Qualifications:

• M.E. (Agricultural Processing)
 
• Ph.D. (Biological Systems Engineering)

Major Research Accomplishments

Whey protein isolate-starch films:
Technologies were developed for continuous production of starch-whey protein isolate films by twin-screw extrusion. The physical, mechanical and thermal properties of the films were characterized using Instron universal testing machine, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and water vapour permeability.

Biodegradability kinetics of dairy plant effluents in selected reactors:
Five treatment reactors of aerobic and anaerobic types namely activated sludge reactor, anaerobic fixed film reactor, UASB single stage and two stage reactor and combination of UASB-activated sludge reactors were designed and constructed. The performance of the reactors were evaluated and compared in terms of COD reduction, suspended and total solids removal. Among the reactors, 2-stage UASB and UASB-activated sludge reactors achieved COD treatment efficiencies in the range of 87 and 96.2%, respectively.

Sorption properties of dairy products:
The moisture sorption characteristics of kunda were established at 10, 25 and 40°C using gravimetric method. Similarly, the sorption properties of chhana podo were determined at 5 and 35°C. Various sorption models have been fitted to the equilibrium moisture content data to predict the sorption characteristics. The monolayer moisture contents and isosteric heat of sorption were also computed.

Value addition and quality enhancement of selected spices:
The performance of an indigenously available pepper threshers were evaluated. Three models of pepper threshers including a hand operated model were developed in collaboration with Tamil Nadu Agricultural University under NATP project. The power operated threshers had a capacity of 150 kg/h (drum type) and 75 kg/h (funnel type) while the hand operated thresher had a capacity of about 25 kg/h. Apart from these developed threshers, a commercially available thresher namely ‘Vivega Thresher’ was also evaluated for its performance.
A rotary hand-operated cleaner cum grader was also developed in this project. The cleaner cleans the pinheads and other small impurities and further grades the pepper into three commercially traded grades of <3.8 mm, < 4.8 mm and > 4.8 mm. The capacity of the unit was about 430 kg/h and the cleaning efficiency was about 66.5 per cent.

Awards:

• Bill A. and Rita L. Stout Outstanding International Graduate Student Award, Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
 
• Milton E. Mohr Fellowship, 2006-07, College of Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
 
• J.J. and Eleanor Ogle and Sue Wilson Fellowship, 2007-08, Office of Graduate Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
 
• Best paper award: Magdaline Eljeeva Emerald F., Menon Rekha Ravindra, Karunanithy C., Prasad S.A.D. and Heartwin Amaladhas P. 2004. Characterization of wastewater from select dairy processing operations: a management perspective. Journal of Dairy and Biosciences, 15 (1&2), 42 – 46.
 
• TNAU Merit Scholarship for master’s programme, 1995-96. Vellakoil V.Veeraswamy Memorial Medal for the highest OGPA in B.E.(Ag. Eng.), 1995, TNAU.
 
• G.R. Varadarajulu Memorial Medal for the best B.E. (Ag. Eng.) student of TNAU, 1995.

Training:

• Attended the 21-day Training programme on “Recent Advances in Value added Indigenous Dairy Products” conducted by Dairy Science College, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore. (9 -29th July 2003).
 
• Technology Transfer Workshop on Yoghurt, Cream spread and Biolassi. Organised by SRS, NDRI (22 – 23rd May 2003).

Patents, Technology, Methodology, Genetic Stock, Variety, etc.:

Publications:

• Heartwin Amaladhas, P., Marx, D.B. and Hanna, M.A. 2008. Effects of extrusion temperature and plasticizers on the physical and functional properties of starch-based films. Stärke/Starch, 60(10): 527-538.
 
• Jayaraj Rao, K., Heartwin Amaladhas, P., Magadaline Emerald, F., Ghosh, B.C., Balasubramanyam, B.V. and Satish Kulkarni (2006) Moisture sorption characteristics of Chhana Podo at 35°C. Journal of Food Engineering, 76: 453-459.
 
• Magdaline Eljeeva Emerald F., Menon Rekha Ravindra, Karunanithy C., Prasad S.A.D. and Heartwin Amaladhas P. 2004. Characterization of wastewater from select dairy processing operations: a management perspective. Journal of Dairy and Biosciences, 15 (1&2): 42-46.
 
• Magdaline Eljeeva Emerald F., Heartwin Amaladhas P., and Prasad S.A.D. 2005. Status of mechanization in manufacturing heat-desiccated dairy products. Agricultural Engineering Today (India), 28(3-4): 11-21.
 
• Prasad S. A. D., Ravindra M. R., Magdaline Eljeeva Emerald F. and Heartwin Amaladhas P. (2008). Nature and treatment of dairy plant effluents. Chapter 45. In: Environmental Science and Technology in India. Ed. Aravind Kumar, R. K. Somashekar. P 381- 386
 
• Heartwin Amaladhas P., John Zachariah T., Rajesh P. N., and Shinoj Subramanian. 2004. Effect of blanching and drying on quality of mace. Journal of Food Science & Technology, 41(3): 235-239.
 
• Heartwin Amaladhas P., Shinoj Subramanian, Balakrishnan M., Viswanathan R. and Sreenarayanan V.V. 2004. Performance evaluation of a cleaner-cum-grader for black pepper. Journal of Plantation Crops, 32(1): 32-36.
 
• Bimi G. B., Anandaraj M., Kumar A., Heartwin Amaladhas P. and Sarma Y R. 2004. Changes in microbial load of black pepper (Piper nigrum L) during processing. Journal of Food Science & Technology, 41(1): 77-79.
 
• Heartwin Amaladhas P., Rajesh P. N., John Zachariah T., Mathew P. A. and Shinoj Subramanian. 2003. Influence of harvesting and drying on quality of Piper chaba (Hunter). Journal of Plantation Crops, 31(1): 39-42.
 
• Heartwin Amaladhas P. and Hanna, M.A. 2009. Extruded whey protein isolate-starch films: characterization of physico-mechanical properties. Annual Research Fair, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, April 20-22.