FIPDes

Ghana

Isabelle Laissy — 2026-11-05T09:15:48Z

Check KNUST website:
KNUST

At KNUST, International students may find information from the International Programmes Office. International and national students have developed a friendly union over the years and co-exist as a family.

Outside the classroom there are a number of activities students can engage in. Students' social life on the campus is organized by the Junior Common Room Committees, which also act as liaison between the student body and the Hall authorities in their Halls. The Students' Representative Council (SRC), whose executive is appointed from campus-wide elections, is responsible for the co-ordination of the activities of the various Junior Common Room Committees. There are Faculty societies, which provide extra curricula activities for junior members of the particular Faculty.

Packaging Expo 2026 in Lund

Isabelle Laissy — 2026-10-27T10:26:01Z

On October 20, students from the Food Packaging Design and Logistics specialization track participated in the Packaging Expo 2026, held at IKDC in the Faculty of Engineering (LTH) at Lund University. The expo meant the culmination of eight weeks of work in the Packaging Technology and Development course.

Throughout the course, students worked in interdisciplinary and multicultural teams, each partnering with a company. Over these eight weeks, the projects gave students the opportunity to understand and evaluate a packaging system based on user needs, product requirements, and sustainability.

This year's industry partners included FrontPac, Micvac, Alfa Laval, Orkla, Verisure, Bel Nordic, Oatly and Saveggy.

The event was open to the public, and attended by professors from the Division of Packaging Logistics, industry partners and other visitors, who toured the stands to learn about each project and see their posters and prototypes. Guests also enjoyed snacks and drinks contributed by the participating companies.

FIPDes students worked on projects with Bel Nordic and Saveggy:

Ximena Cobos and her team collaborated with Bel Nordic, where their challenge was to go beyond packaging design: rethinking how Babybel To Go could stand out in a retail environment, attract consumer attention, and fit seamlessly into retailers' everyday operations.
Their solution is a versatile, modular secondary display designed around three key principles:
• Visibility: The display creates a distinctive point of attraction in the store, helping Babybel To Go stand out and encouraging consumers to discover this new snacking occasion.
• Flexibility: They designed the display to adapt to different retail environments. It can stand on the shop floor with a dedicated base, be separated into smaller components and hung inside refrigerated cabinets or use individual plastic basket units placed directly on existing shelves. One concept, multiple ways to display the product.
• Sustainability: By making the display modular and separable, its different components can be handled and sorted by material at the end of their useful life, supporting more efficient recycling. Its adaptable design also offers retailers different ways to use the same solution across store layouts.
Their goal was simple: to make Babybel To Go more visible to consumers, more practical for retailers, and more adaptable throughout its lifecycle. As they reflect, changing consumer behaviour doesn't start with changing the product. It starts with changing how people discover it.

Zack Wu and his team also worked on a separate project with Bel Nordic, where their challenge was to reduce the complexity of Babybel's pallet display logistics across Nordic markets by developing a flexible solution that accommodates different pallet configurations while maintaining transport stability, space efficiency, and compatibility with existing logistics operations.
For their solution, they developed an interlocking modular pallet system made from wood–polymer composite (WPC) incorporating recovered wood and plastic waste. The modules can be connected to create different pallet configurations, with two ¼-pallet modules forming a ½-pallet configuration and a dedicated configuration proposed for Norway. Compared with wooden pallets, WPC offers potential advantages in service life and transport fuel consumption. Compared with conventional plastic pallets, WPC incorporates recovered wood alongside plastic and offers potential for closed-loop recycling. The modules can connect to form different pallet configurations, reducing the need to manage multiple dedicated pallet designs.

Andrea de la Cruz and her team partnered with Saveggy, a Swedish company that sells a two-ingredient coating, made from rapeseed oil and gluten-free oat oil, that replaces plastic film and keeps it fresh. However, without the plastic, the cucumber loses the space to communicate the brand, its origin and information about the coating. Today this is done with a small sticky label that is not compostable and will not comply with the PPWR from 2028.
The challenge was to explore a new communication system for cucumbers that combines physical, in-store and digital communication: communicating that information with minimal material, reinforcing Saveggy as a stamp of quality, and complying with the PPWR. In addition, customers (packhouses, retailers and consumers) want transparency without paying more or making extra effort.
Their solution was a corn leaf, sourced in Sweden, wrapped around the cucumber. The leaf is treated through washing, steaming and drying, and then laser marked. This way, it can carry the same information required: the brand, the producer, the ingredients and a QR code. The solution is aligned with Saveggy's branding, where everything is natural, and it is fully compostable, so everything goes into a single waste bin.

