INTERNSHIP OFFER (Master 2) Study of Heat-Induced Denaturation, Aggregation, and Fouling Phenomena in Pea Protein

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INRAE presentation

The French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE) is a major player in research and innovation. It is a community of 12,000 people with 272 research, experimental research, and support units located in 18 regional centres throughout France. Internationally, INRAE is among the top research organisations in the agricultural and food sciences, plant and animal sciences, as well as in ecology and environmental science. It is the world’s leading research organisation specialising in agriculture, food and the environment. INRAE’s goal is to be a key player in the transitions necessary to address major global challenges. Faced with a growing world population, climate change, resource scarcity, and declining biodiversity, the Institute has a major role to play in building solutions and supporting the necessary acceleration of agricultural, food and environmental transitions.

Work environment, missions and activities

This internship will take place within the Joint Research Unit Matériaux et Transformations (UMR 8207 – UMET, https://umet.univ-lille.fr/), and more specifically within the Processes at Interfaces and Hygiene of Materials team (PIHM, https://umet.univ-lille.fr/PIHM/index.php?lang=fr) located in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, which develops scientific knowledge to improve hygiene control, process performance, and product quality in the agri-food industry.

Context: With the rising demand for sustainable and healthy food alternatives, plant proteins are increasingly being studied as substitutes for dairy proteins. Their innovation and diffusion have the potential to shift dietary patterns toward plant-based consumption and contribute to broader transformations within the food system. Heat treatments, including pasteurization and ultra-high-temperature (UHT) processing, are commonly applied during industrial processing to ensure the safety and stability of protein products. However, these processes often lead to the formation of fouling deposits on heat exchangers, which differ from those observed during thermal treatment of conventional products such as dairy. The fouling process and its subsequent removal are highly complex phenomena, influenced by a number of factors including surface characteristics, processing temperature, flow regime, and formulation of the product. Such deposits cause significant environmental costs (water, energy and detergent) and may pose microbiological risk. This project aims to address the challenges of alternative protein fouling when subjected to thermo-mechanical treatments.

During this internship, the student will contribute to the study of the thermal denaturation, aggregation, and fouling mechanisms of pea protein during pasteurization treatment in order to better understand its behavior during processing and formulation operations in the agri-food industry.

In this internship, the M2 student main tasks will include:

• Characterization of pea proteins
• Study of thermal denaturation kinetics of pea protein
• Investigation of the effect of solution properties such as protein concentration, ionic strength, pH, and the presence of other molecules on the fouling formation

Understanding the fouling mechanisms under thermo-mechanical treatment conditions

Training and skills

THE PROFIL WE ARE LOOKING FOR

¡ Recommended background: Master’s 2 student in Chemical Engineering or Agri-Food Process Engineering.

¡ Desired knowledge: Theoretical and practical knowledge in analysis techniques.

¡ Appreciated experience: Previous laboratory internship experience would be an asset.

INRAE's life quality

By joining our teams, you benefit from (depending on the type of contract and its duration):

- up to 30 days of annual leave + 15 days "Reduction of Working Time" (for a full time);
- parenting support: CESU childcare, leisure services;
- skills development systems: training, career advise;
- social support: advice and listening, social assistance and loans;
- holiday and leisure services: holiday vouchers, accommodation at preferential rates;
- sports and cultural activities;
- collective catering.

How to apply

I send my CV and my motivation letter