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Department of Food Safety & Quality Assurance

Food Safety & Quality Assurance is one of the core Department at the College of Food Processing Technology and Bioenergy established in the year 2009 provides an outstanding research environment complemented by excellence in teaching. The department is actively involved in teaching and research at B. Tech., M. Tech. and Ph. D. (Food Technology) Programs. The department is aimed to address issues related to food safety & quality aspects as well as the validation of tools and techniques involved in the food analysis. Research is focused on the development of quality and nutrient-rich foods; extraction of various bioactive compounds having potential health prospects and their fortifications in the foods; enhancement of the shelf life of foods, etc. The department is engaged in imparting skills and knowledge to generate ready to employ manpower to cater food industry and academia in the field of food safety & quality.

Goal

To excel in teaching, research, and extension activities in the field of food safety & quality assurance.

Mission

  1. To acquire and disseminate knowledge in the area of food safety & quality assurance.
  2. To strengthen the Undergraduate and Postgraduate programs of the college.  
  3. To conduct need-based research in the area of food safety & quality assurance.
  4. To provide assistance and guidance in the area of food safety & quality assurance to the research projects of other departments.
  5. To disseminate knowledge by organizing training programs, seminars, workshops on the various topics of safety & quality assurance.
  6. To explore possibilities of inter-institutional collaboration in education and research.
  7. To participate in krushi melas, krushi mahotsavs, science exhibitions, and other programs organized by the university and other agencies.

Departmental Facilities:

Five dedicated laboratories for the UG and PG practicals and research work:

  1. Food Chemistry Laboratory
  2. Food Microbiology Laboratory
  3. Food Biotechnology Laboratory
  4. Food Analytics Laboratory
  5. Food Quality Testing Laboratory

Departmental major activities:

The Department is engaged in the teaching of UG and PG students

  • B. Tech. Food Technology
  • M. Tech. - Food Technology (Food Safety and Quality)
  • M. Tech. - Food Technology (Food Processing Technology)
  • M. Tech. - Food Technology (Food Process Engineering)
  • Ph. D. - Food Safety and Quality
  • Ph. D. - Food Processing Technology
  • Ph. D. - Food Process Engineering
  • Training / Dissertation work to external PG students

Under Graduate Departmental Courses:

Courses offered in B. Tech. (Food Technology) program

Sr. No.

Course No

Subjects

Credits

1

FQA 111

General Microbiology 

3(2+1)

2

FQA 112

General Chemistry of Macronutrients

3(2+1)

3

FQA 121

Food Microbiology

3(2+1)

4

FQA 122

Food Chemistry of Micronutrients

3(2+1)

5

FQA 231

Food Biochemistry & Nutrition

3(2+1)

6

FQA 232

Industrial Microbiology

3(2+1)

7

FQA 241

Food Biotechnology

3 (2+1)

8

FQA 242

Food Plant Sanitation

2(1+1)

9

FQA 351

Instrumental Techniques in Food Analysis

3 (1+2)

10

FQA 361

Food Additives and Preservatives

2(1+1)

11

FQA 362

Food Quality, Safety Standards and Certification

2 (2+0)

Post Graduate Departmental Courses:
Courses offered in in M. Tech. /Ph.D. program

Subjects offered in M. Tech. Food Technology (Food Safety & Quality)

Sr. No.

Course No

Subjects

Credit

1

FSQ 501

Techniques in Food Quality Analysis*

4(2+2)

2

FSQ 502

Microbiology of Food Spoilage and Pathogens*

3(2+1)

3

FSQ 503

Advanced Food Chemistry

3(2+1)

4

FSQ 504

Global Food Laws and Regulations

2(2+0)

5

FSQ 505

Food Safety Management Systems and Certification

2(2+0)

6

FSQ 506

Process and Products Monitoring for Quality Assurance

2(2+0)

7

FSQ 507

Quality Concepts and Chain Traceability*

2(2+0)

8

FSQ 508

Management of Food By-products and Waste

3(2+1)

9

FSQ 509

Special Problem / Summer Internship

2(0+2)

10

FSQ 510

Toxicology of Food Ingredients and Products

3(2+1)

11

FSQ 511

Food Plant Utilities and Sanitation

2(2+0)

12

FSQ 512

Advances in Food Biotechnology

4(2+2)

13

FSQ 513

Fundamentals of Microbial Controls in Foods

4(2+2)

Subjects offered in Ph. D. in Food Safety & Quality

Sr. No.

