their turnover.

The largest food buyer is the public sector, which entails a great deal of responsibility. The government's policy is therefore very important when it comes to purchasing raw materials for the thousands of meals that are served daily in schools, hospitals and old people's homes.

In fact, there needs to be a certain awareness-raising when it comes to choosing ingredients, in addition to which companies and institutions need to pay close attention to the selection and training of employees when processing and purchasing food. Emphasis must also be placed on the full utilization of raw materials and rationalization in purchasing, without compromising the quality of the meals.

Food is and will be a big part of our experience of visiting other countries. We need to place even more emphasis on this in Iceland. It can even be said that the sale of domestic food to foreign tourists is an export, as the buyer pays for the transport himself. A great example of how people have used domestic ingredients and culture are his spicy sausages Klaus Kretzer, which he produces from mutton in the Wilderness. The sausages have made a breakthrough and have become part of the tourist's experience when he visits Skaftafell and Öræfin. He was assisted in the development of the idea Matís food factory in Höfn. We need to do more of this. That was the task Arctic Bioeconomy particularly pleasing, but it was part of the Icelandic Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers. The project resulted in almost 30 new products that were developed in collaboration with Matís, which has led this part of the project.

The government has a duty to protect the uniqueness of Iceland and the reputation of Icelandic food is part of that. We need to support development in this sector and we can do that by supporting Icelanders' participation in cooking competitions, the production of Icelandic cookbooks and TV shows and of course the operation of a diverse flora of Icelandic restaurants, so we present our food, encourage people to visit the country and we support Icelandic food production.

The above text originally appears in Matís annual report for the year 2014.

The show Nautnir norðursins is nominated for the Edda Award as the best lifestyle show of the year 2014, but the show is produced by Sagafilm for RÚV, NRK, YLE and Kringvarp in the Faroe Islands and Matís is the co-producer of the shows.

The programs are sponsored by NORA and Kulturraadet in Norway, as well as the Ministry of Employment and Innovation.

Ferðalangur is actor Gísli Örn Garðarsson. During his trip around Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Norway, he meets four chefs from the four countries and they lead him to a new truth about traditional cooking and an innovative approach to local ingredients.

Further information about the episodes can be found at Facebook page of the episodes. The Edda Prize Festival will take place in Silfurberg in Harpa, on Saturday 21 February.

For further information Gunnþórunn Einarsdóttir at Matís.