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31stIndian Convention of Food Scientists & Technologists (ICFoST)

Innovation in Nutrition, Dietetics, Upcycling & Local foods on Gastronomic Engineering

‘INDULGE’

18th December to 20st December 2025

@ NIFTEM-Thanjavur

Program Schedule

DAY ONE - 18th December 2025

Time Event / Details Venue
08:00 am onwards REGISTRATION Entrance, Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Block
10:00 am – 01:30 pm PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS
  • PART A: Special Workshop: Career Prospects in Food Processing (45 min)
    (only for workshop registered participants)
  • Speaker: Dr. Pratima Khandelwal, Founder, FlyHigh
  • PART B: Technical Workshop
Venue Workshop Hall 1 (Room 102, Golden Jubilee Hall) Workshop Hall 2 (Room 104, Golden Jubilee Hall) Workshop Hall 3 (Room 101, Golden Jubilee Hall)
Themes Innovations in Plant-Based Smart Proteins Customizing Foods with 3D and 4D Printing AI and Data Analytics for Food Technologists
Offered by Good Food Institute, Mumbai NIFTEM-Thanjavur Indian Institute of Management, Tiruchirappalli
Golden Jubilee Hall-NIFTEM-T, Thanjavur
01:30 pm – 02:00 pm LUNCH(for pre-conference workshop attendees) Food Court
02:00 pm – 05:00 pm INAUGURAL Inaugural Hanger
05:00 pm – 05:30 pm HI-TEA Hi Tea Court
05:30 pm – 06:00 pm Dr. B. L. Amla Memorial Lecture
Dr. Giridhar Parvatam, Director, CSIR – CFTRI, Mysuru		 Golden Jubilee Hall
06:00 pm – 06:30 pm PLENARY TALK
Dr. N Bhaskar, Director, CSIR – IITR, Lucknow		 Golden Jubilee Hall
06:30 pm – 07:00 pm PLENARY TALK
Dr. Anandharamakrishnan, Director, CSIR-NIIST, Thiruvananthapur		 Golden Jubilee Hall
07:00 pm – 08:00 pm CULTURAL PROGRAMME - I Golden Jubilee Hall
08:00 pm – 09:00 pm DINNER Food Court