Course No

Subjects

Credit

1

FSQ 601

Food Quality and Safety Assessment

3(1+2)

2

FSQ 602

Food Toxicology and Risk Assessment

3(3+0)

3

FSQ 603

Quality Assurance in Food Supply Chain

3(3+0)

4

FSQ 604

FSQ 604

Formulation of standards of Food Products, Packaging and Labeling

2(2+0)

2(2+0)

5

FSQ 605

Food and Nutraceutical Chemistry

 

3(3+0)

6

FSQ 606

Food Microbiology and Safety

3(3+0)

7

FSQ 607

Sensory Evaluation of Foods

2(1+1)

8

FSQ 608

Special problem

2(0+2)

Research Work:

The present thrust area of research is the development of functional foods, exploration of promising microorganisms for functional food formulations, the survey of pathogen prevalence, the survey of adulterations of food products, assessment of non-thermal decontamination tools and techniques (cold plasma/electrolyzed water/ozonated water, etc.) for food applications, standardizing protocols for chemical and microbial analysis of food products, etc.,

Process Technologies / Methodologies Developed/ Standardized

  • Supercritical fluid extraction of volatile oil from basil leaves, ginger, and turmeric.
  • Supercritical fluid extraction of paprika oleoresins from red chilli.
  • Protein fortification of mixed fruit bar using Whey Powder.
  • Development of High Protein Pumpkin Bar.
  • Effect of different antioxidants on the keeping quality of fried products.
  • Production of Kajukatli with artificial sweeteners.
  • Optimization of incorporation of selected starter cultures for the production of superior quality Idli.
  • Screening of novel thermo-tolerant yeast with improved process economics for bioethanol production.
  • Technology for the extension of shelf life of sapota using edible coating.
  • Technology for the extension of shelf life of sapota using low dose irradiation.
  • Technology for the extension of shelf life of sapota by combination of edible coating and irradiation.
  • Development of mushroom enriched synbiotic nutri-bar.
  • Decontamination of pesticide in green vegetable using gamma radiation.
  • Decontamination of pesticide in green chili using ozonation.
  • Supercritical fluid extraction of volatile oil from cinnamon.
  • Supercritical fluid extraction of volatile oil from fennel.
  • Supercritical fluid extraction of volatile oil from dil seed.
  • Supercritical fluid extraction of volatile oil from coriander.

Extension Activities:

  • The department is actively helping the food industries as well as other departments of the university in carrying out need-based specialized work related to maintaining and achieving quality assurance.
  • Organized “National seminar on emerging trends in food quality and safety” on the occasion of World Food Day.
  • Departmental staff acted as resource person in several seminars and training programs organized by various state government organizations.
  • Departmental staff also participates in various seminars, symposiums, and conferences organized by different institutes in India.

Achievements:

Laboratory Development

  • The department has established Food Quality Testing Laboratory from the financial assistance received from the Ministry of Food Processing Industry (MoFPI) and other Govt. agencies.

Sophisticated instruments available in Food Quality Testing Laboratory

Sr. No.

Name of Instrument

Applications
1

Liquid chromatography Mass-Spectrophotometer

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of antibiotics, veterinary drugs, pesticides, toxins etc.
2

GC MS System

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of pesticides, toxin, flavouring compound etc.
3

Gas Chromatograph  

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of fatty acid and volatile compound etc.
4

HPTLC System

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of toxins, food colours, macromolecular compounds etc.
5

Ion Chromatography

Determination of anion and cationic in organic compound
6

Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer

To determine and quantities the presence of a metals in a sample
7

UV visible spectrophotometer

For qualitative &quantitative determination of substances
8

F.T.I.R Spectrophotometer

To identify the functional groups in a compound and to determine the adulteration in pure compound
9

NIR seed analyser

Proximate analysis
10

CHNOS Analyzer

To estimate total Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Sulphur and Oxygen
11