The expo closes one of the first two courses in Lund. Next, students move on to Packaging Material Science and Packaging Logistics.

In the photo below is also Lars, who was an excellent host for the event and accompanied us throughout this process. Without him, this would not have been the same.

Student testimonials

Isabelle Laissy — 2026-10-15T09:57:50Z

FIPDes Students share their experience and impressions:

Emily Legault & Busra Okcu (FIPDes 2024-2026) Alumni
Second year option: Food Packaging Design & Logistics, Lund University, Sweden

Renuka Kulkarni & Johan Quintero (FIPDes 2024-2026) Alumni
Second year option: Food Packaging Design & Logistics, Lund University, Sweden

Jeannette Castellanos (FIPDes 2024-2026) Alumni
Second year option: Food Design & Engineering, AgroParisTech, France

Nicolas Navarro (FIPDes 2024-2026) Alumni
Second year option: Food Design & Engineering, AgroParisTech, France

Mariana Moreno (FIPDes 2024-2026), Alumni
Second year option: Healthy Food Design, UNINA, Italy

Tho Nguyen (FIPDes 2024-2026), Alumni
Second year option: Healthy Food Design, UNINA, Italy

Bread, Pasta and Oranges: Exploring Food Innovation in Western France

Isabelle Laissy — 2026-10-12T10:20:26Z

As part of the Erasmus Mundus master's in Food Innovation and Product Design (FIPDes), our M2 cohort set off on a study trip across the west of France, where culinary tradition meets modern industry. Over three days, we explored large-scale pasta production, traditional baking and one of the world's most iconic liqueurs. Along the way, we shared plenty of good meals and came home with fresh ideas about the food sector and our own futures.

Day 1 - Arriving in Nantes: A Charming City

Our journey began in Nantes. After settling in, we headed out for a crêpe dinner together. You really can't go wrong with crêpes! We ended the evening with a walk through the city, discovering its charming streets and atmosphere.

Day 2 - Sodebo: Building Everything from Scratch

The second day began with a delicious breakfast at a local boulangerie. Fresh pastries in hand, we headed to Sodebo, one of France's best-known producers of ready-to-eat meals. The company runs dedicated plants for each of its product families, including pasta, pizza, sandwiches, and salads. The team guided us through their pasta production line, where we could follow each step of the process up close. What impressed us most was Sodebo's commitment to doing everything from scratch, down to producing their own packaging. It showed us how much control it gives them over the quality of their products.

Day 3 - From Bread to Oranges: Pasquier and Cointreau

Our third day began at Pasquier, a family company known for its baked goods. The team guided us through the process of making one of their crisp, toast-like breads. It was interesting to see how a traditional recipe can be produced on a large scale without losing its original taste and texture.

In the afternoon, we visited Cointreau, home of the unique orange liqueur. We were fascinated by how selective they are about the quality of its oranges, and by the careful control applied at every stage of the process to keep its signature flavour consistent. The visit ended with a tasting of the classic liqueur and a cocktail. We also got to try their newest creation, Cointreau Spicy, a chili-infused version developed for the Mexican market. It was a great example of how even a heritage brand keeps innovating.

Beyond the visits - Inspiration for the journey ahead

This trip gave us a close look at how food companies combine tradition, technology and innovation, connecting what we study in the FIPDes programme to real-world practice. It also came at the perfect moment, helping us think about our futures and the different paths we could take professionally. Sincere thanks to Lucile for organizing this study trip, and Marwen, Barbara, and Isabelle for joining us along the way. Their work made the experience insightful and memorable. We are also very grateful to Sodebo, Pasquier and Cointreau for welcoming us to their sites and generously sharing their time and expertise.

Veronica Arias, Costa Rica, Cohort 14

The trip was co-funded by the Graduate School "Biosphera". A big thank you to them!
This work was supported as part of the France 2030 programme "ANR-11-IDEX-0003" from the Graduate School "Biosphera" of the Université Paris-Saclay

Master Thesis

2026-10-06T13:53:00Z

All FIPDes students write their Master thesis in the fourth semester.

Fourth semester (M2): MSc. Thesis worldwide, according to third semester specialisation and local rules

The students dedicate their final semester to their MSc Thesis. According to the second year host institution, the MSc. Thesis might lead to an industrial or research-based placement in private or academic R&D laboratory in a partner's or associated member's institution. A list of all Master thesis completed since 2013 is available here.
The Master thesis are always linked to the second year specializations. Normally internships are included, but there are differences in each country, according to the local rules. According to the French law for example, internships in France which are longer than two months are paid a minimum salary (about 600€).

