PSF group
UMR STLO Unit
Research
PSF group

Process Structure Functionality group

We adopt an interdisciplinary approach to observe and understand the links between the scales of behaviour, from the molecular properties of constituents to the macroscopic functionalities of food matrices, taking into account the overall performance of the transformation processes.

chef_equipe_1

 

Cécile LE FLOCH-FOUERE
cecile.lefloch-fouere@institut-agro.fr

 

chef_equipe_2

 

Stéphane PEZENNEC
stephane.pezennec@inrae.fr

 

Our objectives

Our molecules of choice are proteins and we are also interested in their interactions with other types of molecules.

Our research focuses on :

  • molecular determinants and mechanisms of supramolecular assembly and phase separation ;
  •  The properties (interactions, osmotic pressure, reversibility, stability, sol-gel transition, etc.) of concentrated colloidal systems used in various unit operations such as filtration, concentration by evaporation or drying;
  • links between operating variables (process - product) and the performance of food processes;
  • optimisation of the design, control and sequence of unitary processing operations, and assessment of the corresponding environmental impacts.
Schéma

 Our Strategy

Our generic and mechanistic research questions are enriched and fed by technological issues and are tackled by developing our studies at different scales, from the molecular to the macroscopic one, and by alternating model and real systems, so as to:

  • explore the main molecular and supramolecular mechanisms (interactions, assemblies, phase separation) behind the macroscopic behaviour of food proteins;
  • identify, quantify and model the physico-chemical mechanisms involved in the state transitions undergone by dairy matrices during concentration and 'deconcentration' operations;
  • decouple the unit operations of a dairy and cheese technological route in order to control and optimise the properties of these matrices;
  • develop approaches to help the design and the conception of processes using multi-criteria approaches;
  • capitalise on this knowledge, using a predictive approach, for processes that reconcile performance, environmental impacts and product quality.

Our expertise

The team's disciplinary skills are:

  • Process engineering
  • biochemistry and physical chemistry
  • rheology
  • soft matter physics applied to food matrices
  • dairy science and technology.

Our team

im_photo_equipe_psf

Technicians/Assistant engineers : Françoise BOISSEL, Thomas CANIQUIT, Jean-Jacques DUBOIS, Anne DOLIVET, Pascaline HAMON, Fabienne LAMBROUIN, Nadine LECONTE, Pascal LECOUILLARD, Arlette LEDUC

Engineers : Gilles GARRIC, Emeline GOUSSÉ, Fanny GUYOMARC’H, Mélanie MUNCH, Florence ROUSSEAU, Gaëlle TANGUY, Anny VIVAS-ABRIL

Scientists : Ghazi BEN MESSAOUD, Saïd BOUHALLAB, Thomas CROGUENNEC, Marie-Hélène FAMELART, Juliane FLOURY, Geneviève GÉSAN-GUIZIOU, Romain JEANTET, Luca LANOTTE, Valérie LECHEVALIER, Jeehyun LEE, Cécile LE FLOCH-FOUÉRÉ, Maksym LOGINOV, Stéphane PEZENNEC

