Avviso

Proposta di Internship a Montpellier (Francia)

CIRAD in association with INRA (France) proposes the following internship: Environmental impacts of the preservation of fresh fruits using a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach

Please see file attached for full details

As part of a project on more sustainable preservation systems for fresh fruits, CIRAD, a research institute on agriculture and agro-industry based in Montpellier (France), proposes a 6 month internship for a MSc-level student to carry out a life cycle inventory (LCI) of one or two fruits (strawberry and/or mango) and to calculate by life cycle assessment (LCA) the environmental impacts of selected preservation systems for fresh fruits. The preservation systems are based on modified atmosphere packaging coupled with cold storage.

The internship includes the following tasks:

1. Literature review on cultivation, harvest, post-harvest preservation (fresh fruits) and distribution of strawberry, using online resources and documents available at CIRAD (scientific library, Agri-Balyse database, etc.).

2. Select four or five scenarios of strawberry preservation, including a conventional preservation system and systems developed by UMR IATE based on modified atmosphere packaging coupled with refrigeration.

3. For each scenario: Collect life cycle inventory data (LCI), based on the literature review (task 1) and on experimental data on preservation of fresh strawberries available at UMR IATE research unit. The data will include in particular information on how combining active packaging with refrigeration influences the shelf-life and losses of strawberries after harvest and during distribution. The LCI data will be collected under Excel.

4. Model the preservation of fresh strawberries using LCA software (Simapro) for each of the LCI datasets collected at task 3. Either the full life cycle (production, harvest, preservation, distribution) or partial life cycle may be modeled, depending on the completeness of data available.

5. Characterize the environmental impacts of each of the scenarios defined (Simapro and ReCiPe method).

6. Depending on data available, the same approach may then be applied to assess the environmental impacts of fresh mango preservation.

Qualifications:

- Applications are open to MSc-students with a background in environmental engineering and/or food science & technology.

- Knowledge of the methodological framework of life cycle assessment (LCA).

- Previous experience of a LCA project and of using Simapro is a plus.

- Good command of the English language.

Compensation and practical information:

Compensation: 550 Euros/month (net)

Starting date: Early September 2016 (alternatively early July 2016 is also possible).

Duration: 6 months

Location: Montpellier (UMR IATE research unit).

Language of the internship: English

Supervisors: Thierry Tran (UMR Qualisud research unit) and Valérie Guillard (UMR IATE research unit).