In Western countries, diseases related to foods represent a major issue in public poliy. Overweight and obesity are increasing at an alarming rate in the world and in Europe more particularly. Obesity is one of the most serious public health problems because it increases significantly the risk of many chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabete. Nutrition is a major health determinant and is one of the key priorities in public health policy, especially in Europe. The comsumption of cereals-based foods with low glycemic indexes, high micronutrients and fibers contents are highly recommended. The target of this work, is to provide new solutions for cereal based foods: the knowledge and understanding on the in vivo fate will be used to define structural features to gain in foods. The objective of this proposal is to use new genetic resources and to assess the role of the role of viscosity on gastric emptying and the kinetic aspects of starch digestion. The digestibility of starch in foods varies widely and can be affected by high content of viscous soluble dietary fiber constituents and relatively high amylose / amylopectine ratios. Amylose content also influences some functional properties of starches like swelling power, solubility, in vitro glycemic index and viscosity. Thus, the strategy of this work is based upon the complementarity of the research teams and upon the integration of various scientific disciplines, from genetics of wheat grain to the human subject while passing by in vitro and animal studies. Natural biodiversity present in a core collection of bread wheat (Clermont-Ferrand) will be examined in order to bring out new wheat varieties containing high amylose contents. These varieties will be selected by the use of molecular and biochemical markers, by phenotyping using a new experimental device based upon image analysis of seeds sections, by biochemical analyses and by nutritional investigations. Viscosity of the ingested meal, gastric function in vivo and the nutritive impact of cereal products with high amylose content will be evaluated using an artificial stomach, a porcine model and a human panel.

In the context of agriculture increasingly relying on groundwater irrigation, it is crucial to develop reliable and applicable methods for assessing the sustainability of agricultural systems under climate change. A wide variety of models have been developed for ex-ante evaluation of management policies or assessment of the impacts of land-use changes. They are commonly used to support decision making by stakeholders through participatory approaches. However, due to the difficulty in implementing truly trans-disciplinary projects, the models rarely represent both the complex biophysical processes at stake in agricultural watersheds and the farmer adaptation strategies to changes. Consequently, these models are not able to adequately account for the spatial and temporal interactions and feed-backs between these two components. The Indian context is an extreme case where the integration of these components is both essential and challenging: the “groundwater revolution” which started three decades ago and induced a well identified “groundwater crisis” with tremendous impacts on water resources and ecosystems, is being carried out by millions of very small farmers owning individual borewells, with a large diversity of practices and strategies. The ATCHA project aims to accompany the adaptation of farming systems to climate change by combining an integrated biophysical model with a participatory approach in a network of experimental watersheds in the Karnataka state. Through a truly trans-disciplinary approach, involving hydrologists, geochemists, soil scientists, agronomists, geographers, economists and sociologists and with a strong participation of Indian partners including scientists, extension service agents and stakeholders, we aim at demonstrating the ability of integrated models to share knowledge between researchers and stakeholders and to co-build and assess scenarios of sustainable development of agriculture. The ATCHA project is based on (1) the strong partnership initiated with the International Joint Laboratory IFCWS (Indo-French Cell for Water Sciences, involving the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore) which allowed to build an extensive database in the Berambadi experimental watershed (Critical Zone Observatory, ORE BVET) and (2) a specific Indo-French project (CEFIPRA AICHA, 2013-2016) in which an integrated model combining hydrology (AMBHAS), agronomy (STICS), economy (MoGire) and farmer decision (Namaste) models was developed. The ATCHA project will complement the Sujala III project (2014-2019), led by the Karnataka Watershed Department and in which IFCWS takes part in the coordination of the monitoring carried out in 14 experimental watersheds across the Karnataka state. The ATCHA project is composed of 3 work packages (in addition to the coordination WP): i) development of novel methodologies to gather spatialized information on soils and land use, using both ground and multi-satellite data at high spatial and temporal resolution ii) improvement of the model realism by calibrating a large number of tropical crops and bridging knowledge gaps for modelling nutrient cycles in tropical irrigated agro-systems and iii) development of a participatory approach to build and assess scenarios of adaptation to climate change and its critical assessment. We expect the ATCHA project to produce not only significant scientific advances on the functioning of agro-hydrosystems under high anthropogenic pressure but also to have a strong socio-economic impact, in terms of capacity building for the Indian partners (in particular for crop and agro-system modelling), improving the relevance of advice given to farmers by extension services and the efficiency of public policies.

