Prateek Mathur, M.S.

Experience

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  Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, India

  May 2007 - Jun 2007

  In-Plant Project Trainee

  -Studied the Effects of Growth Regulators on Early Growth of Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Jus) callus:-Prepared Media with different compositions of growth hormones-Recorded the growth of callus periodically-Interpreted observations and found the optimum media composition for early callus growth of Neem plant (Azadirachta indica A. Jus)

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  Food Solutions Inc.

  Feb 2010 - May 2010

  Company Based Student Project

  -Project Involved Extending the Shelf Life of Freshly Baked Muffins:-Tested effect of TenderbakeTM, developed by Food Solutions Inc., on shelf life -Tested variables such as starches, proteins and emulsifiers in varying concentrations to study their effects on shelf life of muffins-Created Nutrition Labels with Genesis software-Developed a final recipe with all the variables and compared it with TenderbakeTM

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  Rutgers University

  Jun 2010 - May 2012

  Graduate Assistant, Department of Food Science
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  Goya Foods

  May 2011 - Dec 2011

  Co-op

  - Successfully developed new varieties of black bean soup, chipotle soup and baked beans (bench top formulations)- Re-formulated Instant rice mixes which would reduce cooking time by 75% (bench top formulations)- Organized, analyzed and participated in sensory studies for various products- Created NLEA Facts Panels for Goya recipes and products using Genesis Software- Recommended FDA health claims for 250+ Goya products- Inspected incoming rice and bean samples based on USDA standards Show less

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  MBX Body

  Sept 2012 - Sept 2013

  Food Scientist and Production Associate

  - Formulated ~20 products and provided technical support for a unique concept of health focused instant food- Created instant dishes with dehydrated rice, pasta, mashed potato, quinoa spinach etc for groups with specific nutrition needs. - Solo Lead for nutrition labeling and ingredient statements for the entire product line using Nutritionist Pro- Detailed study of international nutrition labeling regulatory standards - Developed healthy meal plans using the product line and referenced them with standards of top medical diets.- Managed cross functional teams of R&D, QA, Production and Sales and Marketing.- Coordinated various aspects of production, including vendor quality compliance, GMP and batch production.- Aided the marketing team in providing nutritional research data for the company website. Show less

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  The Pie Guy

  May 2014 - Apr 2015

  Food Scientist

  - Sole lead for New Product Development to increase market share and capture new trends.- Lead the shelf life extension project for an entire line of all natural fresh and frozen pies - Extensive ingredient studies to innovate and improve the existing bakery formulations- Reviewed current NLEA fact panels to comply with FDA regulations, Kosher certifications and the All Natural brand- Worked cross functionally to assist in Process Development, Quality Assurance, Cost Regulation and GMP compliance Show less

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  O-AT-KA Milk Products Cooperative, Inc.

  May 2015 - Jul 2020

  • Lead New Product Development for RTD retorted beverages for a wide product portfolio, including, coffee, dairy, and plant-based protein shakes, & nutrition beverages.o Served as Technical and Commercialization Lead for >20 RTD beverages across multiple platforms. o Responsible for products worth over 10 million cases (12 count) per year with category market leaders.• Pioneered “blue sky” innovation projects encompassing market analysis, ideation, planning and execution.• Advanced technical services projects aiming for cost reduction, ingredient functionality and greater production efficiency.• Conducted advanced heat penetration tests to determine critical food safety parameters.• Expertise in designing experiments, collecting, and analyzing thermal processing data for RTD beverages.• Proficient in leading plant trials, product launches and providing technical support to manufacturing.• Independent Project Management from concept through commercialization.• Managed coordination amongst various business units like Sales, Operations and Packaging, for effective execution.• Coordinated critical communication and relationships with customers and vendors.• Adept at operating lab and pilot scale equipment like Microthermics, homogenizer, retort and can and bottle cappers. • Initiated cross functional projects using Lean Manufacturing practices to address capacity constraints for better efficiency. Show less

  • R&D Product Development Food Scientist II

    May 2020 - Jul 2020

  • R&D Product Development Food Scientist I

    May 2015 - Jul 2020
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  Chobani

  Jul 2020 - Dec 2022

  • Leading a team tasked with non-dairy beverage innovation and commercialization, currently contributing to the fastest growing side of the business.o Managing >15 SKUs of non-dairy beverages across milks, coffees, and creamers platforms.o R&D ownership for products worth >160K cases per week from 4 manufacturing locations, covering 16.5% of Total US AOC and 19.7% of Total US Food.• Imparting subject matter expertise for various plant-based ingredient, finished goods and co-packing initiatives.• Single Point of Contact from R&D for all the co-packers for the plant-based business, managing trials, scale up and commercial productions.o Led >10 in-person and multiple remote trials at 3 different co-packing locations in 2021, commercializing various oat-based products.• Pioneered and implemented a comprehensive protocol for conducting shelf-life studies on non-dairy UHT and Aseptic beverages.• Collaborating internally and externally, with Ops, Engineering and Packaging teams for knowledge transfer and translation, both for daily production and future initiatives.• Exploring and implementing technical solutions geared towards productivity, product and process improvements.o Qualified and approved an engineering solution that increased platform efficiency from 70% to 92%.o Led multiple cross - functional cost saving initiatives geared towards saving ~ $500K in 2021.• Communicating scientific and technical topics of interest to senior leadership and non-scientific audience.• Taking a leadership role in developing and fostering a culture of teamwork, rapid innovation, and excellence. Show less

  • Research And Development Manager

    Jan 2022 - Dec 2022

  • Senior R&D Scientist II

    Jul 2020 - Jan 2022
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  The Coca-Cola Company

  Dec 2022 - now

  • Exploring application, stability, and interactions of sweeteners across multiple product categories.• Collaborating with multiple Product Development teams globally to create novel solutions with sweeteners. • Leading cross-functional projects geared towards advancing consumer research and understanding of sweeteners.• Leading product development projects from idea generation to formula finalization through close discussion and alignment with Technical and Marketing team and all other stakeholders. Show less

  • Senior Manager-Ingredient Application Scientist

    Jan 2024 - now

  • Manager, Sweetener Application

    Dec 2022 - Jan 2024