GFI India’s Smart Protein Advanced Research & Knowledge (SPARK) Fellowship program

Santosh M. Raichur, a second-year M.Sc. Food Technology student from CSIR-CFTRI, will be undertaking a plant-based smart protein research project under the mentorship of Dr. Tanaji G. Kudre. Santosh’s project will focus on the formulation and characterisation of plant-based eggs using underutilised seaweed and legume proteins. The research aims to create a nutritious, functional, and scalable plant-based egg that biomimics the nutritional and sensory attributes of conventional eggs while being allergen-free, antibiotic-free, and environmentally sustainable. By leveraging indigenous plant and marine sources such as legumes and red seaweeds, this project would contribute to advancing scalable, affordable, and locally relevant solutions for India’s smart protein ecosystem.

Dr. Tanaji G. Kudre, the mentor for this project, has over 15 years of research experience in food science and technology, with expertise spanning seafood chemistry and biochemistry, marine nutraceuticals and functional foods, and alternative protein innovation. His work includes developing value-added products from underutilised plant and marine resources, with a strong focus on scalable, industry-relevant food technologies.

Joyon Nandi, a second-year M.Sc. Food Technology student from CSIR-CFTRI, will be undertaking a research project at the interface of fermentation-derived and plant-based smart protein, under the mentorship of Dr. Venkadesaperumal Gopu. His project will explore the development and application of Bacillus-derived poly-γ-glutamic acid as a smart protein biopolymer for functional enhancement of plant-based yoghurt. This research aims to develop a fermentation-derived solution for functional and nutritional enhancement of plant-based dairy systems, promising improved texture, gut health benefits, and environmental sustainability. By leveraging the versatility of fermentation technology for the production of poly-γ-glutamic acid, this research may offer the opportunity to create tasty and nutritious plant-based yoghurt for consumers. With strong scalability potential, the outcomes of this project can catalyse the transition toward a resilient and sustainable food system in the country. 

Dr. Venkadesaperumal Gopu is an expert in food microbiology and molecular genetics, focusing on foodborne pathogens, microbial metabolites, and genetic engineering. With a strong interest in microbiology and biotechnology for the mitigation of foodborne pathogens and other areas of the food system, he will be mentoring Joyon during his SPARK fellowship project.

Under the guidance of Dr. Rajni Chopra at the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management-Kundli (NIFTEM-K), Kusuma’s project investigated innovative processing strategies to valorise linseed (flaxseed) oil cake, an underutilised by-product of oil extraction, into a high-value plant protein ingredient for smart protein applications. The research evaluated freeze-thaw treatment as a novel pretreatment, alone and in combination with enzymatic and ultrasonication methods, and found that freeze-thaw cycles combined with enzymatic treatment significantly improved protein yield by enhancing cell wall disruption and protein release. Detailed characterisation showed improvements in key structural, thermal, and functional properties, including solubility, emulsification, foaming ability, water and oil holding capacity, and in-vitro digestibility, demonstrating the potential of freeze–thaw-assisted processing to support more sustainable and diversified plant protein supply chains. Findings from this work were presented as a poster at the ‘National Symposium on Plant Proteins: Structure–Function, Human Nutrition & Technological Advances’, held at CSIR–CFTRI on July 25, 2025.

Under the mentorship of Dr. Rakhi Singh at NIFTEM-K, Suraj’s project  focused on unlocking the potential of rice distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), an underutilised agro-industrial by-product, as a sustainable protein source for plant-based food applications. The research optimised enzyme-assisted protein extraction from rice DDGS and applied ultrasound-based modification to enhance protein functionality. The extracted protein was comprehensively characterised for its functional properties, including solubility, water and oil holding capacity, foaming and emulsification capacity and stability, and surface hydrophobicity; its structural properties, including particle size, surface morphology, and protein secondary structure; and its thermal properties, including denaturation temperature and enthalpy. Together, these findings demonstrate the feasibility of improving the techno-functional performance of DDGS-derived proteins, highlighting their potential as value-added ingredients for smart protein applications while advancing circular bioeconomy approaches in India’s food processing sector. Findings from this work were presented as a poster at the ‘National Symposium on Plant Proteins: Structure–Function, Human Nutrition & Technological Advances’, held at CSIR–CFTRI on July 25, 2025.

Two research fellows, Sanjay S and Aparna M, will be working on establishing indigenous muscle cell lines for cultivated chevon and mutton meat under the expert guidance of Dr. Lakshmanan Meiyappan and Dr. Greeshma Thrivikraman at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IITM). The one-year project is being carried out in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) and industry partner, HiMedia Labs Pvt. Ltd.

2025 SPARK research fellow for fermentation, Dhruv R. Singh Bhadoriya, is a B. Tech + M. Tech Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering graduate from IIT Kharagpur. Dhruv has undertaken a 12-month-long research fellowship starting in June 2025 under the expert guidance of Dr. Sunil Laxman, Associate Professor at the Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (BRIC-inStem). Dhruv’s project aims to develop robust yeast co-cultures through adaptive selection for efficient fermentation of pentose sugars for smart protein production.

Amit Verma, an M.Tech student from Banaras Hindu University, conducted a plant-based research project under the guidance of Dr. Vidyashankar Srivatsan at CSIR–Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology. The project focused on optimising the extraction of protein from green tea leaf residues and broken rice, two underutilised agri-food side streams. The study successfully established efficient extraction protocols and demonstrated that tea proteins possessed strong functional properties suitable for plant-based meat products, while rice meal proteins showed neutral sensory attributes ideal for plant-based dairy applications, highlighting the potential of agro-residue upcycling for sustainable development of alternative proteins.

Rupali M, the SPARK Fellow who undertook cultivated meat-related research at IIT Bombay under the mentorship of Dr. Abhijit Majumder, completed her six-month fellowship in November 2024. In her final project update, Rupali identified target plant protein analogues that closely mimic the functional properties of fetal bovine serum proteins and prepared the final project report. In February 2025, Rupali commenced a PhD research program in Data Sciences at the International Max Planck Research School, Germany.

Shraddha Jadhav, who was undertaking the fermentation project under the guidance of Dr. Vidyashankar Srivatsan at CSIR-IHBT, concluded her fellowship project in December 2024. Shraddha presented her results to Prof. Vidyashankar and GFI India on the optimisation of solid-state fermentation (SSF) protocols using yeast on spent algal biomass as the feedstock and is in the process of preparing the final project report.