Parag Acharya

Parag Acharya leads alternative protein-based food research and innovation at the Natural Resources Institute (NRI), University of Greenwich. He returned to academia in 2020 bringing with him 14 years of industrial R&D experience in food and biotechnology sectors. Since joining NRI, Parag has contributed (as PI/Co-I) to six successful research grants during 2021-2022 which are worth a total of £1.5m of funding. His interest is to demystify science enabling the development of novel technologies for alternative protein-based food innovation. Through understanding the molecular properties of food ingredients and how they interact with the matrices during processing to impart various functional attributes like flavour, texture etc. Being ex-Unilever, Parag delivered patented clean label product and process technologies for brands like Knorr and Hellmann’s and championed several academia-industry collaborations funded by EU FP-7 ITN, TKI-Agri Food, BBSRC-CTPs etc. At NRI, he has also led the development of the Medway Food Innovation Centre which includes a plant-based food accelerator and is working as an innovation growth manager for Growing Kent and Medway agri-food cluster funded through a £17.8m UKRI Strength in Places grant.

• Alternative protein technology