Category: News

According to an article on www.visir.is There has been an increase in population in the south of the Westfjords in the last two years in connection with increased aquaculture in the area. Matís has been involved in this, but innovation and research in the field of aquaculture as well as support for business development in the countryside has been a common thread in the company's operations since its establishment.

The article states that the population in the southern western fjords has increased by 5% from 2012 - 2014, but population growth has been negative in the area in recent years. In 2012, 1,186 people lived in the area, but the number has now increased by 60 and today there are 1,246 individuals living in Vesturbyggð and Tálknafjörður. By comparison, in 2000, 1,596 people lived in the area. The reason for the increase in population is due to job creation in connection with aquaculture, which has been on the rise in recent years and is expected to continue.

In 2012, Matís opened an office in Patreksfjörður, which serves the south of the Westfjords and the Breiðafjörður area, where the road to aquaculture has steadily increased in recent years. The goal of Matís' offices is to serve the local community and support research and development in the field of food in the local area. In Patreksfjörður, emphasis is placed on research related to aquaculture and the intention is to contribute to the progress and development of aquaculture throughout the country.

In recent years, research has mainly focused on improving the profitability, growth and quality of farmed fish, as well as increasing efficiency in production and reducing feed costs, which is one of the largest expenditure items. The research thus contributes to an increase in value and makes it easier for companies and individuals to start production of some kind.

In the southern part of the Westfjords, there is a long tradition of fishing and fish processing, but in recent years there has been a certain decline in that profession. However, the area is suitable for aquaculture in the opinion of many and has undoubtedly contributed to the great development that has already taken place, especially in the farming of salmon, char and rainbow trout as well as mussels. The aim is for products in the area to receive sustainable certification, as they are processed in a sustainable manner and the bioeconomy as a whole is included in the picture at all stages of production.  

Matís places great emphasis on ensuring that value added goes hand in hand with the well-being of the bioeconomy. Therefore, better utilization of feed and products not only results in more money but also a more valuable and environmentally friendly product that is spun from a sustainable environment. This contributes to increased food security for the future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbVMoQ9rnq0&list=PLZGs8XSSa2cJ624eO8Fzj29ns-B8bs7sl

More about all Matís offices.

Welcome to the Nordic Environmental Chemistry Conference - NECC (Nordic Environmental Chemistry Conference) 2014 which will be held in Reykjavík from 11-13. June 2014.

The topic of the conference is environmental chemistry in the Nordic countries as well as internationally, but environmental chemistry is an interdisciplinary field of research that transcends geographical boundaries and therefore requires international discussion. The conference is therefore looking for topics that cover, among other things, environmental toxicology and the effects of substances on organisms, the accumulation of substances in organisms, the transport of substances in the environment and their transformation process, modeling, green chemistry as well as monitoring and regulations.

More information can be found at the website of the Environment Agency, in the conference bulletin and at Hrönn Ólína Jörundsdóttir at Matís.

Bifröst University, among other things in collaboration with Matís, intends to meet the demands of the business community throughout the country, which is increasingly interested in increasing innovation and development in the field of food production. Bifröst University will offer studies in food management from the autumn of 2014.

Emphasis is placed on the entire value chain from primary production to sale to the final consumer. The study is 180 ECTS and ends with a BS degree in Business Administration with an emphasis on food management and it will be possible to pursue it in distance learning and on-site study or a combination of the two.

In addition, specialization will be offered in the form of term projects (12 ECTS) and a final thesis (14 ECTS). The study will be in collaboration with the Agricultural University of Iceland and the teaching will be in collaboration with Matís.

Undergraduate business studies at Bifröst University are comprehensive business studies designed to prepare students for positions of responsibility, leadership and management in business and society. The program consists of general business disciplines such as finance, accounting, management and marketing. Students can spend one semester on an exchange program at a foreign partner university.

