Arilait Recherches, by abbrevation Arilait - was set up in 1984.

Arilait's objectives are to carry out collective research for the dairy sector on questions dealing with milk production and processing.

Its board is composed of the milk producers' and processors' federations and the CNIEL (Centre National Interprofessionnel de l'Economie Laitière).

Arilait has no laboratory of its own and so research programmes are subcontracted to the laboratories, either public or private, offering the best resources.

In addition to collective research, assignments from individual companies can also be carried out by Arilait Recherches.

Present research is grouped around four central themes :

Raw material

- Functional properties of proteins.

- Milk fat characterisation.

- Butter spreadability.

Food safety

- Guidebooks of hygienic practice.

- HACCP guidebooks.

- Detection and control of pathogenic microorganisms.

Biotechnology

- Lactic acid bacteria.

- Cheese ripening microflora.

Nutrition

- Proteins digestibility.

- Lipids metabolism.

- Minerals biodisponibility.