A "kick-off" meeting was recently held in Iceland for a new project, EnRichMar, led by Matís and funded for two years through the European Union's 7th Framework Program. In addition to Matís, the Icelandic companies Grímur kokkur, which produces prepared seafood dishes, and Marinox, which produces bioactive substances from seaweed, participate in the project.
A "kick-off" meeting was recently held in Iceland for a new project, EnRichMar, led by Matís and funded for two years through the European Union's 7th Framework Program. In addition to Matís, the Icelandic companies Grímur kokkur, which produces prepared seafood dishes, and Marinox, which produces bioactive substances from seaweed, participate in the project. The project also includes the food companies Ruislandia in Finland and Den Eelder in the Netherlands, followed by BioActive Foods in Norway, which produces omega powders and oils, and the research institutes VTT in Finland, TNO in the Netherlands and the University of Milan in Italy.
The idea for the EnRichMar project has developed through a collaboration between Matís and Gríms kokk in the Westman Islands since 2008. A project was started that aimed to develop products that were fortified with biomaterials from Icelandic seafood such as algae, fish proteins and omega-3 fatty acids and was supported. by the AVS Fisheries Research Fund. Subsequently, a grant was received from the Nordic Innovation Fund for work in the same field. In general, it could be concluded from these projects that the enrichment of seafood is a realistic possibility, and by utilizing raw materials from the sea in finished consumer products, their value increases. There has been a step further in product development with Icelandic ingredients from the sea for incorporation into food, and market opportunities have been created here, both for the domestic market and for export by utilizing unused seafood in more valuable products.
The use of omega-3 and bioactive substances from algae in food could contribute to a positive health effect on food consumption and food stability. The main goal of EnRichMar is actually twofold. On the one hand, to develop seafood, dairy and cereal products enriched with omega-3 and study the effects of consuming such products on mental and brain function, and on the other hand, such products are enriched with bioactive substances from algae and study the effects of food consumption on inflammation and oxidative stress. .
The development of ready-to-eat foods with bioactive ingredients is an important issue for the food industry both here at home and elsewhere in Europe. The purpose of the project is to strengthen the competitive position and increase the market share of the companies in the project and create new opportunities in the markets.
For further information Kolbrún Sveinsdóttir, project manager at Matís