Here you can find a description about Master Thesis procedures and rules in:

General (common FIPDes rules):

FIPDes MSc. Thesis Descriptor

Synoptic Table of FIPDes Master Thesis

AgroParisTech:
UNINA:
Lund : Guidelines and Course Syllabus

Master Thesis Cohort 13

Isabelle Laissy — 2026-10-06T13:52:23Z

FIPDes students prepare their Master Thesis in three different universities:
– AgroParisTech/Université Paris-Saclay, France
– University of Naples (UNINA), Italy
– Lund University, Sweden

Here you can download the whole Book of executive summaries of all Master Theses:

Danone visit 2026

Isabelle Laissy — 2026-10-01T14:59:11Z

Introduction
An industrial visit to the Danone Global Research and Innovation Centre was arranged as a part of practical learning experience by the faculty at AgroParisTech. The visit was essential to help understand how a food company on a multinational level operates on a daily basis. Prior to the visit, the students had to undergo a digital security briefing which was followed by an in-depth questionnaire to explain the various rules and regulations of the research centre. The visit consisted of a short overview of the company's history, the day-to-day operations of the branch, and brief overview of the various research laboratories. A comprehensive explanation of the production process at the on-site pilot plant was also included. Moreover, during the visit, a hands-on product tasting and evaluation presentation was conducted to demonstrate how products are tested on a larger scale.

About Danone
Danone is a French multinational food-products corporation based in Paris. It was founded in 1919 in Barcelona, Spain, and is recognized as the 4th largest dairy processing company globally. Danone is mainly active in three business segments: fresh dairy and plant-based products, bottled water and specialised nutrition. In 2025, these segments recorded 48%, 18% and 34% of total sales respectively. The specific research centre that was visited was the Daniel Carasso International Research and Development Centre, which is located in Palaiseau. Danone describes the centre to be focusing on areas such as microbiology, gut physiology, nutrition and the development of dairy and other food products.

The Visit
Consumer Centric and Immersive Experience
The research centre is designed in a way which emphasises a consumer centric production. More specifically, it has a dedicated modular consumer space and simulation rooms to test hunger levels in order to get more accurate results from the tastings it hosts. One of the most significant parts of the visit was the sensory evaluation of three different Danone products. The presentation, headed by a Danone employee, aimed to let us, as the consumers, discover how Danone puts the consumer at the centre of the product. Mainly through innovation in order to meet their expectations and needs related to health benefits. The presentation consisted of a sensory evaluation of the new yogurts/yogurt beverage. It was mainly focused on describing the yogurt on the basis of its colour, acidity, taste and texture. The evaluation of these parameters included testing the product with specific guidelines as well. These practices help the researchers follow Danone's 11-step consumer benefit platform framework. The 11-step framework consists of the following: everyday nutrition and hydration, children's growth, immunity and allergy, gut health, energy and physical performance, mental well-being and brain health, recovery, great user experience, trust, access and value for all, and planet positive initiatives.

Life Sciences and Advanced Technology Laboratories
The research centre incorporates two laboratories focused on blending life sciences with advanced technology to carry out gut health, microbiology, fermentation and nutrition research. This research also extends towards patients and health related applications, indicating Danone's approach towards manufacturing products which are intended to support nutritional needs and health.
Pilot Plant and Product Manufacturing
This Danone facility also contains a medium sized pilot plant which aids in product and process development. The plant has a production capacity of 5000 Units of 125-gram containers, and is mainly used to manufacture products for various market tests conducted by Danone. The plant is a vital part of the centre because of its close proximity to the laboratories which helps the researchers to perfect the production process while developing the product. The production is automated but with a few essential manual aspects which provide flexibility when testing new formulations.
AI Integration
The visit also highlighted the growing use of Artificial Intelligence in the food industry. Danone specifically talked about the use of AI in predicting the structure of proteins, which has a potential in supporting researchers to develop functional foods faster.
Sustainability
Danone has been increasingly focusing on sustainability. Through its various initiatives, the company has tried to reduce its environmental impact. Specifically, recycling water to reduce overall water consumption and contribute to more sustainable production systems.

Conclusion
Overall, the visit offered an insightful view into the daily operations of a bigger company within the food industry. It was particularly exciting for the new cohort, who had the opportunity to see how Danone's different approaches to developing new products can streamline and simplify the overall product design and development process.