DAY TWO - 19th December 2025

Time Event Venue
07:30 am onwards REGISTRATION Entrance, Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Block, NIFTEM-Thanjavur
09:00 am – 10:00 am SPECIAL SESSION FOR ORAL PRESENTATIONS – I
(Advances in Food Science & Technology)
Session Chair: Dr. M C Varadaraj, Formerly CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru
Co-Chair / Rapporteur: Dr. D V Chidanand, NIFTEM-Thanjavur
Presentation (1) Artificial Neural Network Modelling for Enzyme and Microbial Inactivation during Continuous Ohmic Heating of Pineapple Juice
Dr. Amardeep Kumar, GITAM Uni., Bengaluru
Presentation (2) Transdermal Delivery of Green Tea Catechins Using Nanocoated Microneedle Array
Anu Bhushani, GITAM University, Bengaluru
Presentation (3) Fabrication and Micro Characterization of 3D-Printed Phyto-micro–Nutrients Dense Orodispersible Films for Personalized Sports Nutrition
Dr. Jadala Shankaraswamy, Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural Univ., Wanaparhty
Presentation (4) Improving Storage Stability of Minimally Processed Apples Using an Integrated Anti-Browning and Modified Atmosphere Strategy
Dr. Pushpendra Kumar, Central Agricultural University, Pasighat
Presentation (5) Squid Pen-Derived ?-Chitosan: Sustainable Extraction and RSM-Guided Optimization for Seafood Applications
Dr. Sarika K, ICAR – CIFT, Kochi
Presentation (6) Effective Valorization of Onion Solid Waste for Sustainable Food Packaging Applications
Dr. P. Thivya, NIT, Rourkela
Presentation (7) Bio-accessibility Evaluation of Raw, Roasted, and Popped Makhana (Euryale ferox Salisb.) for Designer Foods
Er. Rahul Kumar Rout, ICAR – NRC for Makhana, Darbhanga
Presentation (8) Modulating Taste and Texture: The Impact of Hydrocolloid Gums on Sour Leaf Juice During Freeze-Drying
Mrs. Adusumilli Somya, CSIR – CFTRI, Mysuru
1st Floor Conference Hall, Center of Excellence in Nonthermal Processing
09:00 am – 10:00 am STUDENT EVENTS 1st floor, MBA Block
10:00 am – 10:30 am Dr. HAB Parpia Memorial Lecture
Speaker: Prof. V. Palanimuthu, Director, NIFTEM-T, Thanjavur 		Golden Jubilee Hall, NIFTEM-Thanjavur
10:30 am – 11:00 am PLENARY TALK
Speaker: Dr. R Kumar, Centre-Head, DIBT-DRDO, Mysuru		 Golden Jubilee Hall, NIFTEM-Thanjavur
11:00 am – 12:30 pm PARALLEL TECHNICAL SESSIONS ONE
Venue Golden Jubilee Hall Rajarajan Hall, Dr. V. Subrahmanyan Bhawan MBA Block Rajendran Hall, Dr. V. Subrahmanyan Bhawan
Theme A - FSSAI Consultative Session Theme: B - Food Fortification Theme: C - Innovations in Food Science and Nutrition Theme: D - Emerging Trends in Food Processing Technologies
Chair Prof. J.K. Sahu, IIT Delhi Dr. Yogeshwar Shukla, Former CSIR-IITR, Lucknow Dr P.S. Rao, IIT, Kharagpur
Co-Chair/ Rapporteur Dr. Brijesh SrivastavaTezpur University, Tezpur Dr. Nandini P ShettyCSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru Dr. Suresh D SakhareCSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru
Speakers
  1. Dr. Gulfam Ahmed Hashmi, IIT, Delhi
  2. Prof. H N Mishra, IIT, Kharagpur
    Food Tech Innovations for Ensuring Nutrition and Health Security
  3. Dr. Usharani Dandamudi, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru
  4. Prof. Hariprasad P, IIT, Delhi
  5. Prof. Prashanth Thankachan, St. John’s Research Institute, Bengaluru
  6. Dr. William Joe, Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi
  1. Dr. Heartwin A. Pushpadass, ICAR-NDRI, Bengaluru
  2. Dr. Srijaya Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Anantapur Traceability Challenges in Organic Foods: Advances in Authentication Technologies with a Special Focus on Organic Fruits and Vegetables
  3. Dr. V Hema, NIFTEM-T
  4. Dr. Savitha P Ethiraj College for Women, Chennai
  1. Dr. P.S. Rao, IIT KGP
    Enzyme Inactivation in Fruit-based Beverages during Thermal Assisted High-pressure Processing
  2. Dr. O.P. Chauhan DIBT-DRDO, Mysuru
    Uses and Future Prospects of Cold Plasma in Food Industry
  3. Dr. Prabodh HaldeM/s. Marico Ltd, Mumbai
  4. Mr. Nilesh Lele, Foodtech Pathshala, Mumbai
  5. Mr. A.V. Gnanasambandam,ABIS-TBI, TNAU
12:15 pm – 01:30 pm POSTER SESSION ONE 2nd Floor Poster Hall, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Block
01:30 pm – 02:30 pm LUNCH Food Court
02:30 pm – 04:00 pm PARALLEL TECHNICAL SESSION TWO
Venue MBA Block Rajarajan Hall, Dr. V. Subrahmanyan Bhawan 1st Floor Conference Hall, Center of Excellence in Nonthermal Processing Rajendran Hall, Dr. V. Subrahmanyan Bhawan
Theme E - Automation in Food Processing F - Specialty Ingredients and Food Additives G - Nutraceutical and Functional Foods - 1 H - Upcycling, Waste Valorization and Circular Economy