Specialization is provided in the following courses:

• Nutrition - 6 ECTS
• Food microbiology - 6 ECTS
• Food processing - 6 ECTS
• Food legislation and quality issues - 6 ECTS
• Information technology in the food industry - 6 ECTS
• Production Technology - 6 ECTS
• Transport technology and logistics - 6 ECTS

For further information, please contact Sigurður Ragnarsson, Head of the School of Business at Birfröst University Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís. In addition, there is even more interesting information on Bifröst University's website, www.bifrost.is. 

^{News based on a news item about the program that was published on the Bifröst University website on 6 June.}

On June 25, a conference will be held at Hotel Selfoss where the Nordic Bioeconomy and the Arctic Bioeconomy will be discussed.

The bioeconomy

The term bioeconomy has been used to cover all life resources, their interplay and context and their impact on economic, environmental and social factors. Bioeconomic research thus transcends industries and seeks to maximize the benefits of resources without compromising them. An important part of Matís' operations is to strengthen and increase value creation in the bioeconomy, among other things through projects aimed at increasing biomass production and by fostering innovation, working to improve utilization and sustainability in production processes and thereby more efficient productive resources. Matís' staff therefore welcomes the Nordic emphasis on the bioeconomy and work closely with the Icelandic government on the implementation of three-year presidency projects in this area, which began this year when Iceland took over the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

On this occasion, a conference will be held in Iceland on June 25, where these issues will be discussed from various perspectives.

On the website of the Guest Reception / Yourhost you can sign up for the conference.

Innovation in the Nordic and Arctic bioeconomy

Innovation in the Nordic and Arctic Bioeconomy

• 09:15 Coffee and registration
• 10:00 Opening the conference | Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture
• 10:15 No standard = no market | Dr. dr. Andreas Hensel, President at BfR                 
• 11:00 Product development in the Arctic Bioeconomy | Sigrún Elsa Smáradóttir, Research group  
             leader, Matís                        
• 11:30 Industry success stories:
             Janus Vang, Director, iNOVA and Leif Sörensen, Chef. Faroe Islands
             Kim Lyberth, Inuili school, Greenland
             Ingunn Jónsdóttir, Regional Manager Matís and Valdís Magnúsdóttir, farmer and local food   
             producer Iceland   
• 12:00 Lunch | Special taste of innovation
• 13:30 Branding of Nordic food | Emil Bruun Blauert, CEO, Executive Advisor and Developer, WNEAT
• 13:50 Microfeed: Turning wood into food | Clas Engström, Managing Director, SP Processum          
• 14:10 Nutrition for the future - Possibilities of the Nordic areas? | Bryndís Eva Birgisdóttir, Associate
             professor, University of Iceland
• 14:30 Coffee break             
• 14:50 Food waste: Problem or growth opportunity? | Nils Kristian Afseth, Research Scientist, PhD,
             Nofima      
• 15:10 Investing in algae - Ingredients for future food production | Olavur Gregersen, Managing
             Director, Syntesa Partners & Associates               
• 15:30 Assessing and mitigating risk in the Nordic Bioeconomy | Guðmundur Halldórsson, Research
             Coordinator, Soil Conservation Service of Iceland
• 15:45 Reflection panel | Nordic and Arctic bioeconomy in local & global perspective:
             Julian Roberts - COMSEC
             Prof. Dr. Eberhard Haunhorst, President of Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer   
             Protection and Food Safety
             Alda Agnes Gylfadóttir, Managing director, Einhamar Seafood
             Steinar Bergseth, Coordinator MBTera
             Ásmundur Guðjónsson, Senior Adviser, Ministry of Fisheries Faroe Islands
• 16:30 End of conference

Conference facilitator:

Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, Chairman of the Federation of Iceland Industries

More about the Arctic bioeconomy

One of the projects that Matís has led the way is the Nordic project Arctic Bioeconomy, and Sigrún Elsa Smáradóttir, Director of Business Development, is the project manager of the project. The project is for two years and includes mapping of life resources in the Arctic, assessment of their yield, and comparison and analysis between regions. The focus is on Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands, but almost on living resources in the northern part of Norway, Sweden and Finland. "The project pays special attention to food production with regard to food security, in addition to which the innovation capacity of the areas and individual industries will be assessed. This is done so that it is possible to assess opportunities and threats and subsequently launch projects that strengthen the areas in this field, "says Sigrún Elsa, but the project is expected to be completed in November 2014.

