Dr. Maninder Kaur joined as Scientist in the Department of Processing and Food Engineering at PAU, Ludhiana on 26th October 2020. Prior to this, she served as Assistant Professor at BGFI, Bathinda, and as Research Associate at PAU. She holds a B.Tech. in Agricultural Engineering (2013), M.Tech. (2015), and Ph.D. (2019) in Processing and Food Engineering from PAU, Ludhiana. Since 2023, she has also been serving as Assistant Warden of the Girls’ Hostel. Dr. Kaur is actively involved in research, teaching, and extension. Her research interests include post-harvest handling and processing of horticultural crops, design and development of food processing machinery, and small-scale novel thermal preservation technologies. She has published research papers, magazine articles, book chapters, and holds a patent for her Ph.D. work. She is also a member of the Agriculture and Food Processing Equipments Sectional Committee, Bureau of Indian Standards, The National Standards Body of India.

Professional Accomplishments

Research Projects:

1. Development of sensor platform for rapid detection of adulteration in turmeric powder under Mission of TandrustPunjab:Safe Food.
2. Development of pilot-scale cold plasma system for microbial safety and quality enhancement in fruits and vegetables by DST, Govt. of India.
3. Development and fabrication of low cost small scale multi fruit and vegetable grading machine under RKVY.
4. Ohmic heating processing technology for shelf stability of fruits and vegetables and their products.
5. Magnetic field assisted freezing of horticultural produce.
6. Intermittent effect of microwave radiation on germination quality of selected vegetable seeds.

Research Publications:

1. Samota M K, Yadav D K, Koli P, Kaur M, Kaur M, Rani H, Selvan S S, Mahala P, Tripathi K and Kumar S (2024). Exploring natural chalcones: innovative extraction techniques, bioactivities, and health potential. DOI: 10.1039/d4fb00126e.
2. Kaur M, Kumar S, Samota M K and Lalremmawii (2023). Ohmic heating technology systems, factors governing efficiency and its application to inactivation of pathogenic microbial, enzyme inactivation, and extraction of juice, oil, and bioactive compounds in the food sector. J Food Bioprocess Technol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-023-03126-w.
3. Samota M K, Kaur M, Sharma M, Sarita, Krishnan V, Thakur J, Rawat M, Phogat B and Guru P N (2023). Hesperidin from citrus peel waste: extraction and its health implications. Qual Assur Saf Crops Foods 15(2): 71–99.
4. Kaur M, Kumar M and Sethi V P (2022). Maintaining the freeze thawing characteristics of tomato through development and evaluation of magnetic field assisted freezing system. J Food Process Preserv.
5. Kaur M and Kumar M (2020). An innovation in magnetic field assisted freezing of perishable fruits and vegetables: a review. Food Rev Int 36(8): 761–780. DOI: 10.1080/87559129.2019.1683746.

Patents granted:

1. Mahesh Kumar, Maninder Kaur, V.P. Sethi and Derminder Singh (2025).“MAGNETIC FIELD ASSISTED FREEZING PROCESS FOR HORTICULTURAL PRODUCE”

Awards and Recognition:

• University Merit Scholarship during Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Programs
• University Senior Fellowship during Ph.D. Programme for highest OCPA
• Awarded University Gold Medal for Ph.D.
• Letter of appreciation as the part of accommodation committee in HUNAR2024 (AIU’s 37th Inter University National Youth Festival.
• Letter of appreciation as the part of prize distribution committee in State Youth Festival 2024.
• Letter of appreciation for arranging student’s visit to the Wheat and Rice Processing Plants from the Dean, Dr. Manmohanjit Singh, COA, BallowalSaunkhari