FROMIC: An Educational Self-Training Tool for the Cheese Sector

Challenges and Origins

The quality of terroir cheeses depends on the precise management of microbial ecosystems, which are essential to the development of their distinct flavors and identities. The rise of high-throughput analytical tools has paved the way for omics methodologies (such as metagenomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, etc.), opening up new possibilities for exploring and optimizing these microbial dynamics. However, the adoption of these approaches remains a challenge for the sector.

To address this, the ADAMOS (CASDAR 2019-2023) project, led by the RMT Filières Fromagères Valorisant leur Terroir and supported by The Conseil National des Appellations d’Origine Laitières (CNAOL), or National Council for Dairy Designations of Origin, aims to make these methods more accessible and facilitate their integration into professional practices.

In this context, our platform, particularly our molecular biology specialist Christine Achilleos, contributed to developing the educational content for FROMIC, applying its expertise to simplify these complex approaches and make them accessible to a wide range of stakeholders within the sector.

FROMIC: A Digital Tool for the Cheese Sectors

FROMIC is designed as an interactive and educational tool that raises awareness among stakeholders in the cheese sectors about the importance of microbial ecosystems and makes omics methods more accessible. It encourages self-training for professionals, advisors, and students.

With its flexible structure, FROMIC offers various levels of content to address diverse needs:

• Discover the fundamentals of omics methods,
• Learn how to implement practical experiments,
• Analyze and interpret the results.

Available for free on the RMT website, FROMIC aims to democratize the use of omics methods and promote the optimized management of microbial ecosystems, ultimately enhancing the quality of terroir cheeses.

By remaining accessible to all, FROMIC positions itself as a key resource for sectors that focus on preserving and promoting their terroirs

Perspectives

With FROMIC, the cheese sectors now have an innovative tool to tackle the complex challenges of microbiology and emerging analytical technologies. This initiative represents a pivotal step toward gaining a deeper understanding and better control of microbial ecosystems, paving the way for optimized practices and products that more closely align with consumer expectations.

The ADAMOS project received financial support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forestry (CASDAR) as well as from the departmental councils of Savoie and Haute-Savoie as part of the Raw Milk Sector Plan.