Contact
Natasa Desnica
Research Group Leader
natasa@matis.is
One of Matís' roles is to improve the safety, quality and wholesomeness of food through research and development work.
Research is being carried out on the effects of desirable and undesirable substances in food and feed at Matís. Emphasis is placed on monitoring and collecting data on the state of Icelandic food with regard to nutrients and pollutants, among other things so that Icelandic food producers, exporters and consumers can assess the state and position of Icelandic production compared to other countries. The data is also used in risk assessment and in marketing presentations of Icelandic food.
Research is also being carried out into the composition of raw materials and products in food processing and feed preparation and the changes in their quality and safety that occur during processing and storage, such as nutritional value, synthesis or uptake of undesirable substances.
Matís also monitors unwanted substances in seafood and is working on a collaborative project on monitoring the marine environment around Iceland under the auspices of the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources in order to fulfill Iceland's obligations regarding OSPAR and the AMAP agreements. Chemical research and monitoring also include other foods that are produced in Iceland and / or imported into the country, such as vegetables and fruit.
The expertise of Matís employees includes:
- Research and measurement of inorganic trace elements (eg heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium)
- Organic trace elements (pesticides, PCBs, dioxins, brominated substances, etc.)
- Environmental chemistry
- Risk assessment
- Risk presentation