PhD student from India has recipe for success in sustainable protein alternatives

Aotearoa New Zealand’s reputation for taking sustainable technologies from idea to reality and our world-renowned dairy industry was the driving force for Akashdeep’s decision to undertake his PhD at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University. Through his research, Akashdeep is now playing an integral role in shaping the future of our food.

As a child, Akashdeep loved to help his grandparents on the family farm in Punjab where they raised cattle, producing dairy products to feed their local community. Supporting his family gave Akashdeep a deep insight into the highs and lows of running a dairy farm and sparked a curiosity to find new ways to produce food in an environmentally sustainable way.

This curiosity later turned into research as Akashdeep undertook an Agricultural Science degree and then a postgraduate Masters in Dairy Science at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), formerly Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). These studies marked only the beginning in Akashdeep’s journey to uncover new technologies that will significantly change global food production and the way people consume everyday food products.

Akashdeep’s study pathway took an interesting turn during his master’s when he was introduced to the diaspora of PAU alumni, including Distinguished Professor Harjinder Singh, on the other side of the world in Palmerston North.

“My master’s supervisor had taken up a short-term research position at the Riddet Institute, which created strong connections between our two universities. This later opened the door for me to approach the Riddet Institute for a potential research project to pursue my PhD,” Akashdeep says.

It was the reputation of New Zealand’s dairy industry, including Fonterra, and particularly the strength of Massey University’s food science and research department that put New Zealand at the top of Akashdeep’s list to undertake his PhD.

Akashdeep’s research looked to improve the functionalities of plant and dairy proteins and convert these to meat products. Many advancements had been made in producing plant-based dairy and meat alternatives, but they lacked nutritional value. Akashdeep’s research filled that gap. He found a way to recreate meat products that taste, look, and smell the same while holding the same nutritional value as animal proteins.

The research environment at Massey University meant that Akashdeep had the opportunity to collaborate with a range of research institutions including internationally acclaimed food research organisation, the Riddet Institute, government agencies and industry partners such as Miruku.

“The hub brings together all of the world-class talent under one roof and accelerates food innovation. The companies bring the ideas and the business plan and then with the support of the university and Riddet Institute, teams can collaborate and bring their innovation to life right through to the commercial stage,” Akashdeep says.

It was through working in the food hub that Akashdeep discovered that they could emulate a cow’s digestion process of turning grass into milk protein in the laboratory. Again, these share all the same properties of milk in terms of appearance and nutritional value. Such a breakthrough is ground-breaking for the future of our food industry. Cost-effective and efficient laboratory-grown dairy and meat protein which is no different from that produced from an animal will have significant benefits for our environment and climate-friendly food production aspirations.

Akashdeep has high praise for his team of researchers, all of whom come from right around the globe, and have been attracted to work at the food-tech hub that Palmerston North is now renowned for.

Akashdeep’s PhD supervisor, Professor Jaspreet Singh says the collaboration between teams and individuals who come from 10 different countries is a true strength of the set-up in Palmerston North.

“People might think that New Zealand is far away from the rest of the world, and yes on the map this is true, but our team and our work puts us right in the centre of the action when it comes to finding solutions to global food security problems,” Professor Singh adds.

When it came to settling into New Zealand and adapting to a different language, pace of life, and culture, Akashdeep says he and his wife, Sukhmanpuneet, who is studying to be a veterinarian at Massey University, were made to feel very welcome and immediately found a sense of belonging.

“We found the people here to be very kind and generous with their time which helped us settle in. I also really appreciate New Zealand values and the active lifestyle that is promoted here. This helped me when I needed to destress as I quickly realised that a brisk walk, surf or run would help me recalibrate and balance my lab life with the outdoors. I joined several clubs including the Massey University Handball team to meet new people.

“I have also been involved in the community and coach the Manawatū Special Olympics football team. I have a wonderful relationship with these players and other coaches, and I thoroughly enjoy my time spent with this great bunch of athletes.

“I would say that the most difficult thing I found when settling in was getting used to the Kiwi accent. Fortunately, most people have been very patient with me and a good friend gave me the good advice to concentrate on the keywords and the rest will follow!”

This article was republished with the permission of Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao.