| Project Id
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BITSRMIT024B001266
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| Project Detail
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| Project Title
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Advancements in Quality Control, Purification Techniques, and Smart Packaging for Commercial Alcoholic Beverages
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| Senior Supervision Team (BITS)
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| Supervisor name and Title
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Nilanjan Dey
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School or Department (or company, if applicable)
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BITS PILANI, HYDERABAD CAMPUS
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|
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Email ID
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nilanjan@hyderabad.bits-pilani.ac.in
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| URL for more info
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https://universe.bits-pilani.ac.in/hyderabad/nilanjandey/Profile
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| a) Are you currently supervising a BITS or RMIT HDR student?
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YES
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| Please comment how many you are supervising
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4
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| b) Have you supervised an offshore candidate before?
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NO
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| If no, what support structures do you have in place?
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|
| If yes, please elaborate
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N
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| Senior Supervision Team (RMIT)
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| Supervisor name and Title
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Rajesh Ramanathan, Professor
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School or Department (or company, if applicable)
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STEM
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|
|
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Email ID
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rajesh.ramanathan@rmit.edu.au
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| URL for more info
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https://www.rmit.edu.au/profiles/r/rajesh-ramanathan
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| a) Are you currently supervising a BITS or RMIT HDR student?
|
YES
|
| Please comment how many you are supervising
|
9
|
| b) Have you supervised an offshore candidate before?
|
YES
|
| If no, what support structures do you have in place?
|
|
| If yes, please elaborate
|
I have supervised several AcSIR candidates to completion and students from EC Lyon through the AUFRANDE program. Three of these candidates have completed their PhD program.
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| Other Supervisors (BITS)
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| Supervisor name and Title
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School or Department (or company, if applicable)
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| Phone Number (Optional)
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|
Email ID
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|
| URL for more info
|
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| Other Supervisors (BITS)
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| Supervisor name and Title
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School or Department (or company, if applicable)
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| Phone Number (Optional)
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|
Email ID
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| URL for more info
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| Field of Research (For Codes)
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| 300602 | Food chemistry and food sensory science | 30.00 |
| 310607~371 | Nanobiotechnology | 40.00 |
| 340101 | Analytical spectrometry | 30.00 |
| 340108~372 | Sensor technology (incl. chemical aspects) | 40.00 |
| 340503 | Organic chemical synthesis | 40.00 |
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| Project Description
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|
Quality control measures for alcoholic beverages, especially wines, are of paramount importance to ensure that wines are safe for consumption. This includes monitoring for contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals, and microbiological hazards, which could pose health risks to consumers if present above permissible levels. This also ensures that each batch of wine maintains consistency in flavour, aroma, and overall sensory characteristics. This is particularly important for brands that strive to offer a distinct taste profile, as any deviation from the expected flavour can disappoint consumers and harm brand loyalty. Furthermore, proper quality control measures help ensure that wines are aged and stored correctly, preserving their quality over time. Factors such as temperature, humidity, and exposure to light can affect the aging process and ultimately affect the taste and quality of wine. Quality control should extend beyond the winery to the entire supply chain, including grape growers, suppliers of equipment and packaging materials, and distribution channels. By implementing rigorous quality control measures at every stage, wineries can ensure that only the highest quality ingredients and materials are used in the production process.
The adulteration of alcoholic beverages, including wine, can occur through various means. The practice of adding water or excess sugar without regard to quality can lead to imbalances in flavour and may violate regulatory standards. Sometimes, despite their hazardous impact on the body, artificial colourants or synthetic flavour enhancers are used to improve the taste of low-quality wines or to cover undesirable characteristics. Some producers add chemical preservatives, such as sulfites, sugar, acids, and glycerin, to prolong the shelf life of alcoholic beverages and prevent spoilage.
This project aims to develop optical sensors for the detection and estimation of chemical adulterants and preservatives in commercially available alcoholic beverages such as wine. In addition to detection, we will attempt to remove artificial adulterants from alcoholic beverages without hampering their flavour, aroma, and taste. This low-cost sensor will enable the preservation of the taste and quality of beverages. Additionally, the sensors and technologies developed through this project will be benchmarked with industry standards in collaboration with industry partners from the RMIT supervisor.
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| Project Deliverable/Outcomes
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1. Design, synthesis, and characterization of fluorescent organic molecules or organic-inorganic hybrid materials
2. Develop sensory systems to identify the presence and quantity of natural adulterants in alcohols such as sugars (fructose, glucose), water, and acids (maleic acid and acetic acid).
3. Design of optical sensors to identify the presence and quantity of artificial adulterants in alcohols, such as synthetic colourants and chemical preservatives.
4. Develop a low-cost method for the removal of artificial adulterants from commercial alcohols
5. Design of new packaging materials for the long-term storage of alcoholic beverages.
6. Benchmarking of newly developed optical sensors with other advanced analytical techniques for quality monitoring of alcoholic beverages
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| Research Impact Themes
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| BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES | AFFORDABLE HEALTH AND PREVENTABLE DISEASES |
| ADVANCED MATERIALS, MANUFACTURING AND FABRICATION | NOVEL MATERIALS |
| ADVANCED MATERIALS, MANUFACTURING AND FABRICATION | SPECIALISED MATERIALS |
| SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT
| SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES |
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| Which RMIT Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) does your project align to
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INDUSTRY, INNOVATION, AND INFRASTRUCTURE
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| Which RMIT Enabling Impact Platform (EIP) does your project align to
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ADVANCED MATERIALS, MANUFACTURING AND FABRICATION
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| Which RMIT Program code will this project sit under?
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DR229 (CHEM AND ENVIRO)
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| Student Capabilities and Qualifications
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GATE qualified
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Having knowdege in organic synthesis and basic spectroscopic studies
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MSC, M Tech, M. Pharma
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| Preferred discipline of Student
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| Biomedical Sciences |
| Chemical Engineering |
| Chemistry |
| Chemistry or Chemical Sciences |
| Chemistry, Electrochemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Coputational Chemistry, Colloids, Surface Chemistry, Catalysis |
| Materials Chemistry |
| MSc in material science |
|