Jai Gaikwad, Cohort 15, India

FIPDes Week 2026

Isabelle Laissy — 2026-09-23T18:10:50Z

Marking the beginning of a two-year-long adventure, FIPDes Week 2026 served as the perfect starting point for the newest group of enthusiastic foodies: Cohort 15. Throughout a five-day introduction week, the newly arrived students were able to immerse themselves in everything the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Degree in Food Innovation and Product Design has to offer them. Each day, Cohort 15 got a taste of the exciting projects, ambitious challenges, multifaceted learning, and inspiring leadership that this intercultural programme entails.
A welcoming breakfast kicked off the week, as Cohort 15 finally got to meet in person. They conversed with students of Cohort 14, as well as greeted members of the FIPDes team from AgroParisTech, such as Barbara Rega and Lucile Deloince. This day was a warm and comfortable start for the group as they gathered for lunch, listened to Cohort 14's “FIPDes Survival Kit” as initiation, and attended their first interculturality workshop.

On Tuesday, personal introductions were in high demand, as Cohort 15 formally introduced themselves to their peers, their future colleagues, and the members of the FIPDes Consortium. Some notable members of the Consortium, which Cohort 15 continued to mingle with during the week, included Roisin Burke from TU Dublin and Lars Palm from Lund University. Though many names needed to be memorized this day, the second day of FIPDes Week was also one with various highlights. First, the students made a short but insightful site visit to the Danone Research & Innovation Centre located in the Palaiseau Plateau. This visit was quite eye-opening for Cohort 15, as they got to know a little more about Danone's objectives and their professional outlook. And to finish the evening on an even higher note, the group went on a Bateau-Mouche tour along the Seine River, officially embracing their new home for the next semester.

Day 3 of FIPDes Week filled Cohort 15 in on all the information regarding their options for their second-year specialization. Students got to listen to members of all the FIPDes universities that form part of this mobility programme. Between Lund University, University of Naples Federico II, and AgroParisTech, this group of students will soon follow in Cohort 14's footsteps, as they begin to make up their minds about phase two of their journey. The rest of the day was spent working on their initial team building and collaboration abilities through a fun afternoon with Cohort 14.

FIPDes Day marked the pinnacle of the week as alumni, students, professors, collaborators, and partners attended AgroParisTech's space with nothing to share but knowledge, curiosity and passion. Cohort 15 went through their day listening to real and personal testimonials from the FIPDA Steering Committee (FIPDes Alumni), getting a glimpse of the opportunities and direction FIPDes provides to its graduates. A week full of networking and anticipation was tied together by the exceptional conferences and notes from diverse guests; from functional ingredients to AI, Cohort 15 followed a series of interesting topics and applications that might later be their career paths. Not to mention, for the duration of the day, Cohort 13 presented rapidly their MSc. Theses, inviting everyone present to check out their final scientific posters. Once again, Cohort 15's experience was enriched by witnessing first-hand the endless possibilities and accomplishments that their future in FIPDes will bring, as it did for their peers.

Before the end of the week, Cohort 15 was there to see the Award Ceremony of the Molecular Gastronomy Note à Note International Competition. This properly introduced the new students to what their semester at TU Dublin might look like and how Molecular Gastronomy concepts can be applied.

Finally, the long-awaited moment arrived when Cohort 15 got to attend Cohort 13's Graduation. The beautiful ceremony took place at Cité Universitaire, as it traditionally does. Several graduates delivered their closing speeches, reminiscing of the last two years they had spent together. They shared their best moments and memories, the lessons learned, and their best advice to the next generation of FIPDes: Cohort 15.

It is evident that FIPDes is not only a place to learn about Food Innovation and Product Design, but a place where one finds a new family and learns more about themselves. Every bit of the week was a reflection of the commitment, humane vision, open-hearted goal, and inspiring path that FIPDes builds in each of its graduates. This year, 24 new students have started walking that path, ready to take on its challenges, and more than ready to eat the world.

Mónica SAGÁSTEGUI ROEL, Mexico, Cohort 15

Note by Note Cooking Contest 2026

Isabelle Laissy — 2026-09-22T16:29:15Z

More than 30 contestants from over 20 countries submitted recipes for the 14^th edition of the International Note-by-Note Cuisine Competition, organized by the INRAE-AgroParisTech International Centre for Molecular and Physical Gastronomy.

