Dr. V.M. (Bala) Balasubramaniam is Professor of Food Engineering in the Department of Food Science and Technology and Department of Food Agricultural and Biological Engineering, The Ohio State University (OSU), Columbus, OH, USA.
Prof. Bala received a B.S. in Agricultural Engineering at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India, M.S. in Post-harvest Technology from Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand and PhD in Food Engineering from OSU. Prior joining OSU as a faculty member in 2002, Dr. Bala was working as a post-doctoral associate at University of Georgia Center for Food Safety and Quality Enhancement, Griffin, GA (1994-95) and Associate Research Professor at IIT National Center for Food Safety and Technology, Chicago, IL (1995-2002).
Prof. Bala has broad food engineering research interest
(a) Food processing sustainability, improving energy and water efficiency, valorization of bioactive compounds and nutrients
(b) Improving food processing sustainability using advanced thermal and nonthermal processing methods
(c ) Develop novel sustainable food sanitation technologies
(d) Mathematical modeling of food processing operations. Estimation of engineering properties of foods.
Recent research from Dr. Bala’s lab developed a continuous high-pressure method for preserving different dairy and plant protein liquid beverages, sauces, and gels without any chemical preservatives. Their research demonstrated that superheated steam could serve as a tool for surface sanitation of dry food processing plant surfaces to potentially reduce water and synthetic chemical use in food plant sanitations. Dr. Bala’s laboratory also contributes to transfer of knowledge to food processors via pilot plant demonstrations, short courses, workshops, and webinars.
Dr. Bala teaches Unit Operations in Food Process Engineering to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing Food Science and Technology and Food Ag Bio Engineering degree programs. Dr. Bala also contributes various technology transfers and education to food manufactures via short courses, webinars, workshops and pilot plant demonstrations.
Dr. Bala has received various awards for his industrially relevant work including 2021 IFR Research and Development Award, 2017 IFT Calvert L. Willey Distinguished Service Award, 2016 AITAA Distinguished Alumni Award in the category of academic/research excellence, 2011 Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) distinguished research award, and 2006 Hormel Spirit of Innovation Award. Dr. Bala is a fellow of Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and International Academy of Food Science and Technology (IAFoST), International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST).
Contact Address.
V.M. (Bala) Balasubramaniam
Phone: 614 266 2760 Fax: 614 292 0218
E-mail: Balasubramaniam.1@osu.edu
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FoodSafetyEngr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vmbala/