We need scalable food systems that not only ensure we have enough food sources to feed our growing population but also enable development of high-quality food, alternative meat products, and pet and aqua foods.
Debomitra Dey, our next pathbreaker, Advanced Application Scientist at Anton Paar (Virginia), works as part of the Extrusion Processing and Ingredient Characterization group.
Debomitra talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about her PhD focused on developing approaches to increase the fiber content of puffed snack foods such as Cheetos or Kurkure, without compromising the puffiness in our favourite snacks.
For students, if you feel a deep sense of responsibility towards shaping a healthy and sustainable world, a career in food science is for you !
Debomitra, Your background?
Assuming humans live upto 100, I spent the first quarter of my life in the bustling city of Mumbai, India. I recall almost every day, and to date, I learn something new, absorbing whatever I see around. While at school, I was a sincere student, completing tasks on time and participating in sports and drama. Moreover, I enjoyed storytelling and writing during my growing-up days. I read very little, but as I grew older, I stumbled upon the world of books, and that habit still sticks strong.
My parents, both of whom studied sciences, my father, a trained civil engineer, and my mother, a teacher, inculcated scientific acumen while I was growing up, which stays with me today. I loved studying History, Geography, Chemistry, and Physics at school, but I wasn’t a big fan of math. But today, I appreciate math a little more than before, since I understand the real-world applications of those mathematical principles and how they shape our lives.
I had some inclination toward choosing Science as a major after 10th grade. I studied Biology, Physics, Math, and Chemistry in 11th and 12th grade and realized I appreciated different aspects of each subject. Hence, I kept the door open for both Engineering and Medicine as career options. I appeared for various entrance exams during that time.
Eventually, I decided to settle on Biotechnology because that was an up-and-coming field. Another motivation to choose that domain can be credited to my sister, who studied Biotechnology and paved the way for me to follow.
What did you do for graduation/post graduation?
I joined an undergraduate program in Biotechnology in 2010. Back then, the field was in its nascent stages, and there were not many jobs available for fresh graduates. Yet, I tried to consider my options for the job market, but the opportunities were limited. The next option was to go overseas to obtain a master’s degree. That was another thing I wanted to avoid, given the high costs of international degrees and the competitive scholarships.
I decided to take a one-year gap and worked as a marketing intern at an OTT firm. My parents were initially skeptical about this decision, but eventually I convinced them of my plans and aspirations. Though this job was poles apart from my educational training, it provided me with key lessons in engaging with people from varied backgrounds, putting myself out there, data analysis, etc. I still have these skills in my back pocket and use them as needed.
While working on this job, I was taking online courses in food science and preparing for exams such as GATE. The GATE exam was a humbling experience for me; I think I cleared it on my third attempt.
I did my master’s in food technology at SRM Institute of Science and Technology. This degree allowed me to dive deep into food sciences and understand the fundamentals of the field. Similar to my undergraduate studies, during my graduate studies, we had to work on a one-year research project, which helped me decide to pursue a PhD in Food Science.
What were some of the key influences that led you to such an offbeat, unconventional, and unique career in Food Science?
I cannot count on my fingers the people, situations, and even strangers who continuously motivate me to be better in every moment. These people include my family, teachers, friends, and mentors over the years. My older sister influenced me during the little time I spent with her studying Biotechnology. Then, moving on to entering food science, the trigger was my fascination with food and how some biochemistry-alchemy spell worked to transform raw ingredients into my favourite dishes.
Keeping an open mind, jumping on opportunities, and always seeking new paths have always helped me find new paths. My time as an intern at CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) helped me build a strong foundation in food science and realize how much I love research. It sparked my curiosity and pushed me to learn more and diversify.
During my master’s, I participated in many events, including organizing conferences, conducting research, competing in oral presentations, and learning to present research to non-technical audiences. In addition, the one-year thesis project made me sure that I am ready to continue research in food science to help feed our planet.
Tell us about your career path
I received my Bachelor of Technology degree in Biotechnology from Mumbai. I studied a variety of courses, including Genetics, Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Physiology, Anatomy, Genetic Engineering, Nanotechnology, Plant Tissue Culture, and Animal Tissue Culture. However, Fermentation was one topic that stuck with me. I was introduced to this course, if memory serves, during my 5th semester.
