PILAF: Identifying and understanding critical parameters for designing improved liquid and fermented plant-dairy hybrid products
PILAF will provide a new, mechanistic understanding of the interactions between plant and dairy components in hybrid matrices. At the end of the project, recommendations can be made for designing and processing improved liquid and fermented products from both plant and dairy resources.
The project aims at generating new knowledge about liquid and fermented hybrid (plant-dairy) matrices through a mechanistic approach for identifying synergistic and/or antagonistic interactions between the individual plant and/or dairy components during processing. With regard to the plant source, it is intended to (1) focus on crops that can be cultivated in DK, (2) use the whole plant matrix or minimally processed fractions rather than protein isolates, and (3) incorporate as much as possible into the final hybrid system. The systematically designed hybrid matrices will be investigated in terms of their physical and colloidal stability as well as the chemical modifications of the components (esp. proteins) during high temperature processing, the potential of enzymatic modifications and fermentation of the systems, and their nutritional value.
1. Plant protein ingredients with fully characterised composition and processing history
2. Mechanistic description of colloidal interactions and protein digestibility in liquid dairy-plant hybrid systems
3. Mechanistic description of colloidal interactions and protein digestibility in fermented dairy-plant hybrid systems
Norbert Raak
PI, Tenure Track Assistant Professor
Mahesha M. Poojary
Associate Professor
Giovanna Verde
PhD student
Students and Interns
Yaqi Chi
MSc Thesis, September 2025 - January 2026
Andrea Isabel Tovar de la Herran
POCS, September 2025 - January 2026
Different Master and Bachelor thesis projects are continuously available. Contact nr@food.ku.dk for more information.
Arla Foods amba
Kirsten Gade Malmos
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Elena Arranz Gutierrez
We are always interested in collaborating with other researchers and companies. Please contact me: nr@food.ku.dk
Presentations at Scientific Conferences
Verde G, Poojary MM, Rinnan Å, Raak N (2025) Unlocking the functional behaviour of fava bean flour through processing. Alternative Protein Scientific Conference & Showcase (AltProteinX), Lyngby, Denmark (Poster presentation)
Funded by:
Partially funded by Arla Foods amba through the Arla-UCPH Collaboration Programme and co-financed through a Novo Nordisk Fonden Start Package Grant.
Funding period: January 2025 - December 2027
Funded by Arla Foods: 998,403 DKK
Total budget: 1,998,006 DKK
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