Mekala Venkatachalam is a highly educated and experienced professional in the field of Microbial Fermentation and Food technology. She received her Ph.D. in Microbial Biotechnology from Université de La Réunion in 2017, where she conducted research on the use of microorganisms to produce pigments for various applications in the food industry. Prior to her doctoral studies, she completed her MS.c in Food Quality and Innovation from University of Leeds in 2012, where she focused on the development of new food products and quality control measures. Venkatachalam's passion for food technology began during her undergraduate studies at Anna University, Chennai, where she earned her B.Tech in Food Technology in 2011. She then went on to gain valuable experience in the industry, working as a Research Associate at Kemin Food Technologies and as an Innovation Scientist at Sensient Bionutrients. Currently, Venkatachalam works as a Consultant and Subject Matter Expert, utilizing her extensive knowledge and expertise to provide guidance and support to various organizations in the biosciences industry on fermentation related projects. With her strong background in research and development, as well as her practical experience in food and microbial technology, she is able to offer valuable insights and innovative solutions to complex challenges. Throughout her career, Venkatachalam has published several research papers and has presented her work at various conferences and seminars. She is dedicated to staying updated on the latest advancements in her field and is committed to using her skills and knowledge to contribute to the growth and advancement of the food and biosciences industry.

Mekala Venkatachalam

PhD in microbial biotechnology with production of microbial pigments using fermentation technologies

Illinois

Research Expertise

Food Science

Microbial fermentation

Bioprocessing

Pigments

Colorants

Drug Discovery

Pharmaceutical Science

Agronomy and Crop Science

Microbiology (medical)

Microbiology

Prebiotics, probiotics & postbiotics

Yeast extracts, microbial nutrients

About

Legacy Map

Full View

Publications

Modeling and optimization of ultrasound-assisted extraction of polysaccharide from Cucurbita moschata

Carbohydrate Polymers

2013

Anthraquinones and Derivatives from Marine-Derived Fungi: Structural Diversity and Selected Biological Activities

Marine Drugs

2016

Modeling and optimization of betalain extraction from Opuntia ficus-indica using Box–Behnken design with desirability function

Industrial Crops and Products

2013

Pigments and Colorants from Filamentous Fungi

Fungal Metabolites

2017

Production and New Extraction Method of Polyketide Red Pigments Produced by Ascomycetous Fungi from Terrestrial and Marine Habitats

Journal of Fungi

2017

Phenolic Compounds in Food

Unknown Venue

2018

Partial characterization of the pigments produced by the marine-derived fungus Talaromyces albobiverticillius 30548. Towards a new fungal red colorant for the food industry

Journal of Food Composition and Analysis

2018

Salinity and Temperature Influence Growth and Pigment Production in the Marine-Derived Fungal Strain Talaromyces albobiverticillius 30548

Microorganisms

2019

Production of pigments from the tropical marine-derived fungi Talaromyces albobiverticillius : New resources for natural red-colored metabolites

Journal of Food Composition and Analysis

2018

Biodiversity of Pigmented Fungi Isolated from Marine Environment in La Réunion Island, Indian Ocean: New Resources for Colored Metabolites

Journal of Fungi

2017

Statistical Optimization of the Physico-Chemical Parameters for Pigment Production in Submerged Fermentation of Talaromyces albobiverticillius 30548

Microorganisms

2020

Natural Substrates and Culture Conditions to Produce Pigments from Potential Microbes in Submerged Fermentation

Fermentation

2022

OVAT Analysis and Response Surface Methodology Based on Nutrient Sources for Optimization of Pigment Production in the Marine-Derived Fungus Talaromyces albobiverticillius 30548 Submerged Fermentation

Marine Drugs

2021

Scale-Up of Pigment Production by the Marine-Derived Filamentous Fungus, Talaromyces albobiverticillius 30548, from Shake Flask to Stirred Bioreactor

Fermentation

2023

Pigment Production Using Submerged Fermentation

Fermentation

2024

Education

Université de La Réunion

Ph.D., Microbial Biotechnology / November, 2017

Saint-Denis

University of Leeds

MS.c, Food Quality and Innovation / September, 2012

Leeds

Anna University, Chennai

B.Tech, Food Technology / May, 2011

Chennai

Experience

Self-employed

Consultant and Subject Matter Expert / April, 2021 — Present

Helping clients with technology scouting, incremental innovation, groundbreaking innovative microbial fermentation projects

Sensient Bionutrients

Innovation Scientist / March, 2021 — December, 2023

Executed R&D projects for biosciences clients in food, human, animal, BioAg sectors by developing microbial nutrients, fermentation optimization, scale-up, commercialization

Universite de La Reunion

Research Scientist / April, 2018 — March, 2021

Conducted primary research to identify, isolate novel microbial pigments from fungi, handled collaboration with companies & universities, published several scientific papers, delivered workshops and lectures to internal & external audiences

Universite de La Reunion

Doctoral Reseacher / January, 2014 — November, 2017

Led and executed microbial fermentation projects from bacteria and fungi to culture, identify, isolate, characterize, elucidate microbial pigments and enzymes for food, pharma, cosmetic applications

Kemin Food Technologies

Research Associate / May, 2013 — October, 2013

Formulating antioxidants and antimicrobials for food product applications. Cross functional work with sales team and test marketing, organized trade shows and conferences

Links & Social Media

ORCID

Join Dr. Venkatachalam on NotedSource!

Join Now

At NotedSource, we believe that professors, post-docs, scientists and other researchers have deep, untapped knowledge and expertise that can be leveraged to drive innovation within companies. NotedSource is committed to bridging the gap between academia and industry by providing a platform for collaboration with industry and networking with other researchers.

For industry, NotedSource identifies the right academic experts in 24 hours to help organizations build and grow. With a platform of thousands of knowledgeable PhDs, scientists, and industry experts, NotedSource makes connecting and collaborating easy.

For academic researchers such as professors, post-docs, and Ph.D.s, NotedSource provides tools to discover and connect to your colleagues with messaging and news feeds, in addition to the opportunity to be paid for your collaboration with vetted partners.