Contact
Hrólfur Sigurðsson
Project Manager
hrolfur.sigurdsson@matis.is
It is necessary to ensure that foodstuffs, regardless of origin, do not pose a threat to the health of consumers, as clearly stated in food law, whether in the case of chemical or microbial risks. Organized sampling and accredited measurements have conclusive results.
Matvælastofnun published on website sinni report which deals with the screening of pathogenic bacteria in meat on the market in 2018. Matís participated in the study and performed measurements of Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC) as stated in the report, as well as assistance with data interpretation and presentation.
Since 2015, the Matís laboratory has been a reference laboratory for STEC and has worked to build up expertise and measurement capacity in Iceland. Through the network of the European Reference Laboratory, Matís participates in international collaboration in developing methods, assessing the spread and strengthening knowledge of STEC in food.
Matvælastofnun's research in which Matís participated is the first of its kind in Iceland and is part of examining STEC's prevalence in food and animals and assessing STEC's position in the Icelandic market. The project is also an important part of preparing the laboratory for dealing with STEC epidemics. The results of the study show that this toxin E. coli species is present in the meat of Icelandic sheep and cattle.
Today, Matís has examined 369 STEC samples. These are mainly samples from research projects, but some of the samples come from suspected foodborne illness and some from private parties due to regular quality control. As stated in the press release of the Food Administration, STEC can cause serious illness in people, but common symptoms are diarrhea. Kidney damage or so-called HUS (Hemolytic Urea Syndrome) is the most serious symptom of STEC infection. Transmission routes are through contaminated food or water, through direct contact with infected animals, or the environment through contaminated faeces of infected animals.