Category: News

Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir, Minister of Industry and Trade, was right to present a prize in the EcoTrophelia Ísland competition run by Matís, together with the Icelandic Innovation Center, the University of Iceland and numerous institutions at home and abroad. The award was presented at Nýsköpunartorgi Samtaka iðnaðarinn held today and tomorrow in Reykjavík University.

EcoTrophelia Iceland is part of international competition and is a product development competition among university students that involves developing environmentally friendly food. The aim of the competition is to reduce the environmental impact of Icelandic food production by creating new environmentally friendly food and beverage products. These include the use of underutilized raw materials, the use of new and environmentally friendly production methods, packaging or modes of transport. The competition is run by the Icelandic Innovation Center, Matís and the Confederation of Icelandic Industries in collaboration with Icelandic universities.

Two teams competed for the finals this year. The other team consists of Brynja Einarsdóttir, Guðjóna Björk Þorbjarnardóttir and Hrefna Lind Einarsdóttir and they had the product BEjuicy which is a freeze-dried vegetable juice in powder form. The other team consists of Christopher Melin and Páll Arnar Hauksson with the product Fjöra which is kelp mayonnaise. It so happened that the intestinal mayonnaise was chosen the winner of Ecotrophelia Iceland this time.

Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir, Minister of Industry and Trade, presents the EcoTrophelia Iceland 2014 award.

Fjaran mayonnaise is a fun innovation in the food market. The mayonnaise is made from Icelandic seaweed and the seaweed is sun-dried on Icelandic lava. The product is suitable for vegetarians (vegans) as well as others who are interested in adding nutrients to their diet. Further information can be found on the product's website, http://www.p.is/fjara/.

For further information Ragnheiður Héðinsdóttir, director of the food division at the Confederation of Icelandic Industries and Guðjón Þorkelsson, division manager at Matís.

Are you interested in creating a product? Matís food factories are an ideal venue.

The Innovation Square will be held at Reykjavík University on 23 and 24 May. This is a professional conference on the working environment and development process of innovative companies and an exhibition where companies and institutions present results in innovation. Nýsköpunartorgið is held in connection with the 20th anniversary of the Confederation of Icelandic Industries and the 10th anniversary of the Technology Development Fund.

PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE
Friday 23 May at 8.45-17.00

The professional conference begins with a joint program in Sólinn, after which seminars will be held in six rooms of the university. On the one hand, there are three lines on the development process of innovative companies where companies are divided into departments according to their stage of development, and on the other hand seminars on related support services such as copyright, patents and standards. Conference guests can choose the lectures that interest them the most.

REGISTRATION

Agenda:

Joint program at 8.45-10.00 

• speech - Ari Kristinn Jónsson, Rector of RU
• Sentence - Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, Prime Minister
• Increased productivity, value creation and exports - Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, chairman of SI
• The state's investments in innovation - Technology Development Fund
• Operating and support systems for innovative companies - Salóme Guðmundsdóttir, Innovit Klak

Seminars at 10.10-15.00 

Division 3 seminars: companies with an annual turnover of 0-10 million

• In the starting blocks - The first sale - The first development project - Initial financing

Division 2 seminars: companies with an annual turnover of 10-100 million

• Product adaptation - Continuing financing - Market structure - Process development and organization

Division 1 seminars: companies with an annual turnover of 100-1000 million

• Streamlined Management - Upscaling / Comprehensive Solutions - Growth Financing - Globalization

Seminars for service and professionals

• CE marking - Patents - Information security - Electronic commerce - Foreign co-operation and grants - Technology Development Fund - NMÍ Services - Iceland Stock Exchange - SI Services - NSA Equity Financing - Energy Management of Companies

During the lunch break there will be refreshments in the Sun. Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir, Minister of Industry, will present the exhibition at Nýsköpunartorg and awards will be presented at Ecotrophelia Iceland, a competition for environmentally friendly food innovation.

Following the seminars, Bjarni Benediktsson, Minister of Finance, will present the Growth Sprout's recognition. Serve light snacks.

VIEW here

Exciting INNOVATION SQUARE for the whole family
Saturday 24 May at 11.00-17.00

All those who are interested in innovation and technology will be invited to Nýsköpunartorgið. About 70 innovative companies and institutions present products and services, but in addition there will be various events for the whole family, e.g. 