Our PhD and post-doctoral students

  • ALMEIDA Jaqueline (PhD, november 2025 - august 2026) : CAPES-COFECUB LacFree. Supervision: GOUSSE Emeline.
  • CORDIN Ulysse (PhD)-Supervision: FLOURY Juliane/GESAN-GUIZIOU Geneviève/GUYOMARC'H Fanny. Start of PhD: 2025. "Accounting for scale change in the environmental assessment of food transformation processes".
  • BARBOSA Letícia (PhD, september 2025 - june 2026): CAPES-COFECUB LacFree. Supervision: TANGUY Gaëlle.
  • MOREL Johanna (PhD)-Supervision: CROGUENNEC Thomas/JEANTET Romain/LANOTTE Luca/BEN MESSAOUD Ghazi/PEZENNEC Stéphane. Start of PhD: 2025. "Optimising the energy performance of dairy ingredient manufacturing processes".
  • LE FOLL Rozenn (Post-doc, 2024–2025): Calaccess, Supervision : DUPONT Didier/CROGUENNEC Thomas.
  • JAGOREL Gabrielle (fixed term contract, 2024–2026): ANR Veg&Lait, Supervision: GUYOMARC’H Fanny.
  • OUYANG Rui (PhD)-Supervision: LE FLOCH-FOUERE Cécile/LANOTTE Luca. Start of PhD: 2024. "Multi-scale exploration of the drying dynamics of dairy colloids and their rehydration (DRYMAP) Exploration of evaporation kinetics and modelling of stratification of dairy colloid mixtures during drying (DRYMAP)".
  • RABESOLONIRINA Tanjona (PhD)-Supervision: LE FLOCH-FOUERE Cécile. Start of PhD: 2024. "How do the surface conditions of moulds and curds affect adhesion during cheese production?".
  • JUSTE Erik (PhD)-Supervision: CROGUENNEC Thomas/LEE Jeehyun. Start of PhD: 2023. Poster: How whey protein aggregates interfer on milk enzymatic and acid gelation?
  • GROSTETE Margot (PhD )Supervision: LANOTTE Luca/JEANTET Romain. Start of PhD: 2022. Poster: Understanding the fouling mechanisms in evaporators...
  • PERRIGNON Manon (PhD)-Supervision: CROGUENNEC Thomas/JEANTET Romain. Start of PhD: 2022. Poster : Statistical approach for the optimization of dairy industrial...

Our visiting professors

  • TULER PERRONE Italo (2025), professsor, Federal University of Juiz de Fora (BRA), CAPES-COFECUB LacFree

Our projects

VEG&LAIT: The VEG&LAIT project aims to co-construct a mini-sector of mixed desserts based on milk and legumes, produced and processed in local food networks to reconcile autonomy, taste and nutritional qualities, environmental preservation and maintaining a close link with consumers. It started in March 2024 and will go on for 5 years, supported by the ANR-23-PLEG-0006 grant from the Agence Nationale de la Recherche as part of the France 2030 investment plan. Five INRAE units are involved (Agronomy, CSGA, ETTIS, SECALIM and STLO) with Invitation à la Ferme, Terres Inovia and Valorex, and the support of the LEGGO Association.

DIMEMPRO (2022-2025): Sizing strategy for optimising membrane process design. DIMEMPRO is a project funded by CARNOT QUALIMENT. It aims to develop a reasoned sizing methodology for membrane operations with a view to optimising the multi-criteria design of processes in the dairy sector.

FLait: Modelling the transmission of serum proteins during microfiltration of skimmed milk - Thesis co-funded by the INRAE-TRANSFORM department and the Brittany Region

STATPERF: A statistical approach to optimising business performance. This project studies the potential of artificial intelligence tools for optimising the overall performance (product quality, manufacturing yields, environmental impact, etc.) of the cheese-making process. Manon Perrignon's PhD. Funding: Institut Agro Fondation

TEX'AS: By what mechanisms do whey protein aggregates affect the coagulation properties of milk? This project studies the role of protein aggregates on the characteristics of milk gels and on gelling mechanisms. Erik Juste's PhD. Funding: CIFRE

ENTEVAP: Understanding the mechanisms of thermal fouling in falling-flow evaporators using a microfluidic and microscopic approach. The aim of the project is to put in place a miniaturisation strategy to characterise the constituents preferentially involved in the development of fouling, identify the process parameters with the most marked influence on the stages of deposit formation and, possibly, propose control methods to limit this phenomenon, which has very costly consequences for various sectors of food production. In this context, Margot Grostete's PhD, funded by ARED/TRANSFORM, focuses mainly on assessing the role of shear in the initiation and propagation of the phenomenon of milk protein deposition on surfaces with different properties (glass, steel) using rheometry and microfluidic tests coupled with microscopic observation.

In this folder

Draainge tools

Preheating milk : what effects on the drainage of acid-rennet gel?

Know more

Acid-rennet gels such as « fromage frais », « petit-Suisse », or cream-cheese are highly appreciated by consumers for their high nutritional properties. They are made by coagulation of milk by both rennet and lactic acid bacteria, and then drainage of the acid gel. A better understanding of the mechanism of their drainage is essential to master and control the manufacture and the quality of these cheeses.

