Partnership

The unit contributes to research training and teaching for the Institut Agro-Rennes-Angers due to its co-tutoring between INRAE and Higher education institutions. It also nurtures a strong partnership with many other Universities and research centers in France and in foreign countries. The unit is at the origin of 2 International Associated Laboratories from the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil LIA Bactinflam and Soochow University in China (IAL FoodPrint) .

One last thing is that the unit coordinates an international research network called INFOGEST that clusters more than 140 institutes from approximately forty countries focused on digestion and nutrition topics.

Located in the heart of France’s largest production and transformation area for milk and eggs, the unit collaborates continuously with industrial sector stakeholders for anchoring its thematic areas in the real industrial front line. Local authorities, inter-branch organizations and industrial operators support research projects developed with, for example, the Valorial competitiveness cluster, the Qualiment Carnot Institute, or Bba-milk-valley, an association bringing together economic, scientific and financial partners from the dairy industry.

The unit also contributes to the Grand Défi du Futur (Future Fermented Foods), a public-private partnership set up to accelerate research and innovation in ferments, fermented foods and biopreservation.

Seven private R&D units are also hosted within the unit.