Speaker

About the speaker: 

Anna Thora holds a PhD in Food Science and is a Project Manager at Matís, Icelandic food and biotech research institute. Her research focuses on the processing, preservation and utilization of seaweed biomass for different applications, with emphasis on product development, biorefinery approaches, bioactive compounds, and non-destructive quality control methods in seaweed production. 

Company info:

Matís is a government-owned, non-profit research and development (R&D) organization in Iceland. Its supports value creation, food safety, sustainability and public health through applied research and innovation. The organization also provides specialized analytical services, alongside research in food chemistry, microbiology, biotechnology, and environmental sciences. Through its work, Matís helps industries improve product quality, ensure food safety, and promote the sustainable use of natural resources, contributing to innovation across the food and biotechnology sectors.

Presentation: 

Quality assessment of seaweed relies heavily on manual inspection and destructive chemical analyses. Spectral imaging systems offer an alternative approach by enabling rapid, non-destructive evaluation of seaweed chemical composition and quality attributes. The studies indicate that multispectral imaging could be a valuable quality control tool for rapid assessment of a wide range of brown seaweed quality parameters, including proximate composition (moisture-, protein-, and carbohydrate contents) pH, iodine, total phenolic content, and antioxidant properties. Integrating multispectral imaging into quality control processes within the seaweed industry could support more effective product quality assurance, improve product standards, and provide clear, batch-specific information that enhances transparency regarding biomass origin and composition.