Photo of an element of the Synchotron, located in Grenoble at the European Synchrotron Research Facility.

The longest day... at ESRF!

Know more

A five-strong STLO team, led by Ghazi Ben-Messaoud et Thomas Croguennec, joined Julien Bauland (former STLO doctoral student) and Thomas Gibaud (his post-doctoral supervisor at École Nationale Supérieure de Lyon) at the European Synchrotron Research Facility in Grenoble, France, from April 10 to 14.

Vignette-GGG-SEAMPL-2024.png

SEAMPL: A software for taking environmental impacts into account when designing packaging reuse systems

Know more

LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) is a method for evaluating the environmental impact of a product or service. It takes into account all the stages from the extraction of raw materials to the end of the product's life, including production, processing, transport, product use and waste treatment (recycling or disposal). As part of the European FAIRCHAIN project, the French case study focused on the development of a fermented beverage based on cheese whey, which had little or no value up to then. The SEAMPL simplified LCA software was developed to help the project's partners in the reuse sector to choose the best scenario for distributing this beverage in reused bottles.

earth

How to share environmental impacts between milk-derived coproducts?

Know more

Food is a significant contributor to humans’ environmental impacts and appropriate metrics to quantify them is essential to take and follow mitigation actions. Industrial processing accounts for less than 5% of the overall impacts of food systems but is central to sustainability. While agricultural production of commodities like milk generates over 75% of the food’s environmental impacts, processing prevents food waste and food spoilage to the expense of energy and water resources. However, industrial processes often involve separation of the commodity into coproducts, among which these environmental impacts must be shared.

Surficial whey protein deposits under shear

Know more

The effect of shear stress on the accumulation of whey protein deposits at a liquid/solid interface is linked to their unfolding and aggregation. Understanding these phenomena is essential to deal with critical and costly industrial issues occurring at the bulk solution/surface interface, such as the formation of a fouling layer during heat treatment and or concentration by evaporation.

The casein micelle

How does cheese manufacture begin?

Know more

Cheese manufacture begins with a specific hydrolysis of one protein of milk, a casein, that is located at the surface of a macrostructure called the casein micelle. After the hydrolysis, the casein micelles aggregate and form a gel that is cut in pieces to induce whey release. The concentrated gel pieces are then put together to form a curd. As casein gel properties such as its firmness and its ability to drain are extensively dependent on the mineral composition of casein micelles, we have changed this composition and observed the effect on gel properties

bannière PSF-R28

Mixed dairy-plant products: “I find this is a good idea but… I cannot say why…” – Putting words on a new type of food

Know more

Reducing consumption of animal-based protein in favor of plant-based protein in Western diets is a way to mitigate the pressure of our diet on the environment. However, consumers may find it challenging to re-balance their diet. In particular, milk substitution is difficult to some consumers, for nutritional and sensory reasons. New products that mix dairy- and plant-based components could be an opportunity to familiarize consumers with plant-based products characteristics without requiring nutritional expertise

Infant formula

Protein structure, a lever for infant formula optimisation

Know more

Infant formula is the most adequate substitute to human milk; however, due to the heat treatments applied during their manufacture for sanitary reasons, protein structures could be modified, with dramatic consequences on their digestion. In this study, we study the protein structures in 2 model infant formulaes.

Expert knowledge

Integration of expert knowledge in milk microfiltration optimization

Know more

Optimizing a food process, such as microfiltration of skim milk is complex due to the large number and heterogeneity of requested variables as well as the lack of knowledge about the physical laws involved. Our objective was to integrate expert knowledge in the description of the influence relations between the variables and optimisation objectives of microfiltration, when scientifically established relations do not exist.

Beamline setup

How deposits of casein micelles form and redisperse

Know more

During the skim milk filtration, casein micelles accumulate at the membrane surface and form a cohesive and compressible gel, which reduces the filtration performance. Studying the properties of casein micelle deposit, i.e. its structure and reversibility, is thus of crucial significance. This was the aim of Floriane Doudiès’ PhD.

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Modification date: 13 October 2025 | Publication date: 25 October 2022 | By: stlo