Chairs Mr. Shashikumar Thimmaiah, APIT Dr. R. Jaganmohan,NIFTEM-T Dr. Himanshu Pandey,M/s. Zydus Wellness Prof. Siddegowda G. S.Sir MV Govt. Sci. College, Bhadravathi
Co-Chair/ Rapporteur Dr. Eyarkai Nambi, NIFTEM-T Dr. Rewati Bhattarai, Curtin University, Australia Dr. Tanaji G Kudre CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru Dr. Ashish Rawson, NIFTEM-T
Speakers
  1. Mr. Shashikumar Thimmaiah, APIT, Bengaluru
    AI/ML–Driven Computer Vision for Nutrition Preservation in Rice – breakthrough, eliminating fortification needs
  2. Dr PS Negi CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru
    Automation in 3D Food Printing
  3. Dr K RamalakshmiRajalakshmi Engg College, Chennai
    Machine Learning Approaches for identification of Plant-Derived Immunomodulatory Biomolecules
  4. Mr. Abhishek ShuklaProgram Manager M/s. Technoserve, Mumbai
  1. Dr Rewati Bhattarai Curtin University, Australia
    Reimagining protein: Innovative extraction technologies for sustainable plant sources
  2. Dr. Bhuvuneshwari ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru
    Tapping the Nutritional and Pigment Potential of Future Fruits as a Source of Natural Food Colourants
  3. Mr. Prasobh Prasad M/s. Mane Kancor, Kerala
    Ingredients Ltd Driving formulation intelligence into reality – B2B Research Drives
  4. Mr. Akashraj M/s. GFI
    India From Vision to Reality: Making India the Global Hub for Smart Protein Processing Equipment
  1. Dr Himanshu Pandey M/s. Zydus Welness
    Smart Tech, Smarter Food: AI and IoT Innovations in the Food Value Chain
  2. Dr Venugopal CSIR – NIIST, Thiruvananthapuram
    Sustainable Technologies for Agriwaste Management
  3. Dr. G. Nandhini Devi Anna Univ., Chennai
    Functional Foods for Early Preventive Nutrition Via Bioactive-Rich Food Formulations
  1. Dr. P. Sureshkumar NRCB, Coimbatore
    Transforming Banana Resources for Nutraceutical Advancement and Zero-Waste Bioeconomy
  2. Dr Anil Panghal HAU, Hissar
    Noodle Revolution 2.0: Nutrient-Dense and Fortified Noodles for the Next-Generation Indian Market
  3. Dr Laxmikant S Badwaik, Tezpur Univ., Tezpur
    Development of Sustainable Packaging Materials Using Areca Nut Husk Cellulose and Alkali-Treated Fibers
  4. Mr. Venkat M/s. Borosil Scientific Ltd., Chennai
    Decoding the proximate analysis
04:00 pm – 05:30 pm SHRI CHITALE MEMORIAL STARTUP CONCLAVE
TIME PARTICULARS SPEAKERS
Session Chair: Shri V.K. Pancham, FSSAI, Chennai Session Co-Chair: Dr K D Yadav, AAK Kamani Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai
Session I
16:00 & 16:10 hours Inaugural Session: Welcome Address
Context Setting
Inaugural Address
Dr Shalini Godke, President AFST(I) Mumbai Chapter
Mr Basavaraja Mundalamani, Hon Secretary, AFST(I)
Dr Prabodh Halde, Past President AFST(I)
Dr Ashutosh Inamdar, President, AFST(I)
All Dignitaries
16:10 & 16:40 hours Plenary Talks on:
1. Building Your Brand Strategy 2. What Investors Seek: Key Ingredients for a Winning Food Business Pitch 		Jasmeet Khanna & Founder Aloha
Saanket Pendke & Founder - Nutrizoe
16:40 & 17:15 hours Fireside Chats on Decoding Success: Lessons from Thriving Startups
Moderated by : Shri Ritesh Mathur, Founder F2F Food and Beverage Consultants, VP AFST(I) Mumbai 		Saanket Pendke - Founder - Nutrizoe
Jasmeet Khanna - Founder Aloha
Rajeev Parwani - Founder & Papel Alkaline water
Snigdha Phadke - Co- Founder Lil & Sprouts
Gaurav Gambhir - MD Atreya Foods
17:15 & 17:30 hours Concluding Remarks Jyoti Gokhale, AFST(I) Mumbai
Rajarajan Hall, Dr. V. Subrahmanyan Bhawan
03:45 pm – 05:00 pm POSTER SESSION TWO 2nd Floor Poster Hall, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
05:00 pm – 06:00 pm PANEL DISCUSSION ONE
Topic India’s Vision to Become the Global Food Basket – Powered by CSIR
Chairperson Dr. Anandharamakrishnan, Director, CSIR-NIIST, Thiruvananthapuram
Members:
  • Mr. Srinivasulu Naladala, Executive Director (GEMS), General Mills India Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai
  • Mr. Vikas Gupta, Global Head, R&D, Tata Consumer Products, India
  • Dr. Jalachari Ella, Managing Director and Head of R&D, Ella Foods, India
  • Prof. Ashok S. Alur,Vice Chancellor, Kodagu University, Karnataka
  • Dr. Alka Rao, Advisor - Science & Standards & Regulations, FSSAI
  • Dr. Prabodh Halde, Head Global Regulatory, Marico Limited, Mumbai
Co-Chair/Rapporteur: Dr. K Sureshkumar, NIFTEM-T, Thanjavur
Golden Jubilee Hall
06:00 pm – 07:00 pm CULTURAL PROGRAMME II Golden Jubilee Hall
06:00 pm onwards AGBM Golden Jubilee Hall (Karikalan Hall), NIFTEM-T
07:30 pm – 09:00 pm DINNER Food Court

