Dr. Imana Pal

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. 

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.

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

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.

Dr. Pal teaches Food Processing and Preservation, Principle of Dietetics and Therapeutic Nutrition to UG and PG students.

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.

Selected Book Chapters

• Pal, I. (2022). Rethinking and practising the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) for preventing food loss and waste to increase food security. In Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Diets (pp. 496-506). Routledge. Taylor & Francis. DOI: 10.4324/9781003174417-48
• Pal, I. (2021). Fighting malnutrition and reaching Sustainable Development Goals through school farming (during the COVID-19 pandemic): Scenario in some South Asian countries–India, Nepal, and Bhutan. In School Farms: Feeding and Educating Children (pp. 48-64). Routledge. DOI: 10.4324/9781003176558-3
• Pal, I. (2021). Dragon fruit: the new functional food and its potential use in treating co-morbid diseases in the COVID-19 situation. In Immunity Boosting Functional Foods to Combat COVID-19 (pp. 103-117). CRC Press. 10.1201/9781003242604
   

Selected Articles

• Pal, I., Naicker, A., Tshitaudzi, G., Singh, E. S., Grobbelaar, H., & Vilakazi, N. (2024). Stakeholder Perspectives on the School Food Environment: Insights from South African Learners—A Pilot Study. Nutrients, 16(20), 3542. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16203542 
• Pal, I., Singh, V., Naicker, A., & Palmer, K. (2024). Product development with Cissus quadrangularis (HADJOD) to create awareness among young adults. South African Journal of Botany, 171, 719-725. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2024.06.041   
• Pal, I., Naicker, A., & Grobbelaar, H. (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 Journal, 11(3), 1229-1242.   https://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CRNFSJ.11.3.27        
• Pal, I., & Bose, C. (2022). Spirulina-a marine miracle for sustainable food system. Marine Biology Research, 1-17. DOI: 10.1080/17451000.2022.2101122  

imana.pal@ddn.upes.ac.in