Centurion University of Technology and Management

Nutraceuticals
Domain

"Innovating Functional Foods for Better Health and Wellness"

M. S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture · Paralakhemundi, Odisha

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What is the Nutraceuticals Domain?

The Nutraceutical Domain at Centurion University focuses on the development of functional foods, dietary supplements, and health-promoting products using scientific and technological approaches.

The domain integrates food science, biotechnology, pharmacology, nutrigenetics, and analytical chemistry to create innovative healthcare solutions relevant to functional foods, pharmaceuticals, food processing, wellness, and herbal/Ayurvedic product manufacturing.

Students gain interdisciplinary knowledge and practical exposure in product development, analytical testing, food safety, and health-oriented innovations — preparing them for careers in research, quality assurance, clinical nutrition, and entrepreneurship. The domain also emphasizes personalized nutrition, immune boosters, antioxidants, omega-3 supplements, and bioactive compound research.

Research activities in the Nutraceuticals domain

Domain Coordinator

Dr. Preetha Bhadra – Domain Coordinator
Dr. Preetha Bhadra
Head & Associate Professor
Department of Biotechnology
M. S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture
Centurion University of Technology and Management
Paralakhemundi, Odisha
📞 +91 9073388391

Laboratories & Facilities

World-class laboratories and specialized field units providing comprehensive infrastructure for nutraceutical research and development.

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Nutraceutical Research Laboratory

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Food Processing Laboratory

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Functional Food Development Laboratory

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Food Chemistry & Biochemistry Laboratory

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Microbiology Laboratory

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Analytical Testing Laboratory

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Packaging & Preservation Unit

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Drug Designing & Bioinformatics Lab

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Organic Farming & Medicinal Plant Field Units

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Product Development & Incubation Unit

Key Machinery & Equipment

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Freeze Dryer

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Pulverizer & Grinder

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UV-Visible Spectrophotometer

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Centrifuge Machines

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Soxhlet Extraction Unit

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Laminar Air Flow Chamber

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Autoclave

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pH Meter & Moisture Analyzer

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Packaging & Sealing Machines

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Fermentation Units

Analytical Instruments

State-of-the-art analytical instruments enabling high-precision nutraceutical compound analysis, food safety testing, and bioactive research.

HPLC – High Performance Liquid Chromatography

HPLC – Shimadzu i-Series

High Performance Liquid Chromatography used for nutrient profiling, antioxidant analysis, and phytochemical separation with high precision.

ICP-MS – Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

ICP-MS – NexION 1000

Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry for ultra-trace elemental analysis in food, supplements, and herbal nutraceutical products.

GC-MS – Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry

GC-MS – Shimadzu Nexis GC-2030

Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry for identification of bioactive volatile compounds and comprehensive food safety analysis.

LC-MS – Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry

LC-MS – PerkinElmer System

Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry for advanced nutraceutical compound identification, quality testing, and targeted metabolomics.

Modern Technologies

Technology / Software / ToolApplication in the Domain
HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography)Nutrient profiling, antioxidant analysis, and phytochemical separation
GC-MSIdentification of bioactive compounds and food safety analysis
LC-MSAdvanced nutraceutical compound analysis and quality testing
Discovery Studio SoftwareDrug design, molecular docking, and nutrigenomics studies
Bioinformatics ToolsProtein structure analysis and nutrigenetic studies
Automated Drying SystemsDehydration and preservation of fruits and herbal products
Food Packaging TechnologyShelf-life enhancement and preservation studies
SpectrophotometersDetermination of vitamins, antioxidants, pigments, and polyphenols
Microbial Testing SystemsFood safety and microbiological analysis
Smart Fermentation UnitsDevelopment of probiotics and functional foods

Practical Skills & Training

  • Development of Functional Foods & Nutraceutical Products — energy bars, immune boosters, omega-3 capsules, fortified beverages
  • Food Testing & Quality Analysis — nutritional analysis, antioxidant testing, food adulteration detection
  • Drug Designing & Molecular Docking — use of Discovery Studio and bioinformatics software
  • Extraction & Analysis of Bioactive Compounds — polyphenols, antioxidants, pigments, essential oils
  • Food Preservation & Packaging Techniques — drying, dehydration, sealing, storage, shelf-life analysis
  • Microbial & Safety Testing — food microbiology, contamination analysis, hygiene standards
  • Product Development & Entrepreneurship Training — commercial nutraceutical product formulation and startup exposure
  • Organic & Herbal Product Development — biopesticides, biofertilizers, medicinal plant applications
Students working in the HPLC laboratory Training session in the laboratory Research activities – formulation workshop Student working on the GC-MS instrument

Domain Highlights

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Interdisciplinary integration of Food Science, Biotechnology, and Healthcare

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Strong focus on functional foods and personalized nutrition research

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Hands-on industrial training and project-based learning approach

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Advanced analytical technologies: HPLC, LC-MS, GC-MS, ICP-MS

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Research-oriented curriculum with product development opportunities

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Industry-linked learning through dedicated food testing laboratories

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Entrepreneurship and startup support in nutraceutical product development

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Sustainable and health-oriented innovations for future wellness industries

Domain Objectives

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Skill Development

Develop hands-on skills in nutraceutical formulation, testing, analytical techniques, and food processing.

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Practical Learning

Exposure to laboratory experiments, industrial practices, and product development through live projects.

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Industry Readiness

Prepare students for nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and food industries with industrial SOPs and quality standards.

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Technology Exposure

Training in modern analytical instruments, software tools, and biotechnology & nutrigenomics applications.

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Innovation

Encourage development of innovative health foods and wellness products through startup culture and research.

Course Curriculum

Course Code Course Title Credits Type (T+P+P) Intake Offered From
Nutraceuticals (Total) 29 3+9+17 60 Paralakhemundi
CUNU2280Introduction to Nutraceutical31+2+0
CUNU2281Functional Food31+2+0
CUNU2282Nutrigenetics31+2+0
CUNU2283Development of Personalized Food and Medicine30+1+2
CUNU2284Development of Biopesticides and Biofertilizers30+1+2
CUNU2285Development of Immune Boosters30+1+2
CUNU2286AELP Project110+0+11

Future Scope

🎓 Career Opportunities

  • Nutraceutical Scientist
  • Food Technologist
  • Quality Assurance Officer
  • Food Analyst
  • Research Associate
  • Product Development Executive
  • Clinical Nutrition Consultant
  • Regulatory Affairs Executive

📚 Higher Studies

  • M.Sc./Ph.D. in Food Science & Technology
  • Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods
  • Biotechnology
  • Clinical Nutrition
  • Pharmaceutical Sciences

🏭 Industry Opportunities

  • Pharmaceutical industries
  • Food processing companies
  • Wellness & healthcare companies
  • Food safety & testing laboratories

🚀 Startup Scope

  • Functional food startups
  • Herbal wellness product manufacturing
  • Nutritional supplement production
  • Organic health food ventures
  • Personalized nutrition services

The global nutraceutical industry is rapidly expanding due to increasing awareness about preventive healthcare, immunity enhancement, and personalized nutrition, making this domain highly future-oriented and industry relevant.