DAY THREE - 20th December 2025

Time Event / Details Venue
08:00 am onwards REGISTRATION Entrance, Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Block
08:30 am – 09:30 am STUDENT EVENTS 1st Floor, MBA Block
09:00 am – 10:00 am SPECIAL SESSION FOR ORAL PRESENTATIONS – II
(Nutraceuticals & Value-added products)

Venue: 1st Floor Conference Hall, Center of Excellence in Nonthermal Processing
Session Chair: Dr. Parmjit S Panesar, Professor & Former Head, SLIET, Longowal
Co-Chair / Rapporteur: Dr. R. Vidyalakshmi, NIFTEM-Thanjavur
Presentations:
  1. Presentation (1) Comparative diversity in compositional, physico-chemical, functional, pasting, structural properties and non-targeted metabolomic finger print profile of Indian Himalayan pigmented and non-pigmented rice landresearchMs. Sonal Aggarwal, Graphic Era, Dehradun
  2. Presentation (2) Formulation and Optimization of Beetroot Jam Sweetened with Palm Jaggery Dr. Amit Kumar Singh, Banda University of Agriculture and Technology, Banda
  3. Presentation (3) Bioprocessing Innovations for Sustainable Microbial Protein Dr. Janifer Raj Xavier, DIBT – DRDO, Mysuru
  4. Presentation (4) FTIR Spectroscopic Analysis of Plant Proteins and its Correlation with their Functional Properties Ms. Janvi Patel, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
  5. Presentation (5) Resistant Starch Enhancement of Chayote (Sechium edule) Tuber Flour Through Physical Modification: Extrusion Dr. Rakesh Kumar Raigar, Central Agricultural University, Imphal
  6. Presentation (6) Evaluation of Physico-Chemical, Microbial and Sensory Attributes of Minimally Processed Litchi Under Low Temperature Storage Dr. S.M. Lokhande, Central Agricultural University, Pasighat
  7. Presentation (7) Therapeutic Prospects of Custard Apple Seed Nutraceuticals in Thyroid Regulation Dr. R. Balasasirekha, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore
  8. Presentation (8) Comprehensive Valorization of Wood Apple (Limonia acidissima): Development and Characterization of Functional Fruit Powder, Seed Oil and Seed Protein Dr. T. Poongodi Vijayakumar, Periyar University, Salem.
1st Floor Conference Hall, Center of Excellence in Nonthermal Processing
09:30 am – 10:30 am POSTER SESSION THREE 2nd Floor Poster Hall, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Block
09:30 am – 10:30 am STUDENT EVENTS Golden Jubilee Hall
10:30 am – 12:00 pm PARALLEL TECHNICAL SESSION THREE

