Aurélie Monié, PhD student at IMRCP, has defended her thesis on « clean label » ways to make food products

Aurélie carried out her research in the SMODD team at the IMRCP laboratory.

On March 25th, she defended her thesis entitled: " Enzymatic lipolysis of triglycerides to make food products in the framework of a clean label strategy ".

In this project, we wanted to explore “clean label” strategies to incorporate mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (MDGs; E471) in food products. Indeed, manufacturers try to find solutions in order to substitute synthetic additives while keeping the same functionalities in the food products. The use of processing aids, such as enzymes, fits perfectly with the approach of products that are more respectful of consumers and the environment; that is to say "clean label".

Thus, by reacting a lipase with rapeseed oil, we demonstrated that MDGs could be generated in situ and with a good yield. To better understand the kinetics of lipolysis and to characterize all the products formed, analysis by gas chromatography and 1H and 13C NMR were carried out.

Finally, rapeseed oils with different MDGs rates, were used in the fabrication of different food products. Indeed, on each of the products chosen, the MDGs play different roles. Products like sponge cakes, brioches and ice creams were formulated and characterized to highlight all benefits comparatively to products made with unmodified rapeseed oil.

Finally, the fabrication of concentrated reverse emulsions starting from the post-enzymatic oil has been developed that allow the possibility to obtain doubles emulsions.

Congratulations to Aurélie for the quality of her work!