VM Balasubramaniam

Dr. V. M. Balasubramaniam, known as Dr. Bala, is the Koehler–Ayres Professor of Food Processing and Sustainable Food Manufacturing Systems in the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of Georgia in Griffin, Georgia. Before joining UGA, he was a professor of food engineering at The Ohio State University from 2002 to 2025 and worked at the National Center for Food Safety and Technology (now Instiute of Food Safety and Health), Illinois Institute of Technology from 1995 to 2002.

Research and Impact
Dr. Bala’s research focuses on developing safer, healthier, and more sustainable ways to process and preserve food. He studies how high-pressure and other innovative technologies can destroy harmful microorganisms while maintaining food’s nutritional value and quality. His work also explores new ways to extract proteins and fats and valaubale ingredients from food materials, develop improved sanitation methods that reduces water use, and turn food byproducts into valuable products. These efforts help improve food safety, reduce waste, and make food manufacturing more sustainable. Dr. Bala works with food processors and equipment makers to turn research into industrial practice through pilot-scale demonstrations and food safety validation studies.

Leadership and Professional Service
Dr. Bala helped establish the Nonthermal Processing Division of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a professional organization for food scientists and industry experts. He has served in several leadership roles in IFT Nonthermal Processing and Food Engineering Divisions. Since 2000, he has also contributed to international workshops and training programs that share advances in food processing technology with researchers and food industry professionals around the world.

Mentoring and Education
Dr. Bala taught principles of food processing and engineering to about 3000 undergraduate and graduate students from Illinois Instiute of Technology and The Ohio State University. Dr. Bala has mentored 15 doctoral students, 17 master’s students, 12 postdoctoral researchers, 19 visiting scholars around the globe. He currently advises three doctoral students and one postdoctoral researcher. Many of his former students and researchers now work in the food industry or have pursued careers in universities and research.

Publications and Recognition
Dr. Bala (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1540-4273) has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed research papers, 31 book chapters, and numerous technical reports and educational resources. He holds six invention disclosures and one patent (pending), has co-edited four books on food processing, and has delivered approximately 270 presentations at scientific meetings, universities, and industry events. As of October 2026, his Google Scholar h-index is 57, reflecting the influence of his published research. Stanford University research rankings have recognized him among the world’s top 2% of scientists in the field of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry, with a specialization in food science and engineering.

His contributions to food engineering have earned recognition from the scientific community. In 2021, he received the Institute of Food Technologists Research and Development Award. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST), and the Indian Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ISAE).

Dr. Bala’s work combines research, education, and industry collaboration to help make food safer, preserve its nutritional value, reduce waste, and advance sustainable food manufacturing.