• Company presentations on technology opportunities - See AGENDA
• Pollapunk takes the song
• Blocked by Mindstorm
• Played with Casino Friends
• GameCreator's four winning teams introduce new video games
• Measurements of the condition of the skin available EGF skin care products
• Try cycling with the world's lightest bicycle fork
• How is electricity created?
• Innovation competition for primary school students
• Real or fake? Fake products on display
• Take part in an innovation on Sky's word wall where you search for Icelandic in English computer terms 
• and more fun…

VIEW exhibitors

Admission to the show is free.

Objectives The objectives of Nýsköpunartorg are to create a clear picture of the success and development of the technology and intellectual property industry and the involvement of the support system and the Technology Development Fund and to this development as well as to build a strong and positive image of these companies by showing and reporting innovation in different companies.

The Confederation of Icelandic Industries, Tækniþróunarsjóður, RU, Einkaleyfastofa and Ský and other parties related to the innovation environment in Iceland are responsible for Nýsköpunartorgin.

More information can be found at website of the Confederation of Icelandic Industries.

Matís, Promens, Thor Ice, Sjávarútvegsklasi Vestfjarði, Eimskip and Samskip are collaborating on a project that involves transporting fresh fish products in pots and boxes and are looking for two students in master's studies or who are on their way to master's studies.

These are two master's projects and the possible scope of both is 30–60 ECTS (one to two semesters). The projects are particularly suitable for master's students in mechanical / industrial engineering, food or business. AVS Fisheries Research Fund (www.avs.is) covers the costs of the master's projects listed below.

Task 1-goal

Economic comparison of different packaging and transport methods for fresh fish products from Iceland to markets in Europe and America. The analysis takes into account the cost of different processing cooling methods, packaging, transport and deterioration of products. An accurate assessment of the volume utilization of refrigerated containers during transport in boxes on the one hand and pots on the other is part of the project.

Task 2-goal

Estimate the optimal amount and type (salt and ice ratio) of an ice scraper in a 340 L food vessel by experiment and / or heat transfer modeling with a target fish temperature of -1.0 ° C. This will be done for two possible cases of ambient temperature in the container transport of containers, i.e. -0.5 ° C and 3 ° C and two possible initial fish temperatures, i.e. 0 ° C and 5 ° C. It also involves finding the minimum amount and ice percentage of ice scrapers that need to be used in pots that are exposed to significant heat stress (higher ambient temperatures).

Working hours: May 2014 – April 2015

For further information, please contact Sigurjón Arason, Professor at the University of Iceland and Matís' Chief Engineer (sigurjon.arason@matis.is) and dr. Björn Margeirsson, Research Director of Promens (bjorn.margeirsson@promens.com).

Matvælastofnun's consultation meeting was held yesterday, but the consultation meeting is a forum for Matvælastofnun, regulators and other customers of the agency to strengthen communication between themselves and present views in an interactive way.

Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir, Matís' director at the congress, reviewed product safety and also discussed a new laboratory in Matís' premises, but the opening of the laboratory on Matís' news website is discussed in detail.

Further information about the consultation session can be found on the website of the Food Administration, www.mast.is, but further information about the new laboratory and the Safe Food project can be found on Matís' website, www.matis.is.

The occasion was the opening of a magnificent laboratory at Vínlandsleið 12 in Reykjavík, which was set up as part of the collaborative project Safe Food.

The Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, was present at the opening, along with the German Ambassador to Iceland, Thomas Hermann Meister, both of whom gave short speeches and formally opened the laboratory with clippings. Ágústa Guðmundsdóttir, who sits on the board of Matís, also gave a good speech about the importance of the research facility for the public, for Icelandic food production and for Matís and how the facility will be used in, among other things, studies in food and nutrition at the University of Iceland.

^{Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, Sigurður
Ingi Jóhannsson and the German Ambassador to Iceland,
Thomas Hermann Meister, formally open the facility.}

The Safe Food project is intended to ensure food safety and protect Icelandic consumers. The project enables the Icelandic authorities, the Food Administration and the municipal health inspectorate to better enforce legislation on food safety and consumer protection. Safe food is developed in collaboration with Matís, Matvælastofnun, the Ministry of Industry and Innovation, the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and the Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES) in Germany.

With the opening of the research facility and with improved equipment, it will be possible to carry out much more measurements domestically than is currently the case, such as measurements of algae toxins in shellfish and measurements of 300 pesticides in food instead of the 60 currently measured.

The Safe Foods project will undoubtedly be a great springboard for Icelandic consumers, regulators and not least for producers and retailers. Consumers want more information about the substances that are and are not in the foods they consume and manufacturers and retailers also want this information to further increase consumer confidence in their products.

For further information Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir, director of Matís.

