Khem Shahani

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Khem Shahani
University of Bombay (B.S., M.S.)
Known forAcidophilus DDS-1 Strain research
AwardsBorden Award (1964)
Gamma Sigma Delta International Award for Distinguished Service (1966)
Pfizer Award (1977)
Outstanding Scientist Award (1977)
Scientific career
FieldsMicrobiology
InstitutionsNebraska Cultures

Khem Shahani (1923–2001) was an Indian

probiotics
(live microorganisms).

Career

Khem Shahani is best known for his discovery of the

intestine
where it could multiply over 200-fold. Shahani would later name the strain DDS-1 for the Department of Dairy Science Number One strain and spend the rest of his career unlocking its potential for improving overall health.

During his lengthy career, Shahani published over 200 articles in

peer reviewed scientific journals and was a consultant for international agencies such as the World Health Organization.[1] Among these, 80 publications were about Probiotics and Lactic Cultures.[2]

In 1981, Shahani founded Nebraska Cultures, a

probiotics manufacturing and research company. Today, Nebraska Cultures is one of the largest international probiotic
supplement manufacturers and suppliers. He served as a consultant for several food and feed supplements and nutrients manufacturing and marketing companies, including Klaire Laboratories, National Enzyme Company, Nutraceutical Corporation, Kovac, TwinLab, Arise & Shine, American Biologics, Cell Tech (now New Earth Life Sciences), Infinity2, Nutratec SAS, and others.

Khem Shahani died on 6 July 2001 while on a speaking tour in Sicily (Italy).[3] In 2005, a professorship was established at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) in his name, honouring his work as scientist and professor.[4]

Academic background

Khem Shahani earned the BS (1943, Major: Dairy and Food Technology; and Nutritional Microbiology) and the MS (1947, Major: Dairy Chemistry; Minor:

University of Wisconsin
.

Research and teaching

Khem Shahani taught at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 1950 to 1952 and Ohio State University at Columbus from 1953 to 1957.

In 1957 Shahani accepted a post at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in the department of Dairy Science, later changed to the Department of Food Science and Technology in 1961. He retired from full-time teaching in 1994, but continued some teaching and research until 2000.

Shahani conducted basic research and developmental work as related to the science and technology of dairy foods – bioprocessed and cultured foods; lactic cultures, especially

antibiotics
and toxins in foods, human milk, infant foods, and biotechnology.

The professorial activity of Shahani consisted in teaching several multidisciplinary courses in Food Science and Technology, Biotechnology, Fermentation technology, for graduate students. He also supervised 16 postdoctoral fellows, 16 PhD candidates, and 22 MS candidates.

Research and management

In his lifetime, Shahani administered and supervised a large number of research projects with several graduate students and postdoctoral fellows actively engaged in

University of Nebraska-Lincoln
pertaining to academic affairs and budget allocations.

Honors and awards

  • Borden Award of the American Dairy Science Association for Excellence in Research in Dairy Manufacturing (Dairy Microbiology and Dairy Chemistry) – 1964
  • Gamma Sigma Delta International Award for Distinguished Service to Agriculture – 1966. Dr. Shahani was the youngest scientist ever to receive this award.
  • University of Nebraska
    – 1977
  • Pfizer Award of the American Dairy Science Association for excellence in research and development in the areas of lactic cultures and cultured products – 1977
  • Nordica International Award of the American Cultured Dairy Products Institute for excellence in research and development in the area of lactic cultures, yogurt and other cultured products – 1977. Dr. Shahani was the recipient of the First Nordica Award.
  • Elected as a Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists – 1983
  • Dairy Research Foundation Award of the American Dairy Science Association for distinguished service and research in the area of lactic cultures, cheese and other cultured products – 1983. Dr. Shahani was the first recipient of the three major awards of the ADSA.

Patents

  1. US Patents (No. 3,689,640), "Antibiotic Acidophilin and Process of Preparing the Same.",
  2. US Patent (No. 4,279,998), "Regeneration of Immobilized Enzymes". Has two more patent applications pending on "Cofermentation of Whey and Grain to produce Industrial Alcohol".

Books

Shahani, K.M., Meshbesher, B, and Mangampalli, V. Cultivate Health From Within: Dr. Shahani’s Guide to Probiotics. Vital Health Publishers, Danbury, 2005.

ISBN 1-890612-42-1

References

  1. ^ "Khem Shahani". Vital Health Publishing. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
  2. ^ "Dr. Shahani's probiotic research". Nebraska Cultures. Archived from the original on 27 March 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
  3. ^ "Food Science Newsletter" (PDF). University of Wisconsin–Madison, Department of Food Science. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
  4. ^ "Professorship honors pioneering microbiologist and longtime UNL food scientist Khem Shahani". University of Nebraska Foundation. Archived from the original on 3 May 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2009.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Khem_Shahani&oldid=1153766029"