"There are many living resources in the Arctic and they are important for the countries' economies, both directly and indirectly. Here in Iceland, the fisheries sector is one of the main basic industries and data on the state of the fisheries sector are in very good shape, but data relating to other resources, such as land use, are inferior. It is important to compile an overview of resources and their results so that the results can be assessed and how the areas can be strengthened. By increasing the value of products, stimulating and strengthening the bioeconomy and its capacity, we increase economic success, "says Sigrún Elsa, adding that the living resources of this area are changing due to global warming. "It is necessary to monitor these changes closely. It is important to take advantage of the potential that opens up for food production in this area due to changed living conditions and environmental impact. The unfortunate fact is that while opportunities in this field in the Arctic may increase, they will shrink elsewhere at the same time as the world's population growth continues ".

^{Sigrún Elsa Smáradóttir}

The project aims to strengthen the countries' active participation in international co-operation projects, including at the Nordic level. "When it comes to research programs and support for innovation, it is clear that great emphasis will be placed on the bioeconomy, both in a Nordic and European context," says Sigrún Elsa.

For example, the Nordic Committee for Agricultural and Food Research (NKJ) has developed a strategy for the "Nordic Bioeconomy Initiative". This strategy pays special attention to the sustainability of natural resources and the use of biomass in a similar way as other nations at European level have done. The committee consists of three Icelanders, Torfi Jóhannesson, an expert at the Ministry of Industry and Innovation, Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís and Sigurður Björnsson, division manager at Rannís. The strategy should, first and foremost, improve and facilitate Nordic co-operation projects aimed at research into the bioeconomy and promote further policy-making in this area. Thus, the intention is to promote sustainable resource utilization in basic production and derivative industries.

"The intention is to strengthen the co-operation of processing industries, such as food production or feed and fertilizer production, with basic industries, such as fisheries and agriculture, and work towards comprehensive solutions that transcend industries and maximize the benefits of utilizing the resources without compromising them. . Sustainable production and utilization of biomass contributes to the economic and social strengthening of the areas adjacent to the resources, increased food production and thus increased food security. It also looks at environmentally friendly production of energy sources from biomass to replace fossil fuels, but then it is important that ways are found so that such production does not come at the expense of food production. High competition for raw materials, on the one hand for food production and on the other hand for energy production, can have serious consequences for food prices and the ability of people in the world to feed themselves, "says Sigrún Elsa.

Icelandic presidency project

The Nordic countries take turns chairing the Nordic Council of Ministers and leading the activities for one year at a time. This year, it will be up to Icelanders to chair the Council, and at the same time a three-year presidency program will be launched in the field of bioeconomy that will bring direct economic benefits to the Nordic countries. The implementation of chairmanship projects in the field of the bioeconomy is now being completed, but Matís has been an active participant in that implementation under the leadership of Sveinn Margeirsson, Matís' CEO.

"The presidency projects will call for increased collaboration between industry and research and educational institutions in practical value-added projects. The focus will be on how to promote knowledge creation and development in sustainable resource utilization and biomass production in the Nordic countries, and to transfer existing knowledge and technological solutions between regions, "says Sigrún Elsa.

In connection with the chairmanship project, a panel committee, the Nordic Bioeconomy panel, will be formed, which will advise the Nordic Research Fund when it comes to research calls in the field of bioeconomy. In addition, the committee's role must be to promote the position of the Nordic countries abroad when it comes to the bioeconomy, thus facilitating the countries' access to international research grants.

"The fact that Iceland plays a leading role in such co - operation, takes the lead in an ambitious presidency plan in the field of the bioeconomy and plays a leading role in related research in the Arctic, directs the eyes of others to the country as an interesting partner in bioeconomy projects. Broad multinational co-operation in this field, both in research and development, is an important basis for strengthening the bioeconomy and thus economic progress in Iceland, "concludes Sigrún Elsa.