Venue MBA Block Rajarajan Hall, Dr. V. Subrahmanyan Bhawan 1st Floor Conference Hall, Center of Excellence in Nonthermal Processing Rajendran Hall, Dr. V. Subrahmanyan Bhawan
Theme I - Nutraceutical and Functional Foods - 2 J - Food Safety & Hazards K - Trends in Food Quality Evaluation & Sensing Systems L - Developments in Food Processes - Industry Perspective
Chairs Dr. P Nisha, CSIR-NIIST, Thiruvananthapuram Dr. Raviram K, CSIR-IITR, Lucknow Dr. Alok Pandey, CSIR-IITR, Lucknow Prof. Sharanagouda Hiregoudar, UAS, Raichur
Co-Chair / Rapporteur Dr. Dhanu Priya, KPMG, Chennai Dr. Sanu Jacob, FSSAI - Chennai Dr. K. Sureshkumar, NIFTEM-Thanjavur Dr. Abdul Rasheed K K, Musaliar Engg. College, Kollam
Speakers
  1. Dr. P Nisha, CSIR-NIIST, Thiruvananthapuram
    Phenolic lipids for functional applications
  2. Dr. Mannar - CEO M/s. Durmeric Nutraceuticals, Madurai
    The Nano-Advantage: Integrating Nano Botanical Extracts for Next-Generation Functional Foods
  3. Dr. Sandeep K Panda Kalinga Uni. Indl. Tech., Bhuvaneshwar
    The Evolving Role of Lactic Acid Bacteria for Health Promotion
  4. Dr. Shivraj H NileBRIC-NABI, Mohali
    Sustainable Production of Bioactive Natural Pigments for Development of Functional Foods and Health Applications
  1. Dr. Sanu JacobNFL, Chennai
    Overcoming Food Fraud – Why Food Integrity & Safety Matters
  2. Dr. Anoop Krishnan, EIC, New Delhi
    Antibiotic Residues: Health Impacts, Regulations, and Mitigation Approaches
  3. Dr. D Mathur, Fare Labs, Gurugram
  4. Dr. Poonam Mishra, Tezpur Univ., Tezpur
    Innovative and rapid sensing techniques in food analysis
  1. Dr. Senthilkumar T, UPEI, Canada
    Current and New-Age Intelligent Systems Coupled with AI to Detect Food Quality
  2. Dr. Veda Krishnan, ICAR-IARI, New Delhi
    Starch quality & glycemic sensing
  3. Dr. Wadikar DD, DIBT-DRDO, Mysuru
    Recent Trends in Quality Evaluation and Testing Systems in Supply Chain Management of Processed Products from Cereals and Pulses
  4. Mr Abhishek Singh, M/s. Anton Par, Gurugram
    Innovative Applications of Farinograph, Extensograph, Amylograph, and Food Extrusion Systems for Product Development and Quality Optimization in the Indian Food Industry
  1. Mr. Vikram Bhardwaj, HUL Foods, Bengaluru
    From Leaf to Convenience: Process Technologies Driving Instant Tea
  2. Mr. Saravanan BIL, Bengaluru
    Ingredient & Formulation Intelligence: Driving Innovation in New Product Development
  3. Ms. Ashmi Mulay M/s. Fermenta Biotech Ltd
    From Sunlight to Science: Why Vitamin D3 Matters More Today!
  4. Mr. Sachin Saxena, M/s. Marico India Ltd.
  5. Dr Sandeep Patil Mettler-Toledo India Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai
    Exploring Future-Ready Innovations and Opportunities in Moisture Testing for the Food Industry
12:00 pm – 01:00 pm PANEL DISCUSSION TWO
Topic Food Processing or Ultra Processing?
Chairman Dr. Alok Kumar Srivastava, Former Chief Scientist, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru
Members
  • Dr. Anil Chauhan, BHU, Varanasi
  • Mr. Himanshu Pandey, VP, Zydus Welness
  • Dr. Meenakshi Singh, CSIR, New Delhi
  • Sri. Swarn Singh Grover, Director – R & D (South Asia), Kellanova, Mumbai
  • Dr. Amudhasurabi, Head, Food Business Management, NIFTEM-Thanjavur
  • Mr. Gunasekar, VP, M/s Vaighaigro, Madurai
  • Dr. Johnsy George, DIBT-DRDO, Mysuru
Co-Chair / Rapporteur: Dr. UJS Prasad Rao, Former Scientist, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru
Golden Jubilee Hall
01:00 pm – 02:00 pm LUNCH Food Court
02:00 pm – 03:00 pm PARALLEL TECHNICAL SESSION FOUR

