STAFF PROFILE
Professor Benu Adhikari
Research interests
Associate Professor Benu Adhikari’s research interests cover various aspects of food engineering and processing.
Food engineering: Research in this theme cover physical and engineering properties of foods and how these properties change with industrially prevailing processing conditions. For example, how the rheological, thermal and mass transfer characteristics change due to temperature, pressure and humidity and mechanical stresses.
Food emulsions: This theme covers simple o/w, w/o emulsions and also complex emulsions such as o/w/o and w/o/w. The interfacial behaviour of many surface active agents such as proteins, low molecular weight surfactants at oil-water and water-air interface are investigated to considerable detail. The stability of emulsions of both micro and nano emulsions are also investigated.
Micro/nano encapsulation: This theme includes encapsulation of oxygen and heat sensitive food ingredients and microbes especially in protein, carbohydrate and protein- carbohydrate complexes. Current research projects include microencapsulation of chia seed oil and flaxseed oil in chia seed protein-chia seed gum complex coacervates and flaxseed protein-flaxseed gum complex coacervates, respectively.
Biodegradable packaging: This theme covers development of novel biodegradable packaging from starch, cellulose and derivatives and starch-polyurethene composites. The major thrust of research is creating hydrophobicity in these packaging materials.
Food powders/food drying: This theme covers particle formation process of many food components including proteins, gums and sugars. Current research project include production of lactoferrin and other protein powders using spray drying. Studies on production and characterisation of nanoparticles/powders also fall under this theme.
Structure-function in foods (food proteins and carbohydrates): This theme includes investigations of structure-function-process interrelationships of major food compounds such as proteins, gums, gels, emulsions. Texture analysis and rheological studies fall under this theme."
Editorial role
Assistant Editor – Drying Technology: An International Journal ( Taylor and Francis)
Honorary appointments
- Visiting Professor: Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
- Adjunct Professor: Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
- Tran, T.,Miranda, A.,Gupta, A.,Puri, M.,Ball, A.,Adhikari, B.,Mouradov, A. (2020). The Nutritional and Pharmacological Potential of New Australian Thraustochytrids Isolated from Mangrove Sediments In: Marine Drugs, 18, 1 - 17
- Masum, A.,Chandrapala, J.,Huppertz, T.,Adhikari, B.,Zisu, B. (2020). Effect of storage conditions on the physicochemical properties of infant milk formula powders containing different lactose-to-maltodextrin ratios In: Food Chemistry, 319, 1 - 9
- Pematilleke, N.,Kaur, M.,Adhikari, B.,Torley, P. (2020). Influence of meat texture on oral processing and bolus formation In: Journal of Food Engineering, 283, 1 - 9
- Saxena, J.,Adhikari, B.,Brkljaca, R.,Huppertz, T.,Chandrapala, J.,Zisu, B. (2020). Inter-relationship between lactose crystallization and surface free fat during storage of infant formula In: Food Chemistry, 322, 1 - 9
- Masum, A.,Chandrapala, J.,Huppertz, T.,Adhikari, B.,Zisu, B. (2020). Influence of drying temperatures and storage parameters on the physicochemical properties of spray-dried infant milk formula powders In: International Dairy Journal, 105, 1 - 9
- Miranda, A.,Tran, T.,Abramov, T.,Jehalee, F.,Miglani, M.,Liu, Z.,Rochfort, S.,Gupta, A.,Cheirsilp, B.,Adhikari, B.,Puri, M.,Mouradov, A. (2020). Marine Protists and Rhodotorula Yeast as Bio-Convertors of Marine Waste into Nutrient-Rich Deposits for Mangrove Ecosystems In: Protists, 171, 1 - 6
- Tran, T.,Miranda, A.,Mouradov, A.,Adhikari, B. (2020). Physicochemical Characteristics of Protein Isolated from Thraustochytrid Oilcake In: Foods, 9, 1 - 16
- Ghasemlou, M.,Daver, F.,Ivanova, E.,Brkljaca, R.,Adhikari, B. (2020). Assessment of interfacial interactions between starch and non-isocyanate polyurethanes in their hybrids In: Carbohydrate Polymers, 246, 1 - 12
- Saxena, J.,Adhikari, B.,Brkljaca, R.,Huppertz, T.,Zisu, B.,Chandrapala, J. (2020). Effect of lactose pre-crystallisation on the physicochemical properties during storage of infant formula containing hydrolysed whey protein In: International Dairy Journal, 110, 1 - 10
- Ghasemlou, M.,Daver, F.,Ivanova, E.,Murdoch, B.,Adhikari, B. (2020). Use of Synergistic Interactions to Fabricate Transparent and Mechanically Robust Nanohybrids Based on Starch, Non-Isocyanate Polyurethanes, and Cellulose Nanocrystals In: ACS Applied Materials and Interphases, , 1 - 14
10 PhD Current Supervisions and 3 Masters by Research Current Supervisions11 PhD Completions
- Production of eicosapentaenoic acid-rich omega-3 oil from thraustochytrids. Funded by: DIIS - Innovations Connections - Competitive from (2020 to 2021)
- Development of a co-microencapsulation system for probiotics to enhance its viability during the shelf life and in-vitro digestion. Funded by: NU-MEGA Ingredients Pty Ltd - competitive from (2019 to 2020)
- Development of Shelf-Stable Almond Powder. Funded by: Select Harvests Food and Products Limited from (2018 to 2019)
- Novel enzymatic processing methods and stabilization technologies for omega-3 oils� (Administered by Deakin University). Funded by: ARC Linkage Projects via Other University Grant 2014 from (2015 to 2018)