The department of Food Science and Nutrition is one of the five departments in the Faculty of Community Science, Assam agricultural University, Jorhat, which was established in the year 1973 with a mandate of teaching, research and extension. This department empowers students, under the purview of undergraduate and post-graduate (M.Sc & Ph.D) course curricula in the broad areas of Food Science, Nutritional Sciences, Dietetics, Public Health Nutrition, Food Safety, Quality Control, Food Processing and Preservation, Institutional Food Service Management, Nutraceutical and Functional Foods. As per the guidelines of Indian Council of agricultural Research, a new undergraduate programme Food Nutrition & Dietetics was initiated from 2019. Adorned with highly qualified staff, the department forms an intra intellectual community with diversified areas of interest.
The department is adequately equipped with modern infrastructure for carrying out high quality teaching to produce graduates and postgraduates with knowledge and skills competent enough to work in the arenas of Food Science & Nutrition. It is also accomplished of carrying out research leading to development of environmentally sound and economically viable technologies for sustainable development. The department has been maintaining its standard in research by selecting research problems of national and international standing. Various funding agencies like Food & Nutrition Board, Govt. of India; Wheat Associates, New Delhi; Ministry of Food processing, Govt. of India; Indian Council of Agricultural Research; Nutrition Foundation of India; Indian Council of Medical Research, Department of Biotechnology, Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences etc are providing research grants to carry out meaningful research in the, otherwise, unexplored region of the North East India. Major thrust areas of research are Food Studies, Nutrition Studies and Food Service Management Studies. In the extension front department is involved in upliftment of nutritional status of populations from different corners of the society.
The department has introduced certificate courses on Bakery for the educated unemployed youths for enhancing entrepreneurship development and helping them to be economically independent and sustainable.
Vision: The vision of Department of Food Science and Nutrition is to provide value based education and creating professional competency among the student community to compete with the global challenges as well as contribute to strategic research in prevention of diseases through effective application of nutrition knowledge for improving human health and well-being. Mission:
Food and Nutrition is undoubtedly an unique science of applied nature and is the crux of the Quality Human Resource. It’s importance through various life cycles of people in health and disease is the current focus of research for health and nutrition professionals. Curriculum of this department not only benefits the students academically but also looks into the variegated needs of the community to sensitize them about foods and facts in the realm of health, productivity, endurance capacity and cognitive behaviours. Thus, the Mission of the Department could be envisaged as Empowerment of individuals, families and communities in food, nutrition and health related knowledge and practice to generate dependable human resources enabling them to contribute towards the development of self and society.
Thurst areas of research:· Maternal, Infant and Child nutrition
· Nutrition of diverse populations in domestic settings
· Nutrition education in schools, communities and food assistance programs
· Clinical nutrition and biomarkers of nutritional effects on health and disease
· Life cycle nutrition, from mechanisms and models of development through chronic disease
· Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods
· Food analysis
· Sports Nutrition
· Public Health Nutrition
· Food product development
| Masters Courses | ||||
| # | Course No. | Course Title | Course Credit | Syllabus |
| 1 | FN 504 | Advances in Community Nutrition | 3(1 + 2) | * courses are compulsory |
| PhD Courses | ||||
| # | Course No. | Course Title | Course Credit | Syllabus |
| 1 | FN 504 | Advances in Community Nutrition | 3(1 + 2) | |
| 2 | FN 606 | Nutrition in Agriculture Interface | 3(3 + 0) | * courses are compulsory |
The Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Community Science under AAU is one of the pioneer departments engaged continuously in research work since its inception. The research activities and technologies developed therein were the outcomes of various research projects funded by national and international agencies and postgraduate studies. Following are the recent technologies developed by the department.
1. PRATIKAR (I) (Year of release- 2021), Cereal pulse based malted complementary food, rich source of both macro and micro nutrients .
2. POUSTIK (II) (Year of release- 2019): Cereal-pulse based malted complementary food, rich source of both macro and micro nutrients.
3. PAPAYA CANDY (Year of release- 2015): Rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and β- carotene
4. ROYAL CARROTTE YOGHURT (Year of release- 2018): Probiotic drink rich in carotene and proven antidiarrheal property against E. Coli and Clostridium perfringens.
5. ROYAL MANGUE (Year of release- 2018): Probiotic drink rich in carotene and proven antidiarrheal property against E. Coli and Clostridium perfringens.
6. POSHAK MISHRAN (Year of release- 2019): Gluten free and low GI flour mix.
7. PRATIKAR (1) (Year of release- 2021): Multigrain mix with whole wheat flour and other functional ingredients (foxtail millet flour, gram flour and fenugreek seed flour) having blood glucose lowering effect. Richest source of energy, protein, dietary fibre, minerals and vitamins.
8. JACKFRUIT CHIPS (Year 2017): Processed jackfruit chips from matured unripe bulb.
9. DEHYDRATED RIPE JACKFRUIT BULB: Osmotically dehydrated ripe jackfruit bulb.
10. DEHYDRATED TENDER JACKFRUIT - Ready to cook dehydrated tender jackfruit pieces.
11. JACKFRUIT CANDIES: Dehydrated ripe jackfruit pulp. Nutritious energy dense snacks item suitable for children.
12. JACKFRUIT LEATHER: Dehydrated jackfruit pulp with concentrated sugar, Nutritious energy dense snacks item suitable for children.
13. ASSAM MIX II : Nutrient dense complementary foods for infants, young children and geriatrics.
14. SAMAGRA ATTA (Year of release : 2018): Ultra low GI sorghum based multigrain flour rich in dietary fibre and antioxidants.
15. “PRATIKAR” MULTI GRAIN MIX FOR DIABETES (Year of release 2019): Low GI flour mix with functional food ingredients like red rice flour, black rice flour, foxtail millet flour, whole green gram flour, whole bengal gram flour and greens.
16. POSHTIK MULTIGRAIN ATTA FOR OBESITY (Year of release 2019): Contains whole wheat flour and other functional food ingredients like kidney beans flour, red rice flour, whole green gram flour, whole bengal gram flour and greens.
17. NUTRIENT DENSE MULTIGRAIN MIX FOR UNDER NUTRITION: Contains functional food ingredients such as popped foxtail millet, red rice flakes, sesame seed, roasted groundnut, roasted bengal gram, dates and jaggery
18. READY TO FRY FISH CRISP (Year of release : 2019): A healthy snack with goodness of fish. Made from rice flour and fish powder, developed from locally available small fish of Assam. High protein low carbohydrate snack. Good source of calcium and other minerals.