Venue Golden Jubilee Hall Rajarajan Hall 1st Floor Conference Hall, Center of Excellence in Nonthermal Processing Rajendran Hall, Dr. V. Subrahmanyan Bhawan
Theme M - Launching Your Food Business N - Sustainable Food Processing O - Food and Gut P - Advances in Food Packaging and Storage
Chairs Dr. Alagusundaram, TN Apex Dr. Uday AnnapureICT, Mumbai Dr. Ganesh Bagler, IIIT-Delhi Dr. M. Loganathan, NIFTEM-T
Co-Chair / Rapporteur Dr. S. Shanmugasundaram, NIFTEM-T Dr. N. Venkatachalapathy, Dean (RC&IR), NIFTEM-T Mrs. M L Sudha, Formerly CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru Dr. S. Anandakumar, NIFTEM, Thanjavur
Speakers
  1. Sh. Sunil MarwahFICSI, New Delhi
  2. Dr. K.P. Sudheer KAU, Thrissur
    Entrepreneurship in the INDULGE Landscape: Transforming Local Foods into Sustainable, Healthy Market Opportunities
  3. Sh. Sathya Chenduran Tooz Foods, Tiruchirappalli
    The Kitchen of Tomorrow: The New Convenience Code for India — Cleaner Labels, Smarter Processing & Local Wisdom for Better Nutrition
  4. Dr. Akalya, NIFTEM-T
    Guidelines in Food Business
  1. Dr Ramaswamy McGill Uni. Canada
    Ultrasound - Steam combination heating - application to microbial decontamination and enhancing heat transfer
  2. Mr. Pradeep Sharma, BIS, Delhi
    Addressing Sustainability in Agri-Food Systems Through Standards
  3. Dr. Sajid Maqsood, UAE Univ., Al Ain, UAE
    Green Extraction of Biopolymers and Phenolics from Date Palm waste and their Valorisation for Fabrication of biodegradable packaging material
  1. Dr Ganesh Bagler
    IIIT-Delhi
    Computational Gastronomy: Blending Food and Nutrition with Artificial Intelligence
  2. Dr. Prakash M Halami, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru
    Impact of microbial food additives on gut health: novel strategy of health and wellness of the consumer
  3. Dr Chandrasekhar NIFTEM-T
    Hunger, Satiety, and Gut: Role of Gut-Brain Axis
  1. Mr Rajeshwar Matche CSIR-CFTRI Mysuru
    Advances in Food Packaging and Storage: Active, Intelligent, and Bio-Based Systems
  2. Dr. Vimal Katiyar, IIT- Gawhati
    Sustainable Polymers for Food Packaging Application
  3. Dr Krithiraj Gaikwad IIT
    Roorkee Green Food Packaging Technologies Driving Innovation in Nutrition, Dietetics and Sustainability
  4. Dr Mudassir Ahmed, NIT, Srinagar
    The Future of Eating: Functional and Reimagined Foods with Smart Packaging Innovations
  5. Dr Aamir Hussain Dar Ismalic Uni. Sci. & Tech., Srinagar
    From Waste to Functionality: Subcritical Water Extraction as a Key Enabler of Sustainable Packaging Materials
03:00 pm – 04:00 pm FSSAI AWARENESS PROGRAM Golden Jubilee Hall
04:00 pm – 05:30 pm VALEDICTORY CEREMONY Golden Jubilee Hall
05:30 pm – 06:00 pm HI TEA Hi Tea Court