Aamir Shehzad, a lecturer in Agri-food and Agro-industry at UniLaSalle Rouen, has successfully defended his habilitation to direct research (HDR) on the subject of "Agro-resources and innovative materials - Food and non-food valorization of agro-resources". The defense took place on Thursday April 11 at UniLaSalle Rouen.

Jury

Reviewers:

• Pr. Bernard KUREK, HDR, NRAE, Reims, France
• Dr. Chahinez AOUF, HDR, INRAE, Montpellier, France
• Pr. Gönül Z. KALETUNÇ, Ohio State University, Columbus, USA

Examiners:

• Pr. Aysha SAMEEN, GCW University Faisalabad, Pakistan
• Pr. Elisabete FROLLINI, University of São Paulo, Brazil
• Pr. Sébastien ALIX, HDR, Reims Champagne-Ardenne University, France
• Pr. Stéphane MARAIS, HDR, Rouen-Normandie University, UMR6270, France
• Dr. Richard GATTIN, HDR, UniLaSalle, Rouen, France
   

Abstract

The originality of my research work is based on the study of raw materials, transformation into food & non-food products and materials and the characterization of different properties to establish process-product-properties relationships using biobased resources. 

Initiating from a comparatively fundamental approach to processes and their applications, my research activities were focused on different mixing conditions during French bread making process, their subsequent impact on wheat flour dough rheology and bread texture. This included elaboration of bread dough structure during mixing, both at the supramolecular scale and at the mesoscopic scale with the initiation of the cellular structure through incorporation of air and its evolution during fermentation which was determined by proposing a specific protocol. A second area of research included the characterization of various biobased materials into value-added food products (food valorization), a theme developed as part of a project in partnership with the University of Massachusetts to establish a research center on functional foods and nutraceuticals at University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan during my employment. Later on, my preliminary expertise in starch processing were further strengthened by modelling knowledge on wheat flour dough behavior during bread making process by implementing different formulations and processing conditions (Knowledge Assembly for Dough and bakery products /KADOugh). 

Since last 5 years, my research work within VAM2IN team (Valorization of Agro-resources into INnovative Molecules and Materials) of T&A (Transformations & Agro-resources-ULR7519) Unit in UniLaSalle, essentially targeted two aspects: one fundamental based on the understanding of formulation-structure-properties interactions, the other applied linking to the design and development of biobased materials (non-food valorization) meeting the specific needs of industrial partners. 

The aim is to offer environmentally friendly alternatives (“eco-friendly product”) to the manufacturers as compared to non-biodegradable materials derived from petrochemicals, employed in the fields of packaging, construction and even automobiles. This area of “non-food valorization” is an original and primitive research axis in which we seek to strengthen the developments in bioeconomy by focusing on non-food valorization of agro-resources and subsequent production of innovative materials through existing skills in our team and collaborations with other partners at national and international levels.