M (Marie) Hennebelle, PhD

Due to environmental, health, and ethical concerns surrounding animal agriculture, there is a global shift towards plant-based diets, as well as innovative alternatives such as laboratory cultivated meat and fish. Many plant-based and cultured foods rely on lipids for flavor, texture, and nutritional value. Amongst them, (poly)unsaturated fatty acids are known for their health benefits, particularly in cardiovascular and cerebral function. However, due their high degree of unsaturation, these fatty acids are very sensitive to oxidation, posing a significant challenge for food industries, as lipid oxidation can affect the shelf-life, nutritional, and sensory qualities of the food products.

Understanding the mechanisms of lipid oxidation in plant-based or cultured products, and developing efficient strategies to control it are therefore essential to provide safe, nutritious and tasty products. Our lipid research is focussing on 3 main axis: 1/ Developing analytical and modeling methods to provide a comprehensive mapping of lipid oxidation in foods; 2/ Understanding the impact of plant-based ingredients on lipid oxidation for food applications; 3/ Designing oxidatively stable and helathy plant-based and cultured food products. 

For more information, please visit: Food Lipids at the Laboratory of Food Chemistry