Department of Home Science

The Post Graduate Department of Home Science came into existence as a one-room undertaking housed in the Chemistry Department in June 1977. M.Sc. in Foods and Nutrition was the only course being offered at the start. Space constraints led to shifting of the department to the ground floor of the Mathematics building in the same campus from where it functioned for about ten years. The students seeking admission to the course were mainly the undergraduates who had specialized in Foods and Nutrition from the college of Home Science affiliated to the university.

Research & Development / Topic

Foods & Nutrition

=> Generating a database for Antioxidant properties of various Indian foods.
=> Studying the effect of herbal plants on gene expression under fructose induced diabetic condition.
=> Evaluation of antioxidant potential of selected plant based foods using animal and human models.
=> Evaluation of antioxidant potential of natural food products to prevent oxidation in fats and oils during frying.
=> Probiotic & synbiotic food product development
=> Nutraceuticals, Organic foods
=> Adolescent Obesity
=> Long-term Effect of deficient and excess calcium on bone mineral status.
=> Osteoporosis prevalence in the local community of Anand and V.V.Nagar.
=> Functional foods for preventive health
=> Screening of SNP’s in obese people

Food Biotechnology

=> Tempeh: traditionally soya-based, to be prepared from other low-cost cereals, pulses, millets and their combination
=> Bioprocessing (Germination and Fermentation) of various agricultural produce to enhance their functional and nutraceutical properties.
=> Production of Lactic acid using agricultural wastes
=> Detection of food borne pathogens from different food samples by DNA based molecular methods
=> Molecular analysis of probiotic strains
=> Yoghurt and other dairy preparations and their evaluations
=> Immobilization technique for enhancing probiotic activity.
=> Food Matrix immobilization techniques for enhancing probiotic activity

Family Resource Management

=> Ergonomic assessment of Agricultural Tools and Occupational personnel’s postures
=> Income Generating activities among women
=> Energy Consumption and conservation
=> Consumer Awareness Enhancement (consumer clubs, children as consumer)
=> Communication pattern and effectiveness in housekeeping organizations
=> Managerial practices of various groups of women
=> Decision making ability and its enhancement in adolescent girls
=> Environment awareness Enhancement
=> Saving pattern of Women Entrepreneurs
=> Interior Space Design and Awareness