From the beginning, Lallemand has always been aware of the necessity to collaborate with universities and research institutes to stay up to date with the latest progress in technology. The collaborations have been extended worldwide and include activities representing each one of our main markets.
Internally, Lallemand’s research department includes 2 research laboratories working on process improvement of yeast and bacteria, and 6 application laboratories, supporting our targeted markets: bakery, fermented beverages, animal nutrition, human nutrition, ethanol technology and plant care.
Analytical research laboratories
- The yeast process research laboratory is located at the Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI) in Montréal (Canada) where we work on fermentation and strain improvement processes, and have access to the most sophisticated technologies, equipment and pilot installations, allowing us to work on the yeast genome and on pilot projects that let us test our strains’ behaviour under industrial conditions.
- The bacteria research laboratory is located in Toulouse (France), where we concentrate research on the influence of the propagation conditions on the technological performance of our strains. We use our own pilot equipment for the fermentation, freeze-drying and coating processes. Mastering the different coating technologies lets us constantly improve the resistance of our products to several physical and chemical stresses, therefore responding more adequately to our clients’ needs.
- The analytical laboratory is located at the Competence Centre of the Tallinn Technical University (Estonia) where we have access to the most advanced analytical equipment for developing and improving methods for the detection and the quantification of functional molecules of interest. We are also well equipped to conduct directed evolution studies.
Application laboratories
Lallemand can also count on a range of application laboratories that support different markets, including bakery, health and nutrition, fermented beverages, animal nutrition and new fermentation applications.
- The bakery applications laboratories are located in Montréal, Johannesburg (South Africa), and Setúbal (Portugal). We have developed an expertise in yeasts – liquid, fresh or dry – and bacteria, as well as in baking ingredients, including bread improvers, dough conditioners, bromate substitutes and a whole range of new applications for different segments of the bakery market.
- The human nutrition applications laboratories are located in Montréal. Since 1932, Institut Rosell has been a pioneer in the production of lactic bacteria or probiotics. In this laboratory we have mastered the art of developing original formulations as well as original intake forms, ranging from gel caps to chewable tablets, while enhancing these preparations with such new properties as room temperature stability and enteric resistance. At the Industrial Partnership facility of the Canadian National Research Council’s BRI, we strive to improve the performance of the mineral- and vitamin-enriched yeasts.
- The fermented beverage applications laboratory is located in Toulouse. At this facility, we work on characterizing yeast and bacteria strains, as well as a range of by-products, such as mannoproteins, nutrients and enzymes. We have also developed a whole range of direct seeding malolactic bacteria, which make the winemaker’s task easier. The collaboration we maintain with the Institut des Produits de la Vigne (the vineyard produce institute) of the Montpellier INRA has allowed us to successfully determine the role played by the yeast-killer factor and to explain the strains’ need for nitrogen and oxygen, as well as the influence of nutrients and the composition of the rehydration environment on the reduction of the lag phase of our yeasts and bacteria.
- The animal nutrition applications laboratory is also located in Toulouse. With the collaboration of several other institutes, we have selected unique yeast and bacteria strains intended to improve the zootechnical performance of ruminants and non ruminants. The coating technique used enhances the strains’ resistance to the high temperatures and pressure encountered during the manufacturing of granules. We have also selected a range of lactic bacteria strains (including Pediococcus, Propionibacterium and Lactobacillus buchneri) to ensure the aerobic stability of silage. All these strains are registered with the European Union and provide the breeders with biological alternatives to chemicals, helping minimize the resistance to antibiotics and improve the quality of their products. We also work in close collaboration with the INRA of Theix (France), where, for more than a decade, our scientists have been striving to better understand the benefits of our strains for the good functioning of the rumen.
- The Lallemand ethanol technology laboratories are located in Montréal. In the Industrial Partnership facility of the Canadian National Research Council’s BRI, Lallemand’s specialized laboratories are used for yeast scale-up, fermentation modeling and molecular biology. Available services include custom product development and analytical support. Internal research projects are focused on strain selection, yeast nutrition and fermentation applications. Lallemand Ethanol Technology also collaborates with academic researchers on core research topics and with customers for pilot- and production-scale applications development.
