Dr. Dattatreya Kadam is a distinguished Principal Scientist recognized for his extensive contributions to food process engineering, machine design, nanotechnology applications in food systems, and innovative drying technologies. His research has significantly advanced foam-mat drying, convective drying, solar-assisted drying, and thin-layer drying modeling across a wide range of fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants. He has made notable strides in improving product quality, nutrient retention, and functional properties in dried foods, particularly in tomato, mango, pineapple, guava, basil, mint, and mandarin. Dr. Kadam’s work also extends to the development of innovative food packaging solutions, including nanotechnology-enabled active and intelligent packaging materials, reinforcing whey protein films with advanced nanostructures, and studying antimicrobial characteristics of engineered nanoparticles. His research integrates experimental design, mathematical modeling, physical property evaluation, and quality assessment to optimize food processing operations. He has also contributed to improvements in agricultural and food machinery, thermal systems, and postharvest processing of crops such as maize, cauliflower, and cottonseed. Dr. Kadam’s publications highlight his multidisciplinary expertise, addressing product stability, shelf-life enhancement, sensory quality, and physicochemical transformations during processing. His collaborative work has strengthened the scientific understanding of how process variables influence structural, biochemical, and functional attributes of food materials, helping industry and researchers adopt more efficient, sustainable, and quality-oriented technologies. Through his leadership roles and scientific output, he continues to influence advancements in food engineering, value addition, and nanotechnology-driven innovations, contributing to the modernization of agro-processing and supporting the development of high-quality food products with improved safety, functionality, and consumer acceptability.
Profile: Google Scholar
Featured Publications
Kadam, D. M., & Balasubramanian, S. (2011). Foam mat drying of tomato juice. Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, 35(4), 488–495.
Kadam, D. M., Pratibha, K., & Ramesh, K. (2012). Evaluation of guava products quality. International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition Engineering, 2(1), 7–11.
Kadam, D. M., Wilson, R. A., & Kaur, S. (2010). Determination of biochemical properties of foam-mat dried mango powder. International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 45(8), 1626–1632.
Mlalila, N., Kadam, D. M., Swai, H., & Hilonga, A. (2016). Transformation of food packaging from passive to innovative via nanotechnology: Concepts and critiques. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 53, 3395–3407.
Kadam, D. M., Goyal, R. K., Singh, K. K., & Gupta, M. K. (2011). Thin layer convective drying of mint leaves. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 5(2), 164–170.