For further information Sigrún Elsa. You can also watch Matís' video the big challenges á Matís video page.

There has been a lot of talk about the fact that the population of the earth will be up to 9 billion by 2050. In order to feed this increased number of people, it is estimated that current food production will have to double, which is difficult to predict due to pressure on natural resources.

Land areas are scarce, overfishing in the oceans is common and climate change and associated complications such as water scarcity can have serious consequences for world food production. We need to find new ways to get nutrition.

Insects have been a part of humankind's nutritional source for centuries. Today, insects are estimated to be part of the diet of two billion people, while there is widespread hatred for their consumption, and even existence, in some societies. Although the majority of edible insects are hunted in their homeland, large-scale innovation in breeding has been gaining ground. It is uncertain how many westerners will react to this development, but it is clear that it must start somewhere, because insects can also be used as a source of nutrition for the cultivation of more traditional proteins such as fish, but Matís began research on Black in 2012 the military fly, Hermetia illucens (See here: http://www.matis.is/matis/frettir/nr/3738) for the purpose of developing high quality flour that would be used in feed for fish.

Matís was a participant in the international conference Insects to feed the World, which took place in the Netherlands on 14-17. May 2014, where he presented his research on the Black Soldier Flight. One of the aims of the study, which is related to the project From green pastures to fish stomachs, was to examine the effect of different organic waste on the nutritional content of the larvae. Among other things, tomatoes, apples and leftover food from Matís' kitchen were tested. The results showed that it is possible to have a great influence on the nutritional content of the larvae with different foods as well as the larva is extremely powerful in the decomposition of waste and it converts the food into high quality protein and fat.

There were many interesting things to learn at the conference and it was very surprising how much progress there has been in this sector, especially in Europe and the United States. However, Europeans are subject to the restriction that EU regulations prohibit the production of insects as food or feed. However, these rules are under review. In the United States, insects can be produced in this way if the larvae's food is considered fit for human consumption. This has created a large market for, for example, vegetables that have to be thrown away due to packaging defects. Two large companies in the west coast presented their activities at the conference, which produce large quantities of flour for fish feed. The production is very environmentally friendly compared to, for example, pork or beef production and requires much less water and land. Part of the fat content of the larvae is extracted and sold to the cosmetics industry, and finally the larvae are sold as high quality fertilizer. There will therefore be considerable potential for insect breeding in the future.

Further information is provided by Birgir Örn Smárason, PhD student at Matís.

The inaugural meeting of the Icelandic part of the European project MareFrame will take place on Tuesday 10 June, with the aim of developing a multi-stock fisheries management system within Europe with an emphasis on ecological, sustainable, social and economic management. In addition to co-operation with fishermen, fishing companies and processing as well as other stakeholders involved in fisheries management.

Matís, the University of Iceland and the Marine Research Institute are working together on the Icelandic part of the project, but in addition a number of foreign companies, universities and institutions are participating. The project has received a grant of EUR 6 million and is one of the highest grant projects awarded in Europe. 

The European Union's fisheries policy needs to be reviewed, but three out of four EU fish stocks are overfished today, of which 47% are in the Atlantic and 80% are in the Mediterranean.

The MareFrame project is based on what has been done well in Icelandic fisheries management, including the use of the multi-stock model "Gadget" which was developed by Icelandic participants in the project and is widely used abroad. At the same time, there is more co-operation with those involved in fishing and processing in the fisheries sector as well as other stakeholders in the development of fisheries management systems, which is a key factor in the implementation of the fisheries management system.

In this connection, MareFrame will develop, among other things, a visual interface, computer games and computer-assisted learning techniques to present results and management methods, which are the result of Icelandic research.

The MareFrame project involves a total of 28 institutions, companies and universities in 10 European countries (Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Poland, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Romania, Norway and Iceland) as well as South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. 

Dr. Anna Kristín Daníelsdóttir, division manager at Matís, is the project manager and dr. Gunnar Stefánsson, professor at the Faculty of Science at the University of Iceland, is the scientific project manager.