And this is right about the time I started digging deep into the world of Food Science and Technology. I considered pivoting at this point and began exploring training options in food science. As part of the undergraduate program, we had to spend the last semester conducting individual research projects.
I reached out to CSIR- CFTRI and applied for a research project. Fortunately, I spent six months working on a research project on Food Microbiology. I joined CFTRI as a project intern, where I was working on my dissertation for 6 months. I worked in the Food Microbiology department, where, of course, I was trained in multiple analytical techniques, and skills such as scientific writing, experimental design, statistics (data analysis), working with Excel, and working with other scientists and researchers. This experience was wholesome as I met scientists working in varied fields, gained access to amazing instrumentation facilities, and heard stories from stalwarts in the field of food science and technology. My project focused on isolating lactic acid bacteria from fermented vegetables of North-East India. It was a Department of Biotechnology-funded project. I contributed a minuscule amount to the whole project, which took about 5 years to completion.
At CSIR-CFTRI, I got my boots on the ground and had the opportunity to learn about the world of food science. I was mesmerized and motivated to pursue a career in food science. This was my “moment of inception.” After this, I enrolled in a master’s degree in food technology and later joined a PhD program in Food Science at Washington State University.
I also interned at Mondelez India for 2 months during my master’s program. I worked in the Quality Department, where I was responsible for performing routine quality tests on products from the plant. I also worked on microbiological testing, sensory analysis, and packaging material testing.
I took some time off before I started my PhD program in December 2018. During my time off, I worked with two companies: one as an intern at a food-testing laboratory and another as an R&D trainee. During my time at these jobs, I got more exposure to the practical world of the food industry. At the food testing lab, I wore multiple hats, worked on accelerated shelf testing and sensory analysis, and conducted audits in food services and facilities management. I worked on two sides of the industry: production and final product quality testing.
There was another passion project I started with a dear friend called The Food Tech Club (TFTC). This platform was a food science communication platform that shared the story of food science with the masses. I collaborated with a bunch of people across industry and academia and developed resources, including blogs, videos, and podcasts. This was a gratifying experience, and I intend to continue doing that. TFTC took a hiatus, and I am working on reviving it as we speak.
What was the problem statement of your PhD? Can you explain your research?
My PhD thesis was focused on developing solutions to increase the fiber content of puffed snack foods such as Cheetos or Kurkure. We tend to under-consume dietary fiber daily, and this problem is prevalent across nations. Humans like snacking, and snacking should be made easy. How amazing would it be to have your fibre portion included in a couple of snacks? That is precisely what I was trying to achieve during my 3.5 years of PhD. I worked on developing strategies in which we keep increasing the fiber content without compromising the puffiness in our favourite snacks.
To achieve this goal, I utilized chemistry, physics, and rheology (the Science of material flow), along with techniques such as spectroscopy and microscopy, to understand the material properties. And then take these learnings to process the snacks using extrusion processing. We successfully demonstrated a few strategies to increase fiber intake and contributed to the current literature. I am sure many more studies are being performed as we speak. This is what I love about Science: it is evolving, and we keep learning something new every day.
How did you get your first break?
I started looking for jobs a year before my PhD defense. Since I was finishing up during the COVID years, there weren’t many job openings. So, I started reaching out to companies on LinkedIn and started connecting with the alums from my lab and department to get a sense of the industry landscape. Fortunately, I found an opening through one of my connections, and things worked out for me. I joined CW Brabender, a German instrumentation company, where I developed instrumentation for analyzing materials and designed manufacturing lab-scale extrusion systems. I was employed as a Food Extrusion Specialist. My responsibilities included developing novel applications for extrusion processing, commissioning extrusion systems, and working closely with the R&D department at headquarters on market development and scoping projects. The job provided flexibility to collaborate and partner across industry and academia to work on projects. I was fortunate to have good mentors and guides throughout my time there. I couldn’t have asked for a better first job.
What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?