As a reminder, this new culinary style involves using "synthetic cooking" techniques, where the ingredients are specific food compounds rather than whole fruits, vegetables, meat, or fish.
Contestants were judged on taste quality and adherence to the theme: "Reduce the costs, reduce the calories… but mind the flavour."
Seven finalists were selected from the initial group of thirty (listed in alphabetical order):
Niamh Barry, Lucia Horstmann (FIPDes Student), Nerea Landa (FIPDes Student), Hannah Lorinc, Valentina Rodriguez (FIPDes Student), Sarah Stanley (FIPDes Student), JengJang Wu (FIPDes Student)
Each presented their recipe to a prestigious jury comprising:
Pasquale Altomonte, Chef, Kitchen Lab Food (competition partner), Switzerland
Roisin Burke, Professor at Technological University Dublin (organizer), Ireland
Dao Nguyen, Kitchen Lab International, Switzerland
Mike O'Connor, Head of Discipline, Culinary Studies, School of Culinary Arts & Food, Technological University Dublin (Ireland)
Yolanda Rigault, biochemist, organizer
Guillaume Siegler, Chef, Le Cordon Bleu Institute, France
Patrick Terrien, Chef, Académie Culinaire de France and International Club Toques Blanches, France

The jury selected the winners:
1^st prize: Niamh Barry
2^nd prize: Nerea Landa (FIPDes Student) for her dish "Seashells by the Sea Shore"

3^rd prize: Lucia Horstmann (FIPDes Student) for her dish "The Compound Game"

We warmly congratulate all the contestants!

Cohort 14 made it to Lund University

Isabelle Laissy — 2026-09-22T15:57:24Z

Or, as Lars (programme director of Food Packaging Design and Logistics track) would say: we didn't arrive at Lund University, we arrived at Lund universe. And honestly, it does feel exactly like that: a whole different world you learn to live in from scratch, something as immersive as getting to know and explore everything all over again.

It's been almost a month since Ximena, Zack and I (Andrea), arrived in Lund to start the second year of the master's, following the specialization in Food Packaging Design and Logistics. Some of us arrived earlier, some later, but the official "arrival date" was August 18th.
Coming to a new country, as FIPDes students we know what it implies: getting off a plane, learning again how to buy a train ticket, getting a SIM card, getting to your home for the next six months and, even though we've done this twice already, there's always some worry. Lund University makes it easier. On arrival date, after a long flight, you walk out of immigration and there's already someone waiting to guide you: where to go, where to pick up your housing keys, set up a SIM card and even organized shuttles that drive you to your accommodation if you're staying with LU Accommodation.
Familiar faces, new faces
Then, Orientation weeks started. We also finally got to meet the international master's coordinators in person, the people who had been emailing and supporting us remotely since before we even arrived, making sure our arrival went smoothly. It was nice to put a face to the person who'd been behind all of that.
Since the Cohort 13 students were still around Lund, they invited us to fika - a Swedish tradition - at Broder Jakobs, a very well-known spot for that here. They shared their experience and gave us tips on how to adjust, both academically and day to day. It feels there's real warmth in the support between cohorts in this programme.

We were officially introduced to the programme directors, Lars and Yulia. This time they showed us the Ingvar Kamprad Design Centrum (IKDC), where we'll be taking of some our classes, and they shared us a bit about the building's history. It's nice to see how the university, and the city in general, feel designed to include everyone - with universal design.

As part of Orientation Weeks, we went on a trip to Kullaberg, a beautiful spot for hiking with stunning ocean views. We did a short hike, about an hour long, but you can tell there are different routes to explore, worth going back for. It was also a great opportunity to learn more about the Skane region and meet other students from international programmes.

Scandi Candy visit
As part of the programme's tradition, we visited Scandi Candy, a gelatine free sweets manufacturer, where we saw the whole production process: from gummies to the classic Swedish liquorice, made in starch moulds. They told us the company's story - a success story of a business in expansion, and an inspiring one for anyone thinking about starting something of their own.

And then, classes started
Classes officially began on August 31st, and so far, it's been genuinely exciting: guest lectures from companies like Tetra Pak and Remondis, and experts on the subject, both from the university and from industry here in Lund and across Sweden. You can feel the university's commitment to sustainability, and it's worth being here. Excited to see the classes and the different projects across them.
As a new tradition, Lars and Yulia organized a multicultural welcome dinner to kick off the Packaging and Logistics specialization. We got together and shared dishes from our home countries, a great way to get to know each other a little better while celebrating a successful year ahead.

Andrea de la Cruz Cruz, Mexico, Cohort 14