Food Science and Technology
Food Science and Technology has been identified as one of the thrust areas of IIT Tirupati due to its geographical location. Research in this area involves application of chemical engineering principles to food science which deal with the thermal processing of food, microwave heating, kinetics of reactions of food materials, biochemical aspects of food materials, storage, sterilization of food, application of nanomaterials for increasing shelf life etc. Only a small range of processing parameters are possible in food processing due to the complex nature of food; the presence of various nutrients and biomolecules with different physico-chemical (porosity, texture etc.) and thermal properties contribute to this complexity. It is difficult to apply the existing mathematical models and theory for the prior prediction of process performance in food technology. The research interests of the department in this thrust area are given below.
Current Expertise:
Future Focus:
Research Group:
Current Expertise:
- Bioprocessing technology
- Food processing
- Colloid and interface science
- Catalysis and reaction engineering
- Development of advanced separations
Future Focus:
- Equipment design for selected traditional Indian foods and bioreactors for difficult fermentations (especially scale-up)
- Process/product development for health and wellness foods
- Field assisted unit operations (drying, extraction etc.) for process intensification
Research Group: