Faculty Profile

Dr. Chakkaravarthi Saravanan

Associate Professor

chakkaravarthi@niftem.ac.in

+91-130-2281220

Area of Interest/Specialization

Fermented Food
Edible Oil Quality
Food Chemical Contaminants
Prebiotics

Awards & Recognition

Science Enrichment Award in Biochemistry, PEARL Foundation for Educational Excellence (2017).
Summer Research Fellowship, Indian Academy of Science (June, 2015 - July,2015)
Post Doctoral Fellowship, Foundation of Science and Technology, Portugal. (July 2008 - Feb 2012).
Young Travel Fellowship, Federation of European Biochemical Society, United Kingdom (2010).

Publications

Journal Articles (Selected Recent)

Fathima, A. N., Mishra, S., Negi, M., Mani, S., Sasikumar, R., Selva Kumar, T., Mangang, I. B., Chakkaravarthi, S., & Jaiswal, A. K. (2026). Ultrasound-assisted extraction and functional application of Pithecellobium dulce seed protein isolate in compound coating formulations. LWT, 247, 119315. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2026.119315
Kumari, A., Bhattacharya, B., Agarwal, T., Paul, V., Tripathy, S., Singh, B., Luthra, S. K., & Chakkaravarthi, S. (2025). Acrylamide formation and mitigation strategies in Potato Cutlets & French fries derived from cold-stored potatoes. Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology, 103833. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcab.2025.103833
Goyal, S. P., Chandratre, G. A., Rawat, A., Kondepudi, K. K., Badgujar, P. C., & Saravanan, C. (2025). Lactiplantibacillus plantarum MTCC 25433 and Quercetin Blend Ameliorate Benzo[a]pyrene-Induced Gut Dysregulation in a Murine Model. Current microbiology, 82(9), 434. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-025-04411-x
Chakkaravarthi, S. Sirinupong, T., Tampanna, N., Aravind, S. M. & Wichienchot, S. (2025). In vitro colonic fermentation of pigmented rice: Gut microbiome bioconversion of dietary fiber and polyphenols, Food Bioscience, 64, 105757. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fbio.2024.105757
Mishra, S., Aravind, S., Ajlouni, S., Ranadheera, C., Singh, B. & Chakkaravarthi, S. (2024). Optimization of fermentation process and characterization of non-alcoholic functional beverage from pigmented rice varieties. Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology, 58 doi:10.1016/j.bcab.2024.103213

Qualification

S.No	Degree	Subject	University/College	Year
1	Ph.D.	Biotechnology	VIT University, India	2003-2008
2	M.Sc.	Biochemistry	Madurai Kamaraj University, India	1998-2000

Experience

S.No	Designation	Institution	Duration
1	Assistant Professor(B.Tech , M.Tech. and Ph.D)	NIFTEM	2012-Till Date
2	PDF(Systems Biology)	CNC, University of Coimbra, Portugal	2008-2012
3	Scientist(Department of Bioinformatics)	Vittal Mallya Scientific Research Foundation, Bangalore	2007-2008

International Experience/Collaboration/Consultancy

Research work visit to Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Nutraceutical and Functional Food, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand from 1st June to 30th June 2019.
Participated in FEBS International course on systems biology of metabolism at Chalmers University, Gothenburg, Sweden. May 24th to 11th June, 2010.
Foundation of Science and Technology, Portugal, Post Doctoral Fellow at Molecular Systems Biology Group at Centre For Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal. July 2008 to February 2012.

Externally Funded Projects

Ongoing

Culture dependent fermented flaxseed lignan in obesity and diabetes management through the GLP-1 regulation and immunomodulation. Funded by Doehler India Pvt. Ltd. from 31st October 2025 to 30th April 2027, with a total budget of ₹11,80,012 - As Principal Investigator.

Completed

Comparative study on gut fermentation of Thai Indian pigmented rice in three stage colon model. Funded by Prince of Songkla University, Thailand from August, 2023 to August, 2024 for 400000 THB i.e. 1000000 INR - As Co-Principal Investigator.
Development of protocol for reduction of acrylamide leaves in selected potato based snack foods. MoFPI Project from December, 2018 to December, 2020 for INR 25,40,000–As Principal Investigator
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Indian Grilled and Fried fish products, prevention strategy and dietary risk assessment. MoFPI Project from March, 2021 to March, 2023 for INR 29,15,000 – As Co-Principal Investigator.
Preparation, Characterization and evaluation of encapsulated eggplant peel extract in edible oil. MoFPI Project from October, 2018 to October, 2020 for INR 31,46,000– As Co-Principal Investigator.
Effect of thermal processing on proximate composition and antioxidant activity of Indian edible brown seaweed Sargassum wightii and development of nutraceuticals and functional food from it. May, 2018 to May, 2020. for INR 35,86,000– As Co-Principal Investigator.
Studies on quality and effect of frying on the constituents of street fried foods available in and around Delhi. NIFTEM Internal Project from April, 2014 to July, 2016 for Rs. 83 Lakhs – As Principal Investigator
Evaluation of green functional food fortified with cereal grasses in reducing risk of metabolic syndrome – SERB – DST Project form November, 2014 to November, 2016 for Rs. 25 Lakhs – As Co-Principal Investigator.

Patent

Saravanan Chakkaravarthi, Mithul Aravind S, Bhattacharya Bhaswati. 2025 Ready to cook palm leaf wrapped rice flour dumplings. Indian Patent 571941 granted on 13-10-2025.

Books

Mishra, S & Chakkaravarthi, S. (2026) Legume-based Fermented Foods: Source of Prebiotics. In Fermented Foods and Beverages:Functionalities and Nutritional Aspects (pp. 65–79 ) CAB International https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/cms/asset/72fb6961-1ac2-4b88-8bf6-5a9f52d19b26/9781836991823.0000.preview.pdf
Alka Kumari, Bhaswati Bhattacharya, Tripti Agarwal Vijay Paul and S. Chakkaravarthi. (2022). Value-Added Potato-Based Snacks: Acrylamide Formation and Safety Concerns (pp 363-368). Management of Postharvest Diseases and Value Addition of Horticultural Crops. Today and Tomorrow’s Printers and Publishers, New Delhi.
Baburaj Regubalan, Chakkaravarthi, Bhaswati Bhattacharya, Pintu Pandit, Chapter 12 - Starch-based bionanocomposites for food packaging applications, in Shakeel Ahmed (Eds.) Bionanocomposites for Food Packaging Applications, 2022, pp. 201-215 https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-88528-7.00017-4
Wichienchot, and S., Chakkaravarthi, Chapter 42 - Polyphenols from food processing byproducts and their microbiota-gut-brain axis-based health benefits, in Rajeev Bhat (Eds.) Valorization of Agri-Food Wastes and By-Products: Recent Trends, Innovations and Sustainability Challenges, 2021, pp. 855–880 https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-824044-1.00002-7
Chakkaravarthi, and S.M. Aravind, Chapter 12 - Fruit Juice Added with Prebiotics and Probiotics, in: A. Gomes da Cruz, C.S. Ranadheera, F. Nazzaro, and A. Mortazavian (Eds.), Probiotics and Prebiotics in Foods, Academic Press 2021, pp. 219-232. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-819662-5.00013-6
M. Aravind, and S. Chakkaravarthi, Chapter 9. Safety Assessment of Probiotics for Use in Food Products, in A. Mortazavian, N. Khoshidian, and A. Gomes da Cruz, (Eds.), In Vitro Functionality of Probiotics in Foods, Novo Publishers 2021, pp. 219-246.