The "SOil Functional biodiversity as an Indicator of Agroecosystems management" (SOFIA) project aims at shading more light on environmental issues related to cropped agroecosystems management, climate change and biodiversity conservation. It specifically addresses the impact of agricultural practices on the taxonomic and functional diversity of living communities in the soil, and the effects of those practices on some of the functions the soil sustains: regulation (greenhouse gases emissions, carbon storage), supply (availability of nutrients for crop production) and maintenance of biodiversity (soil fauna and flora). This project brings together eight academic (universities, INRA) and one private (Agrotransfert) partners. It builds a part of its experimental design on the Estrées-Mons site (22 ha, Somme, north of France) managed by INRA and setup in 2010. This site is dedicated to the study of long-term anthropogenic disturbance on biogeochemical cycles and biodiversity (ORE –ACBB) and focuses especially on disturbances brought by cropping. The site is characterized by a series of experimental treatments comprising varying levels of crop rotation (eg. annual, perennial and energy-based crop rotations), mineral inputs (nitrogen) and tillage practices. Hence, these treatments significantly modulate the amount, chemical nature and location of food resources for soil organisms but also their physical habitat. All along the project, the partners will monitor the induced-differentiation of the agroecosystems setup 2010 in terms of agronomic variables (plant biomass production) and soil physical and chemical variables. Concomitantly and by taking into account the significance of ecosystem services supported soil organisms, the project will characterize earthworms, macro-invertebrates, microfauna, bacterial and fungal communities taxonomic and functional diversity as well as its dynamic. Finally, some of the soil functions that are known to be greatly affected by these communities will be quantified: carbon and nitrogen mineralization, decomposition of plant residues, N2O emissions for instance. Laboratory experiments will also be performed and, both field and laboratory, results shall be used to test and improve biotic and abiotic indicators of soil functioning. In the end, the SOFIA project aims at the proposal of indicators that could better guide farmers choice, especially during transitions phases created by the evolution of cropping practices (introduction of energy crops, abandonment of tillage, reduced inputs, etc..). This project will also contribute to the improvement of indicators assessing the environmental impact of farming practices.

In recent years, use of new technologies has attracted attention from the food industry due to the increase in consumer demand for minimally processed food products (mild pasteurization) by preserving their nutritional and sensorial properties. The objective of the project is the control of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms in food products by a rational use of the oxydoreduction potential (Eh). Eh modification will be used to allow the sanitary and quality in different types of food products. It has been already proved that Eh modification (mainly reducing) has a positive impact on the aromatic, rheological and textural properties of food. Access for food operators to a new controlled factor, Eh, will permit in interactions with environmental parameters like pH, aw, temperature, acids to optimize the shelf life of products. The project will also be in the context of food systems with low environmental impact. Food-redox can impact at a better control of energetic consumption in thermal treatment used to stabilize foods and at less withdraw of products from economics actors (operators, distributors) by allowing optimized formulations of foodstuff. Food-Redox might increase the shelf-life by a better control of microbiological safety and the quality of the production, and consequently might reduce the logistic costs. Taking into consideration this context, this project offers several opportunities: to reinforce the competitiveness of the food companies, to reinforce the safety of food and to develop of sustainable methods of production, preservation and handling of agri-food products. The goal of the Food-Redox project is to provide an overview of the microbial cellular response of foodborne and spoilage bacteria to stress (pH, acid, or thermal) under conditions of redox controlled in view of better control these micro-organisms in food. A more comprehensive study on the impact of Eh on the physiology of micro-organisms contaminating food has never been made so far. The work plan integrate research and modelling phase of the effect of Eh on the re-growth of Lactococcus lactis, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus after acid or thermal stresses and a validation phase conducted on a selection of foods (cheese, dairy desserts, meat products, sauces, salads) based on bacterial species targeted and stress studied. This program combines 6 academic research laboratories, 4 Agro-industrial Institutes, one company leader in industrial gases, one French dairy council and 2 SME companies, closely involved in the development of processes to control Eh. The Agro-industrial institutes will implement testing at a pilot scale. A scientific based analysis on the possibility to use Eh in new strategies for the control of the microbial contaminations in food products will be available for industry. Scientific communication and technical valorisation of project will be structured by the general committee, the French dairy council and in interaction with the joint national technological network "Expertise on determination of food products microbial shelf life", qualified by the French Ministry of Agriculture in August 2007.