Differential Scanning Calorimeter

To evaluate thermal properties of the compound
12

RT PCR System

Rapid identification and quantification of microbes
13

Lovibond Colour Measuring Set

To measure the color index
14

Food tritino

To evaluate acid value, peroxide value, saponification value, Iodine value and trace amount of moisture
15

Rancimat

To evaluate shelf life of oil and oil containing products
16

Bomb Calorimeter

To evaluate calorific value
17

ATAGO Refractometer

To estimate TSS and refractive index
18

Socs Plus

To determine Fat  % of food sample
19

Fibra plus

To determine Fiber  % of food sample
20

Kel plus

To determine Fiber  % of food sample
21

Brookfield Viscometer

Determination of Viscosity of liquid
22

Water activity meter

To study the water activity
23

Infrared Moisture balance

To determine moisture

Research Projects:

  • ICAR Extramural Project: Development of Non-Thermal Decontamination Technology for Fruits and Vegetables.
  • GoG Plan Scheme I: Development of food decontamination technology for safety and quality of fresh and minimally processed fruits and vegetables (B. H. 12993-21).
  • GoG Plan Scheme II: Establishment of Department of food safety and testing (B. H. 12987-11).

 No.

Departmental Publications and Student Guided

Numbers

I

Publications

1

Books/Chapters

17

2

Review Articles

9

3

Research Papers

54

4

Posters / Abstracts

53

5

Technical Articles

49

II

P.G. Student Guided

32

1

Ph. D. FPT

5

2

M. Tech. FT (FSQA)

5

3

M. Tech. FT (FPT)

4

4

M Tech. FPT

16

5

P G External

4

III

  Research Recommendations

33

IV

  Awards

1

Departmental Staff:

Sr.

No.

Name

Designation

Qualification
 

Dr. Bhavesh H. Joshi

bhavesh@aau.in

Associate Professor & Head

Ph. D. (Microbiology)
  1.  

Dr. H. G. Bhatt

hgbhatt@aau.in

Associate Professor

Ph. D. (Material Science)
  1.  

Dr. Devesh H. Patel

deveshhpatel@aau.in

Assistant Professor

Ph. D. (Dairy Chemistry)
  1.  

Mr. Kedar Damle

kedar.damle@aau.in

Assistant Professor

M. Sc.(Organic Chemistry)
  1.  

Dr. Jafarali K. Momin

jkmomin@aau.in

Assistant Professor

Ph. D. (Dairy Microbiology)
  1.  

Mr. Rashmin Dhingani

rashmin17@aau.in

Assistant Professor

M. Sc. (Biotechnology)
  1.  

Dr. Akashamrut M. Patel

amp@aau.in

Assistant Professor

M. Tech.(Dairy Chemistry)
  1.  

Mrs. Nimita P. Runajkar

Laboratory Technician

B. Sc. (Microbiology)
  1.  

Ms. Nimisha Jariwala

Laboratory Technician

B. Sc. (Microbiology)
Professional Affiliations:

The faculty of FSQA is professionally affiliated to:

  • Indian Society for Technical Education (ISTE), New Delhi
  • Association of Food Scientists and Technologists India (AFSTI), Mysore, India
  • Swedish South Asian Network on Fermented Foods, Anand, Gujarat
  • Association of Microbiologists of India, New Delhi.
  • Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), Calcutta
  • The Gujarat Association for Agricultural Sciences: GAAS, Ahmedabad.
  • Post Graduate Chemistry Student’s Association, V. V. Nagar, Gujarat, India
  • Alumni Association, Dept. of Mater. Sc., SPU, V. V. Nagar, Gujarat, India
  • Life member of Materials Research Society of India
  • Alumni Association, College of FPTBE, AAU, Anand, Gujarat, India

 

For details contact:

Dr. B. H. Joshi

Associate Professor & Head,

Department of Food Safety & Quality Assurance,

College of Food Processing Technology and Bioenergy,

Anand Agricultural University, Anand - 388110, Gujarat, INDIA

Ph. +91 2692 261302(O) Ext. No: 111 and 101

Fax: +91 2692 261302

Email: bhavesh@aau.in, fqa@aau.in

 

 

 

 

 
 
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