The Science and Technology of Chapatti and Other Indian Flatbreads

Flatbreads form the heart and soul of a traditional meal in several parts of India. Depending on geographical location, ingredients used and method of preparation there are many varieties of flatbreads. Popular Indians flatbreads include chapatti, paratha/parotta, naan, tandoori roti, kulcha, roomali roti, bhakri, thepla and puranpoli. Chapatti, the Indian counterpart of the western pan bread, is consumed widely as a staple to scoop up curries in Indian meals. Since the last few decades, researchers have turned their attention towards Indian flatbreads and have initiated studies on several aspects like nutrition, quality, staling and preservation.

The changing dynamics of flatbread preparation and preservation have inspired many research studies. The Science and Technology of Chapatti and Other Indian Flatbreads collates available knowledge to date in a manner that is useful to students, researchers, food industry professionals, and food-based entrepreneurs alike.  

Key Features:

• Illustrated with multiple photographs of different types of Indian flatbreads, steps in preparation of chapatti, analytical instruments used, changes in dough/ chapatti appearance due to browning

• Includes multiple photographs of different flatbreads in varying stages, from creation to expiration 

• Explores the changing dynamics of flatbread preparation and preservation 

• Discusses the role of flour constituents and added ingredients on end product quality and the need to develop healthier variants 

With its nine chapters, the book takes the reader through a journey in which the gradual evolution of the preparation and consumption of chapatti and other Indian flatbreads has been explained, emphasizing the need for science and technology to support large scale production to keep up with the growing demand for ready- to- cook and ready-to-eat flatbreads. 

The book, written in simple but scientific language, covers different aspects ranging from introduction and preparation of flatbreads, the role of individual ingredients, particularly wheat variety and wheat composition, milling technique, dough rheology, quality characteristics of flatbreads and their measurement, to topics including staling and preservation of chapatti/flatbreads, nutritional and quality improvement, mechanization of flatbread production and scope for developing novel flour/ flatbread formulations.

The authors, with their wide experience in flatbread science have attempted to capture the scientific and technological aspects of chapatti/flatbreads in depth, right from basic concepts to technological advances, supported by exhaustive compilation of scientific literature. 

Anamika Banerji holds a Ph.D. in food science, which she pursued at the Department of Food Engineering and Technology, under the guidance of co-authors Prof. S.S. Lele and Prof. Laxmi Ananthanarayan at Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. She has worked in the area of flatbreads for five years and has four international research publications. She has worked in areas like inhibi-tion of enzymatic browning in stored multigrain dough, improvement of rheological properties of dough, nutritional improvement of chapatti by fortification, inhibition of staling and quality improvement of chapatti by use of enzyme-active germinated wheat flour, preservation of ready-to-cook (RTC) and ready-to-eat (RTE) naan and development of nutritious, legume and vegetable-based premixes for flatbreads. She graduated (B.Sc.) in Biotechnology in 2008 and completed post-graduation (M.Sc.) in Food Science and Nutrition in 2012. Before joining the Ph.D. programme at ICT, she briefly (one year) worked as food production co-ordinator at a well-known Indian health and fitness company.

Prof. Laxmi Ananthanarayan is presently a faculty member at the Food Engineering and Technology Department of Institute of Chemical Technology. She has worked as an academician for about 34 years and has guided many research students, including 85 masters and 19 doctoral students. She has 56 research publi-cations in peer-reviewed journals of international repute. She has taught a variety of subjects in the course of her teaching career and also explored many research areas in varied fields of Food Science and Technology as well as Bioprocess Technology and Food Biotechnology. In 2010, she was awarded doctoral degree for her research work in the area of Indian flatbread and she has sustained her interest in working in this area by guiding students working on related topics.

Prof. S.S. Lele, Director of ICT Marathwada Campus, Jalna, is a dynamic personality with an exceptional career in research as well as academic administration. She is well known for her outstanding contribution to the field of food t echnology-engineering for the last four decades. She has successfully handled sponsored projects worth crores and is actively involved in research and translation. Prof. Lele has motivated and guided farmers, students and youth with entrepreneurial aspirations in setting up small-scale food processing units and minimising post-harvest losses. She has been a guiding light for the conception and successful operation of several food processing start-ups working on vegetable dehydration, retort processing (Justsip(TM) and Justeat(TM) brands) and wine making from underutilised tropical fruits (Fruitine(R) brand). Prof. Lele has published over 100 international papers in refereed journals, has authored 5 book chapters, 3 books and has 2 patents granted to her credit. She has a keen interest in popularising science and developing scientific temper which she has achieved to a great extent by making short films, writing books in regional language and by giving interviews.

Prof. Lele has won several national and international awards, the recent ones being the "Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (India)" Fellow Award (2017), VASVIK (2017) Award in the category of Industrial Research Award for Women Scientists, "Unch Maaza Zoka" Zee Marathi National Award (2016) for outstanding contributions to the field of fruit and vegetable processing in Maharashtra and UDCT Alumni Association's distinguished alumni award (2015) in academics. After spending nearly a decade in the industry, she joined as Lecturer in ICT (formerly UDCT) in 1986 and rose the ladder to be Professor of Biochemical Engineering. After coordinating Bioprocess Technology Master's programme for four years, she took charge as the Head of Department of Food Engineering & Technology (Nov. 1, 2008, to July 31, 2012) and later worked as Controller of Examinations (August 1, 2012, to July 28, 2014). Later she was appointed as Registrar (July 29, 2014) and is currently Director of ICT Marathwada Campus, Jalna.