A peptide sequence of the bovine beta-casein, peptide beta-CN(94-123) which we identified in fermented milks, represents a novel molecule with a strong potential health, specifically targeting defense mechanisms and protection of the intestine. The gut defensive arsenal is based on the intestinal barrier, a complex structure organized around the monolayer of epithelial cells and their tight junctions. It protects the internal environment of noxious agents present in the lumen and also plays a key role in preventing bacterial translocation and initiation of inflammatory responses that may be the cause of intestinal diseases (diarrhea, necrotizing enterocolitis, inflammatory bowel diseases…) or of systemic diseases (diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome …). Two populations of epithelial cells occupy a strategic position in the establishment of this defense barrier: Paneth cells and mucus cells. We previously showed that oral administration of beta-CN(94-123) to rat pups enhanced the number of mucus cells and Paneth cells along the small intestine. These effects were associated notably with an enhanced expression of intestinal mucins (MUC2 and MUC4) and of antibacterial factors (lysozyme, rat defensin5). These results, which we have protected (international patent WO2010130956), are thus very promising in terms of innovation and could be considered for drug development or health food for preventing or treating many intestinal diseases. However, the evidences proving the effectiveness of beta-CN(94-123) in situations of gut pathophysiology are of paramount importance but remain to be made. For this, experiments must be conducted in appropriate animal models. In the project b-ACTIPROD, we purpose: 1 - To assess the relevance of peptide beta-CN(94-123) in two representative models of intestinal diseases associated with a defective intestinal barrier. The peptide will be tested alone (drug development prospects), first in the model of neonatal maternal separation (well described to induce an alteration of the intestinal barrier and intestinal disorders) and secondly, in the rat model of intestinal inflammation induced by indomethacin. 2 - To determine whether the peptide remains active when administered in a complex environment like a fermented milk (prospect of developing a functional food). 3 - To determine the shortest active form in the peptide sequence. This phase will allow the development of stable analogues and complete the pattern of action of the peptide. If effects of beta-CN(94-123) are confirmed in these models of intestinal barrier dysfunction, the proposed valorisation strategy will be to proceed to a partnership (food industry or pharmaceutical industry) to conduct studies in humans and to examine the matrix effect if necessary (functional food).

In the French West Indies, chlordecone was used on bananas till the beginning of the ‘90s. This resulted in a highly persistent contamination of soils, water and living organisms. In freshwater environments, crustaceans present high concentrations of chlordecone in their organs. Therefore, more severe controls have been made on farms that produce the giant river prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii). As the result, the analysis showed that, in several aquaculture farms of Guadeloupe and Martinique, chlordecone levels in the shrimps was over the maximal limit of residues established at 20 µg/kg. Up to now, the studies designed to tackle this problem only addressed the level of contamination of freshwaters and crustaceans, and empirically observed changes in populations of aquatic animals (crustaceans and fish) in contaminated rivers. Many questions remained unsolved regarding the route of entry of chlordecone in the shrimps, on the bioavailability of the compound in freshwater ecosystems, and the capabilities of the shrimps to biotransform and eliminate residues. In addition, intoxication mechanisms which could results in chlordecone-induced alterations of the nervous and endocrine systems remain poorly understood in these invertebrates, so that specific biomarkers of exposure and toxic effects are not available yet. In the MACHLOMA project, which will benefit of interactions with aquaculture farms in Guadeloupe, we propose to use Macrobrachium rosenbergii as a model species to increase the knowledge on (i) the mechanisms of bioconcentration/bioaccumulation of chlordecone, by comparison with the concentrations measured in environmental matrices (water, sediments, particulate materials), (ii) the enzymatic mechanisms of detoxication and depuration of chlordecone, and (iii) the mechanisms of neurotoxicity and endocrine disruption, which are known to occur in mammals. Experiments will be performed (i) in control and contaminated ponds used for shrimp production in local aquaculture farms and (ii) in the laboratory, in order to build concentration-response relations based on environmental realistic exposure concentrations (which can reach 0.5 to 10 µg/L in some locations). Integration of the information acquired on these mechanisms will be facilitate by the use of the same individuals for both residue measurements, detoxication/depuration studies, and effects analysis. Acquisition of a sound knowledge on the fate and effects of chlordecone in M. rosenbergii will be of primary importance (i) to contribute to solve the problem the aquaculture is currently facing in the French West Indies and to propose solutions to maintain this activity which is important in the local economy, and (ii) to identify relevant biomarkers that could be transferred to species naturally present in rivers (e.g., Macrobrachium faustinum) and used for risk assessment and remediation in natural freshwater ecosystems.