I have had countless challenges over these years. However, I will talk about two relevant obstacles in my career choices. After my master’s, I was open to applying for jobs and PhD programs; however, opportunities in both academia and the job market were limited. I had to make a tough decision to leave my home and family and head to the USA for my PhD. Applying for a PhD program in the USA was a herculean task; there was no blueprint available. I cold-emailed professors for months and simultaneously prepared for the standard tests. I didn’t receive responses but didn’t stop and kept sending emails. And one fine day, I received a green signal, and since then, there has been no looking back.
The next challenge, of course, was packing my bags, flying to an unknown land, and setting up a new life. The first six months were quite challenging, with adjusting to the newness of the country’s culture, academic setting, and work culture, feeling homesick, becoming independent, meeting people from different countries (sometimes from countries you hadn’t heard of), and more. It’s a matter of time; we, as humans, are incredibly adaptable, and I have eventually adapted and am still evolving to my new surroundings. The friends I made during my time in graduate school helped me sail through the journey. The PhD journey is not a sprint but a marathon that tests your endurance and evolves your life both personally and professionally.
Where do you work now?
I am employed as an Advanced Application Scientist at Anton Paar USA. Anton Paar is a leading instrumentation company headquartered in Austria. I work with the Extrusion Processing and Ingredient Characterization group.
Anton Paar, like my previous employer, is an instrument manufacturing company, but a much larger one. Anton Paar develops, produces, and distributes highly accurate laboratory instruments and process-measuring systems, and provides custom-tailored automation and robotic solutions.
What problems do you solve?
I work closely with our sales and marketing teams. Since we sell instrumentation, I support our sales team in qualifying sales with customers. My role is customer-focused, in which I understand their requirements and deliver proof-of-concept solutions to ensure our solutions meet their needs. In addition, I am involved with many outreach activities for the company. I regularly teach short courses, attend conferences, and publish research papers.
What skills are needed for your role? How did you acquire the skills?
I was fortunate to develop the skills for my current job during my PhD. I worked on multiple projects and collaborated with a variety of people, which helped me understand people management and work on continuous improvement. Certain job-specific skill sets can be quickly learned on the go.
What’s a typical day like?
Each day is different at work, which is what drives me to go to the office. There are days when I am immersed in experimenting with multiple formulations for extrusion processing, making snacks, dog/cat/fish food, or making plant-based meat products. On other days, I am solving issues our customers face while extruding their materials. Some days, I might be in meetings with the sales teams or working on a marketing campaign. I also need to work on training/mentoring other application engineers or new colleagues. Since my job is customer-facing, I also travel frequently.
What is it you love about this job?
The fact that every day is different and that I can meet people from various areas of expertise. This allows me to learn every day.
How does your work benefit society?
As a food scientist, my goal is to improve our food system and ensure we have enough food sources to feed our growing population. In my day job, I support our customers in identifying solutions for characterizing ingredients and ensuring the processing of high-quality food and feed products, including high-fiber snacks, alternative meat products, and pet and aqua foods. Extrusion processing is a promising technology utilized for the mass production of food. This technology can provide food for both developing and developed countries. However, at night, I am a curious reader of books and a scientist, reading current research and peer-reviewing research articles to ensure the journal publishes high-quality research that can be utilized by industry. And on weekends, I work on my non-funded research activities, such as hiking, trying good food, cooking in my kitchen, and writing short stories. Occasionally, I try to take time to mentor students in food science.
Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!
With the learnings over the years, it brings me immense joy to solve real-world issues. There are instances when our stakeholders are stuck with application issues, need support with processing, or require proof-of-concept for novel applications.
Your advice to students based on your experience?
Two pieces of advice that can be difficult at times. Honestly, I still have difficulty following this advice, but I keep trying. First, don’t stop making friends and never shy away from reaching out to people. I realized it’s always good to network wherever you go, even if the person you are meeting doesn’t work in your field. Second, keep an open mind and pick any opportunity that comes your way. We all wear multiple hats and do pretty much everything. Ensure you are not just developing skills in your area of work but also investing time in auxiliary skills that might be useful for future opportunities.
Future Plans?
My forthcoming plans evolve every week. But the one plan that stuck with me is the new boom of the AI and ML world. I am working to learn about AI and how to implement it in my professional and personal development goals.