The project dealt with all stages in the value chain of vegetables in Iceland, from cultivation and transport to shops, processors and consumers. The project is intended to strengthen the vegetable sector in Iceland with new knowledge that supports the development of the sector, which means increased production, more job opportunities and an increased supply of nutritious products.
The project was composed of three related work components, but the grant was awarded to these subjects: (1) Research on the shelf life of vegetables with the aim of achieving as high a quality and long shelf life as possible. Shelf-life tests were performed on Icelandic vegetables in order to point out ways to improve the quality of the vegetables and promote better treatment for the benefit of producers and sellers. (2) Summary of potential values from those horticultural by-products not currently used. This work is the basis for further development that should lead to the processing of valuable products. (3) Summary of ways to reduce waste and degradation of vegetables on the way from farmer to consumer. This contributes to less shrinkage in the value chain. Four open reports on the above topics have been published on Matís’s website.
Read more about the project in the news below: