Dr. Imana Pal

Dr. Imana Pal

Assistant Professor- Senior Scale

Profile Summary

Dr. Imana Pal is a food and nutrition expert with considerable research background in nutrition, product development, and health sciences. She received her PhD from the University of Calcutta, where her studies focused on the nutritional analysis, product development, and sensory evaluation of an indigenous fruit, as well as its health impacts in animal models. This study investigated the potential health advantages of native foods, focusing on their function in nutrition and disease prevention. 

Following her PhD, Dr. Pal worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Durban University of Technology, South Africa, where she contributed to a UNICEF funded project aimed at improving the school food environment across South Africa. She is also working on developing AI-based diabetic recipe generation, food waste reduction and valorisation and new food product development with indigenous and underutilised foods. 

Dr. Pal has published numerous articles in prestigious international journals, providing unique insights into food science, health promotion, and sustainable nutrition. Her research focuses on developing functional, health-promoting foods to address public health concerns and increase food security. She is passionate about developing scientific knowledge and practical solutions, and she continues to push the boundaries of food innovation while advocating for healthier, more sustainable food systems. 

Work Experience

Dr. Imana Pal worked previously as a postdoctoral scholar at Durban University of Technology (DUT) in South Africa, where she focused on sustainable development, food environments, and food security. She has over ten years of experience in teaching, research, and project management. Dr. Pal lectured at several colleges and presently working with DUT on AI diabetic recipe development project, providing guidance on nutrition and food waste valorisation. She also worked as a dietician in a multi-speciality hospital in Kolkata. She was also a voluntary member of the Institutional Research Ethics Committee at DUT. Currently she is supervising two master’s students at DUT on product development and food waste valorisation.

Research Interests

Sustainable Food System I Food Environment I Product development I Food waste management I Indigenous Foods

Teaching Philosophy

Dr. Imana Pal bases her teaching philosophy on the cultivation of an engaging, inclusive, and student-centred learning environment. With over a decade of teaching experience, Dr. Pal emphasises bridging theoretical concepts with real-world applications, particularly in the areas of food security, nutrition, and sustainable development. By employing interactive teaching methods, hands-on projects, and collaborative learning, Dr. Pal encourages critical thinking and problem-solving skills. She believes in nurturing students' curiosity and empowering them to become independent thinkers and change-makers. Her approach aims not just at academic excellence but also at fostering ethical leadership and a commitment to societal well-being.

Courses Taught

At Durban University of Technology (DUT), Dr. Imana Pal taught: 

1. Food and Food Science: Exploring the principles of food composition, processing, and nutritional value. 

2. Food Service and Practice: Focusing on the management and operational aspects of food service systems, with an emphasis on practical skills and industry standards.

Awards and Grants

Dr. Imana Pal served as the co-principal investigator on several funded projects aimed at promoting sustainable food systems. Notably, she collaborated with UNICEF on a project to enhance the school food environment in South Africa. Additionally, she contributed to a Durban University of Technology (DUT) initiative focused on developing AI diabetic recipe development project.

Scholarly Activities

2023                                        Rethinking and practicing the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) for  

                                               preventing food loss and waste to increase food security. In  

                                               Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Diets (Eds. Kathleen Kevany,  

                                               Paolo Prosperi). London: Routledge,  

                                               Taylor & Francis. DOI: 10.4324/9781003174417-48

 

2021                                        Fighting with Malnutrition and Reaching Sustainable                

                                              Development Goals through School Farming (Need Felt during    

                                              COVID 19 Situation). In School Farms: Feeding and Educating  

                                              Children (Eds. Alshimaa Aboelmakarem Farag, Samaa Badawi,  

                                              Gurpinder Lalli, Maya Kamareddine). London: Routledge, Taylor  

                                              & Francis. DOI: 10.4324/9781003176558-3

 

2021                                        Dragon Fruit: The New Functional Food and Its Potential Use in  

                                              Treating Co-morbid Diseases in the COVID-19 Situation. In  

                                              Strategies to Boost Immunity by Functional Foods to Combat COVID-19  

                                              (Ed. Apurba Giri). London: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis. DOI:  

                                              10.1201/9781003242604 

2021                                        Effect of Green Tea on Health: A Review. In March through Search  

                                              (Ed. Sudipta Ghosh, Suryatapa Das). Kolkata: Rohini Nandan.

 

 

ARTICLES PUBLISHED

 

2024                                        Stakeholder Perspectives on the School Food Environment:

                                                Insights from South African Learners—A Pilot Study. Nutrients.  

                                                https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16203542

 

2024                                        Product development with Cissus quadrangularis (HADJOD) to

                                                create awareness among young adults. South African Journal of Botany.  

                                               171 (July 2024: 719-725).

                                                https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2024.06.041

 

2023                                        Investigating the Behaviour and Practices of Household Food  

                                                Waste Disposal of Consumers in the Kwadukuza Municipality,  

                                                South Africa. Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science.  

                                              11.3 (December 202: 1229-1242.  

                                              https://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CRNFSJ.11.3.27

 

2022                                         Spirulina- A Marine Miracle for Sustainable Food System.    

                                                Marine Biology Research. DOI: 10.1080/17451000.2022.2101122