Published on March 30, 2021 – Updated on March 30, 2021

In April, the SuNuP project involving TIPs and 3BIO-BioControl will start. Supported by Wagralim, the project aims to understand the different mechanisms involved in the drying resistance of microorganisms in order to optimise fermentation and drying conditions.

The 42-month SuNuP project, supported by Wagralim, aims to understand the different mechanisms involved in the drying resistance of microorganisms through an integrated analytical approach: from the cultivation stage at laboratory level in a mini-bioreactor to drying at pilot scale. The overall objective will be to find the best compromise, within the spectrum of available drying techniques, between product quality and process energy efficiency.

To achieve this objective, the consortium will consist of two industrial partners, Vésale Pharma and Puratos (project coordinator), and three academic partners : 

  • the TIPs laboratory (Benoît Haut and Frédéric Debaste), whose expertise lies in the characterisation and modelling of the phenomena involved in drying
  • the 3BIO-BioControl laboratory (Philippe Bogaerts), which specialises in the modelling and parametric estimation of biological systems in order to optimise and regulate these biological systems
  • the Microbial Processes and Interactions laboratory (Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech), an expert in the "single cell" analysis of microbial populations and the conduct of culture in reactors.