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Dr. Hilda Vasanthakaalam

BSc (NFSM & D, BARATHIAR University, INDIA) MSc (FSM & D, BARATHIAR University, INDIA ) PhD (Food Science & Nutrition, TAMIL NADU AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY, INDIA)

Position: Head of Department, Senior Lecturer
Fields of expertise: Nutrition, Food processing and preservation, Fruit and legume processing
Cell: + 250 - 0788530367
Fax: + 250 - 571924

Professional member of Association for Food Science and Technologist of India (AFST, INDIA)
Professional Life member of Indian Dietetic Association (IDA, INDIA)

Professional Experience:
Since Jan 2005: Senior Lecturer, KIST, Kigali, Rwanda
July 2000 – Dec 2004: Lecturer, KIST, Kigali, Rwanda
Feb 2000 – June 2000: Lecturer, ISAE, Kigali, Rwanda
Oct 1996 – Dec 1999: Senior Lecturer, ISSR, India
May 1989 – Sept 1996: Lecturer, ISSR, India

Professional Trainings:

  • 2008/ 14th – 16th April - “GM food safety Assessment” training of Trainer, FAO/ Kenya Bureau of Standards/ Kenya Plant Inspectorate, Kenya

  • 2008/18th Jan – 8th March “e-Learning” training of the Trainer, KIST/GTZ/ Common Sense Germany

  • 2004/ 6th March – 6th April “Global Nutrition Training Program” (use of IT in higher education training in Foods & Nutrition), Swedish Agricultural University (SLU), Sweden

  • 2002/ 26th Aug – 4th September - “Hermetic storage of Grains” MINAGRI/Israel Ministry of Agriculture, Kigali

  • 1989/1st -30th June “Tourism Education” training of Trainer, WTO/ PATA/ ITDC/ Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India, Delhi

Country’s Principal Investigator: Enhancing Nutritional value and Marketability of Beans through Research and strengthening Key value chain stake holders in Uganda and Rwanda. Research team: Iowa State University, USA, MAK, Uganda, NaCCRI, Uganda, VEDCO, Uganda and KIST, Rwanda Funded by: USAID

Other Research Activities:

  • Improved Banana Technologies for market and income generation in Rwanda- collaborating as a research scientist with ISAR, funded by BANERSA
  • Processing for commercial exploitation of selected tree-fruits and vegetables in Tanzania and Rwanda - collaborating as a research scientist with ISAR, SUA, Tanzania funded by ASARECA

Research Areas of interest:
Use of food-processing technologies to improve the functional, nutritional, sensory and microbiological stability and quality of food systems.
Nutrition – Mitigation of community nutrition problems, nutrition education and similar activities.

International Travel: Travelled to some countries like Sweden, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Spain, Kenya and Uganda for trainings, paper presentations and research activities.

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