The meeting starts with lunch at 12 at Vínlandsleið 12 and the agenda of the meeting will be as follows:

12:30 Lunch Welcome and Goals for the meeting Gunnar Stefánsson, HI

12:45 Overview of the MareFrame project Anna Kristín Daníelsdóttir, Matis Objectives, methodology, expected outputs, website etc.

13:00 Main steps in the case study Guðmundur Þórðarson, Hafró Research, deliverables, milestones and estimated calendar / time frame

13:15 Co-creation Sveinn Agnarsson, HI

• What is co-creation, why and of what? differences with traditional participatory approach, how and when (approx.)
• CSs leaders are going to engage with participants, formal and informal communication channels, flow of information, etc.

13:30 
Coffee break

14:00 
Intro Jónas R. Viðarsson, Matís

14:15 Group work

• Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management: The EAF application for their day to day work, projects implemented in the region and research priorities in a policy and social perspective.
• Management priorities: Priorities identified in the DoW and debate. Are there additional priorities or different ranking needed to be con sidered for the Icelandic case study, and should they be included in the case study? For the priorities agreed as relevant for the case study, dentification of the decision capacity (who will be the actors involved, at which level, etc.).
• Identification of management issues requiring decision support:(relates to ecological, socioeconomic and governance aspects).

        - conflicting interests among stakeholders implying multi-criteria
        - decision making problem.
        - multi-annual management plans
        - lack of clear management objectives, recovery plan etc.
        - uncertainty and lack of (scientific) knowledge
        - threatened or vulnerable species impacted by the fisheries.
        - policy, science and stakeholders interactions.

• Policies and objectives in place (as relevant for the addressed issue):

       - CFP relevant for issue? MSY and Bpa Blim, Flim, Fpa defined for relevant species?
       - MSFD relevant to issue? How to transform the high level descriptors 1, 3, 4 and 6 into indicators and reference levels?
       - Ecological, environmental social, economic policies relevant to issue addressed (nationally, regionally, and locally?)

• Management regulations and measures in place (as relevant for the addressed issue): Management rules enforced (HCR, TACs, effort limits, closed areas / seasons (MPAs), technical regulations, landing obligations; other regulations which can affect fisheries and ecosystem). Marine Strategy Framework Directive, particular descriptors 1, 3, 4 and 6. Assessment: methods, institutions; key assessment uncertainties, key uncertainties impacting yield forecast.
• Decision environment: Identification of the governance setting (as relevant for the management priorities): Covered CFP? MSFD? Decision-making by Council / Parliament or other European institutions; nations involved, regional bodies for cooperation on resource management or environmental issues, relevant international conventions in place, division of responsibility and decision-making process regarding fisheries management and environmental issues.

15:00 Presentations of group work & discussions, Group leaders

15:45 Summary and AOB

Two master's students at the Faculty of Food and Nutrition at the University of Iceland in collaboration with Matís and the Nutrition Research Laboratory, Valgerður Lilja Jónsdóttir and Harpa Hrund Hinriksdóttir, will present their final projects tomorrow at the University of Iceland (Háskólatorg Ht 101: 6 June 14: 00-16: 00). The projects are part of a Nordic project on food enrichment. 

For the past four years, Matís and the company Grímur kokkur have worked together on projects to enrich seafood dishes with organic substances such as algae powder, hydrolyzate and fish oils. The purpose was to utilize antioxidant activity, increase protein content and omega-3 fatty acids. The project was funded by the AVS Fund from 2010 to 2012.

Subsequently, a two-year Nordic project funded by Nordic Innovation was launched, which also focused on the production of food additives. The companies Marinox which produces algae powder, Norður with protein hydrolysates and the Norwegian company BioActiveFoods with tasteless omega-3 powder participated in the project together with the research company VTT in Finland and a Finnish company that produces seafood.

The Nordic project has carried out product development for enriched seafood in collaboration with Grím kokk and an intervention study was carried out to investigate the bioavailability of n-3 fatty acids added to prepared dishes. High hopes are pinned on the results of this project, where innovation and food companies worked together. in connection with universities and knowledge companies. 

