Deeply rooted in Ingredia’s corporate culture, innovation and expertise are at the core of new developments. Ingredia is constantly innovating and enhancing its range of dairy ingredients: from milk powders and active ingredients to functional and nutritional proteins.
First, human expertise: men and women
The Innovation team at Ingredia brings the necessary energies together, as well as the scientific and technical skills to serve one common goal: to continuously innovate for its customers.
About forty people, or approximately 10% of the group’s human resources are part of the Research and Development team which is organized in three divisions: Research, Industrial development and Applications.
Our technicians as well as our application experts each specialize in a different field and are fully dedicated to your innovation.
This R&D energy contributes to the development of new features and to their implementation, thanks to a thorough knowledge of raw materials, processes, formulations and conditions of use in applications.
Our R&D team is here to support you from the development phase to the launch of your products including during trials and finish products sampling.
Patented ingredients
Lactium® for stress management:
Lactium®’s discovery is the result of twelve years of work conducted by Ingredia’s laboratories in collaboration with the University of Nancy (Lorraine, France).
After years of research, Ingredia’s team developed an innovative process to replicate babies’ digestive mechanism. They used a well-known digestive enzyme – trypsin – to isolate from casein a milk protein hydrolysate containing this bioactive peptide – alpha-casozepine.
As a unique and innovative food ingredient, Lactium® was protected by an international patent.
Globally-enforced regulations (Food grade) have acknowledged its efficacy and safety, which allowed the required approvals to be obtained in Europe and the United States as well as other countries such as Australia (Therapeutic Goods Administration), South Korea (Korean Food and Drug Administration) and China.
Pep2Dia®, a new bioactive ingredient that regulates blood sugar levels after meals.
Pep2Dia® is a patented milk protein hydrolysate with an active dipeptide AP, specifically designed for prediabetes, to help manage blood sugar. AP peptide acts as an inhibitor of the alpha glucosidase. This digestive enzyme hydrolyses polysaccharides into glucose and allows absorption. Its inhibition lowers blood sugar levels.
Pep2Dia® is the result of extensive research and collaboration between Ingredia’s scientists and LIENSs-CNRS La Rochelle University in France.
Pep2Dia® has proven efficacy on glycaemia after meals. Pre-clinical and clinical studies support Pep2Dia®’s action to reduce postprandial glycaemia with a significative effect versus the placebo.
Cheese without whey separation:
Leveraging its experience in the cheese making sector, over 25 years ago, Ingredia went into using specialty milk proteins to produce cheeses without whey separation. The goal is to facilitate cheese production throughout the world and particularly in regions where there is a lack of milk or where it is of poor quality. The main benefits of this manufacturing process are: 100% yield, no whey to process, increased recipe flexibility and therefore better adaptability to meet the specific needs of each market. A patent on hard cheese and soft cheeses was filed in 2007 (n° FR0409736). Then, one was filed in 2014 on pasta filata cheeses (WO 188123 A 1).
The without-whey-separation technology is globally used not only for fresh cheeses, but also for the manufacturing of hard pressed cheeses.
Partners, know-how across all levels of innovation
Ingredia’s specific technological mastery also relies on a close collaboration with renown experts: schools, universities, research institutes, technical centers, raw materials and processing aids suppliers, application workshops, etc.
Research partners
Ingredia works in partnership with numerous research centers, of which two joint shared-research units. Ingredia is currently funding five doctoral theses.
Industrial partners
Ingredia has entered into collaboration agreements with groups of similar size – in France and abroad – to strengthen its position in the market. Ingredia and its partners have common concerns, expectations and share similar values. This mutual understanding provides a foundation for fruitful and balanced relationships dedicated to innovation and quality.
Always innovative...
Ingredia allocates 1.5% of its revenues to innovation, thus being able to position itself as a global leader in the market of differentiating dairy proteins.
At the headquarters in Arras, Ingredia has:
- laboratories equipped with cutting-edge technologies
- a pilot plant and semi-industrial set-up with:
- Analytical instruments to perform physicochemical, rheological and microscopic assessments,
- Production lines for various applications: fresh dairy and ice cream, several pieces of equipment adapted to different kind of cheeses (soft and hard-pressed cheese, pasta filata, fresh cheese, processed cheese), bakery, chocolate manufacturing, specific equipment for pudding/cream dessert and high protein beverages.
- A pilot plant complements these installations to ensure the perfect implementation of our ingredients though industrial test series
- and an industrial pilot in its plant located in St Pol-sur-Ternoise.
Saint Pol-sur-Ternoise Manufacturing site
Located in the Hauts-de-France region, in an industrial park, our site spreads over approximately 37 acres.
With a total annual capacity of over 400 million liters of milk processing, the plant oversees three key areas:
- processing milk into food ingredients,
- packaging UHT milk in bottles for retail,
- manufacturing ingredients for the Health and Nutrition sector.
Several million euros are invested every year to industrialize our innovative development projects.
Key figure: about 350 people work year-round, 24/7, at the St Pol-sur-Ternoise location to produce quality dairy ingredients and meet the global demand.
