Matís, in collaboration with the Blue Lagoon and the Association of Icelandic Biotechnology Companies, recently held a conference on algae. A conference took place in the Blue Lagoon and it went very well everywhere.
There is great potential in the algae industry. Algae can be added to foods, making them more nutritious and tastier. At Matís, for example, kelp has been developed which has attracted a great deal of attention (http://www.matis.is/matis/frettir/nr/3331). The Blue Lagoon has used algae in Blue Lagoon cosmetics, but research has shown that algae in the Blue Lagoon reduce the aging of the skin.
Algae have also been used in food, for example, to reduce the use of salt, for example instead of MSG, but there are also known examples of algae being used in food supplements and animal feed. There are great possibilities in algae cultivation, processing and utilization in this country, as the sea area around the country is well suited, for example due to its purity.
Consumer awakening has taken place both in Iceland and elsewhere regarding the nutritional content of algae. The potential for value creation is therefore great when it comes to algae cultivation.
A Nordic project and co-operation on algae began on 1 March. The project is called "Nordic Algae Network" and the conference that was held on 15 May was connected to this. Matís organized the conference and it was sponsored by the Blue Lagoon and the Association of Icelandic Biotechnology Companies. A large number attended the conference, but the intention was to bring together people from the industry and those who conduct research on algae both in Iceland and abroad. The aim of the conference was to exchange knowledge and know-how with regard to the utilization of algae for energy consumption and valuable materials.
The agenda of the conference was as follows:
09:00 Welcome - Hordur G. Kristinsson, Matís, Reykjavík, Iceland
09:10 Nordic Algae Network - Lars Nikolaisen, Danish Technological Institute, Aarhus, Denmark
09:20 The situation in Denmark on macroalgae - Lars Nikolaisen, Danish Technological Institute, Aarhus, Denmark
09:40 Algalíf: A company takes its first steps towards establishing large-scale microalgae production in Iceland - Paul Lebeau, Algalíf, Norway
10:00 State-of-the-art on macroalgae in Ireland - Anna Soler, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
10:40 Value added products from macroalgae - Sarah Hotchkiss, Cybercolloids Ltd., Carrigaline, Ireland
11:00 Icelandic macroalgae - past and present utilization - Karl Gunnarsson, Marine Research Institute, Iceland
11:20 Icelandic R&D activities on macroalgae - Hordur G. Kristinsson, Matís, Reykjavík, Iceland
11:40 Microalgae cultivation at the Blue Lagoon - Halldór Guðfinnur Svavarsson, Blue Lagoon Ltd., Grindavík, Iceland
12:00 Development of a sustainable macro- and microalgae sector in Norway, with considerations of commercialization and markets - Anne Mugaas, The Royal Society for the Welfare of Norway, Norway
"Nordic Algae Network" is funded by the Nordic Innovation Center, NICe, and more information can be found on the project's website, www.nordicinnovation.org/nordicalgae
For further information Hörður G. Kristinsson, Head of the Department of Biotechnology and Biochemistry and Director of Research at Matís.