Two master's students at the Faculty of Food and Nutrition at the University of Iceland in collaboration with Matís and the Laboratory of Nutrition, Valgerður Lilja Jónsdóttir and Harpa Hrund Hinriksdóttir will present their final projects that were done as part of the Nordic project tomorrow at the University of Iceland (Háskólatorg Ht 101: 6 June 14 : 00-16: 00)

Matís will continue research in this area in the EU project Enrichmar.

Icelandic fresh fish exporters often use cooling mats to maintain low temperatures in fresh fish products in transport, especially air transport. The cooling mats usually contain either ice or some kind of gel, which necessarily contains such a substance that it can come into contact with the fish if the mat breaks, ie. the contents of the mat are "food-grade".

In foreign markets, the selection of cooling mats in question is wide, but in Iceland the largest sellers of cooling mats for fresh fish Promens Tempra in Hafnarfjörður and Ísgel in Blönduós. Tempra produces ice mats, which only contain water, and Ísgel produces gel mats, and it has been argued that there can be great differences in the cooling capacity of the cooling mats in question. To check this, engineering students Hilmar Arnarson and Sandra Björg Helgadóttir recently studied both the melting point and cooling capacity of ice mats from Tempru and gel mats from Ísgel in the course Fisheries Technology 2 at the University of Iceland.

In the experiment, they placed thermostats inside the cooling mats, which were packed in a foam plastic box. The boxes were placed in the freezer for a few days before standing at room temperature until the cooling mats were fully thawed. The temperature measurements did not reveal a significant difference in either the melting point of the ice and cooling mats (it was approximately 0.0 +/- 0.3 ° C) nor the cooling capacity (the ability of the cooling mats to maintain low food temperatures), see figure 1.

For further information Sigurjón Arason, professor at the University of Iceland and Matís' chief engineer.

Figure 1. Temperature inside ice mats from Promens Tempra and gel mats from Ísgel during thawing.

Trackwell and Matís have a long and successful collaboration and are projects like The margin manager, The Product Manager and FisHmark an example of a successful collaboration between the two companies. At the Innovation Square of the Confederation of Icelandic Industries, which was held on 23 and 24 May, Jón Ingi Björnsson, CEO of Trackwell, and Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís, signed a letter of intent for even closer cooperation. 

In the above projects, and more, the Rannís Technology Development Fund has provided funding and provided financial support for the projects together with the AVS fund.

A key product of the companies' co-operation is and has been a catch registration system that Icelandic and foreign fisheries companies use to increase value creation, improve utilization and minimize the environmental impact of fishing.

It is clear that the projects that TrackWell and Matís have worked on together have given fisheries companies increased data transparency and thus facilitated the management of fishing and processing. It is important to utilize the data generated in the value chain in a systematic way to maximize the margin and profitability of the industry as a whole.

Trackwell and Matís are pleased with the current collaboration, its products and the opportunities that have been created when two powerful parties work together. The intention is to further increase the collaboration and increased emphasis will be placed on marketing issues where both parties ensure that each other's importance in joint projects is visible. 

For further information Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís.

Today, a co-operation agreement was signed between Matís, Snæfellsbær, Grundarfjarðarbær and Stykkishólmsbær on support for doctoral projects Birgis Arnar Smárason in Environmental and Resource Studies at the University of Iceland. Birgir Örn works at Matís' office in Akureyri.

From today's signature. Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís (farthest), Lárus Ástmar Hannesson, Mayor of Stykkishólmsbær, Björn Steinar Pálmason, Mayor of Grundafjaðarbær and Kristinn Jónasson, Mayor of Snæfellsbær.

The project will support the Icelandic Presidency's plan for utilization of the bioeconomy, Nordbio (@Nordbio). It is based on analyzing underused or unused raw material streams and biomaterials from the environment of Breiðafjörður. The aim is, among other things, to build a network of stakeholders in Snæfellsnes and co-operate under the auspices of environmentally friendly innovation.

For further information Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís.