Bioprocessing Technology in Food and Health ― Potential Applications and Emerging Scope

The functional foods market represents one of the fastest growing and most fascinating areas of investigation and innovation in the food sector. This new volume, Bioprocess Technology in Food and Health: Potential Applications and Emerging Scope, focuses on recent findings, new research trends, and emerging technologies in bioprocessing, making use of microorganisms in the production of food with health and nutritional benefits.

The volume is divided into three main parts. Part I discusses functional food production and human health, looking at some newly emerged bioprocessing technological advances in the functional foods (chocolates, whey beverages) in conjunction their prospective health benefits. Part 2, on emerging applications of microorganism in safe food production, covers recent breakthroughs in food safety in microbial bioprocessing. Chapters discuss spoilage issues, harmful/pathogenic microorganisms, genetically modified microorganisms, stability and functionality, and potential of food-grade microbes for biodegradation of toxic compounds, such mycotoxins, pesticides, and polycyclic hydrocarbons. Chapters in Part III, on emerging scope and potential application in the dairy and food industry, explore and investigate the current shortcomings and challenges of the microbially mediated processes at the industrial level.

The editors have brought together a group of outstanding international contributors at the forefront of bioprocessing technology to produce a valuable resource for researchers; faculty; students; food, nutrition, and health practitioners; and all those working in the dairy, food, and nutraceutical industries, especially in the development of functional foods.

Deepak Kumar Verma is an agricultural science professional and is currently a PhD Research Scholar in the specialization of food processing engineering in the Agricultural and Food Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (WB), India. In 2012, he received a DST-INSPIRE Fellowship for PhD study by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. Mr. Verma is currently working on the research project "Isolation and Characterization of Aroma Volatile and Flavoring Compounds from Aromatic and Non-Aromatic Rice Cultivars of India." His previous research work included "Physico-Chemical and Cooking Characteristics of Azad Basmati (CSAR 839-3): A Newly Evolved Variety of Basmati Rice (Oryza sativa L.)". He earned his BSc degree in agricultural science from the Faculty of Agriculture at Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, and his MSc (Agriculture) in Agricultural Biochemistry in 2011. He also received an award from the Department of Agricultural Biochemistry, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agricultural and Technology, Kanpur, India. Apart from his area of specialization in plant biochemistry, he has also built a sound background in plant physiology, microbiology, plant pathology, genetics and plant breeding, plant biotechnology and genetic engineering, seed science and technology, food science and technology etc. In addition, he is member of different professional bodies, and his activities and accomplishments include conferences, seminar, workshop, training, and also the publication of research articles, books, and book chapters.

Ami R. Patel, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Dairy and Food Microbiology, Mansinhbhai Institute of Dairy & Food Technology-MIDFT, Dudhsagar Dairy Campus, Gujarat, India. Professor Patel has expertise in specialized areas involve isolation, screening, and characterization of exopolysaccharides from potential probiotic cultures and employing them for food and health applications. In addition, she is engaged with teaching undergraduate, postgraduate, and research students in food microbiology, microbial biotechnology, food biotechnology, food science and technology, clinical microbiology and immunology, etc. She has authored a number of peer-reviewed papers and technical articles in international and national journals as well as book chapters, books, proceedings, and technical bulletins. She has received a number of awards and honors, including the receiving the Vice Chancellor Gold Medal for her PhD work, being selected as a BiovisinNxt11 fellow to attend an international conference at Lyon, France, and receiving a Erasmus Mundus scholarship from the European Union for three years to visit Lund University, Sweden, as a guest researcher. She is also serving as an expert reviewer for several scientific journals. She is a member of several academic and professional organizations, including the Indian Dairy Association (IDA) and the Swedish South Asian Network for Fermented Foods (SASNET).

She earned her BSc (Microbiology) and her MSc (Microbiology) degree from Sardar Patel University, Gujarat, and received her doctorate degree in Dairy Microbiology from the Dairy Department of SMC College of Dairy Science, Anand Agricultural University, Gujarat, India.

Prem Prakash Srivastav, PhD, is Associate Professor of Food Science and Technology in the Agricultural and Food Engineering Department at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (WB), India, where he teaches various undergraduate-, postgraduate-, and PhD-level courses and guides research projects. His research interests include the development of specially designed convenience, functional, and therapeutic foods; the extraction of nutraceuticals; and the development of various low-cost food processing machineries. He has organized many sponsored short-term courses and completed sponsored research projects and consultancies. He has published various research papers in peer-reviewed international and national journals and proceedings and many technical bulletins and monographs as well. Other publications include books and book chapters along with many patents. He has attended, chaired, and presented various papers at international and national conferences and delivered many invited lectures at various summer/winter schools. Dr. Srivastav has received several best poster paper awards for his presentations. He is a member of various professional bodies, including the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), the Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (India), the Indian Dairy Association (IDA), the Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI), and the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, and the Institute of Food Technologists (USA).