At Matís, specific methods have been developed to detect noroviruses in food and water, but the viruses are contagious and can cause very severe intestinal infections in humans.

 Noroviruses are found where faecal contamination has occurred and require a more sensitive method to detect them than conventional methods used to detect faecal contamination in food and water.

The methods that Matís has developed for the analysis of noroviruses are molecular biological methods with so-called PCR technology (Polymerase Chain Reaction). The use of PCR methods for microbiological analysis has increased significantly in recent years, but with technology it is now possible to detect the presence of noroviruses in food and water and thus prevent the spread of the viruses. Group infections caused by norovirus can be a serious problem as they occur and it is therefore important to prevent the spread of the virus.

It is mainly foods that are consumed raw or undercooked, such as shellfish, vegetables and fruits, that are a cause for concern in the case of norco-infections. The virus can withstand frost but dies when heated above 60 ° C. Consumption of shellfish has long been considered a major cause of foodborne infections caused by norovirus, and group infections caused by contaminated shellfish are common. However, the number of group infections that have not been attributed to shellfish consumption has focused on other foods, especially prepared foods, fruits, vegetables and drinking water as risk factors.

Apply new analytical methods

"Matís has set up methods for the analysis of noroviruses in drinking water, surface water and food and we can now detect noroviruses of genotypes I and II, but these are the types that mainly infect humans," says Anna Kristín Daníelsdóttir, division manager at Matís.

As most people who go to sea know, Matís created a special app for smartphones and tablets that makes it easy for fishermen to calculate the need for ice due to catch. The program was presented at the Fisheries Conference in the autumn of 2013.

As stated Matís website then the application was only accessible for smartphones with Android operating system, but now the Windows operating system has been added to the group. ÍsAppi Matís is expected for a smartphone from Apple (iPhone) in the coming weeks.

The ÍsApp or small program is particularly convenient and easy to use and is useful to fishermen to calculate how much ice is needed for the catch. The program takes into account conditions such as sea temperature, air temperature and days at sea, as well as instructions regarding the amount of ice kg issued in addition to the number of shovels and the number of dishes.

Now it has never been easier to find out how much ice cream is needed to get the most out of our precious ingredients.

Google Play (for Android smartphones) - scan the code

Windows store - scan the code

The program can be accessed at Google Play 

The book "Antioxidants and Functional Components in Aquatic Foods" has been published, but Hörður G. Kristinsson, director of Biotechnology and Biochemistry and Matís' research director, is the book's editor. In addition, several Matís employees write chapters in the book.

The book discusses antioxidants and other bioactive substances that can be found in marine animals and how such substances can be used for improved health. The impact on the quality of these bioactive substances during storage, production and other factors is discussed in detail.

More information can be found at Wiley's website. Also provides Hörður G. Kristinsson Further information.

In connection with The EcoFishMan project is an opinion poll among stakeholders in the fisheries sector. The purpose of the survey is to seek the views of all parties involved in fishing in Iceland, whether in management or implementation.

The EcoFishMan project focuses on collaboration with fishermen, fishing and processing and the utilization of information from electronic catch diaries. The aim of the project is to promote environmentally friendly, sustainable and economic management with a special emphasis on traceability and to minimize discards. One of the goals of the EcoFishMan project is to analyze what has been successful in Icelandic fisheries management and pass on that experience. At the same time, there are plans for more co-operation with those who work in fishing and processing in the fishing industry. It is expected that the system will be implemented in stages and tailored to each type of fishery separately. Complete anonymity will be maintained during processing and all data will be handled in accordance with the instructions of the Data Protection Authority. The names of the participants will of course not appear anywhere and care will be taken that it will not be possible to trace any information in the results to individuals.

It is very important that as many people as possible answer the survey, so that the results are as reliable as possible.

The survey can be answered here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1sv5xw8Ya8kRtC0UPGeOtB7_aT0SB61MZZ4P_syIQuuA/viewform

The business exhibition Lífsinn quality and joy 2014 will take place for the third time tomorrow and Sunday and Matís will present her activities together with others from Verin in Sauðárkrókur.

The municipality of Skagafjörður will, in collaboration with Skagafjarðarhraðlestin, SSNV and various parties, hold a business exhibition in Sauðárkrókur at the beginning of Sæluvik, from 26 to 27 April. The decision was made following an informal survey on the frequency of business exhibitions, where there was a strong will to hold the exhibitions every 2 years, as previous exhibitions were held in 2010 and 2012.

See more at website of the Municipality of Skagafjörður.