Vet varsity researchers create nutritious shrimp-enhanced potato snack, bag award

In a flavourful leap towards healthier snacking, a team from the College of Fisheries (COF), Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), has developed a new potato-based snack that provides both taste and nutrition.

The highlight was that it’s supplemented with 10 per cent shrimp protein powder, transforming a comfort food into a protein-rich health snack with minimal fishy odour, a common barrier for many consumers.

The snack was created by a postgraduate student, Ankita Kataria, under the guidance of Dr Vijay Kumar Reddy from the Department of Fish Processing Technology. Designed to be convenient and appealing, the product offers a high sensory score, long shelf life and provides a smart solution for supplementing low-protein snack choices often consumed by children and youth.

The idea was to make something nutritious but also familiar and acceptable to people who aren’t used to seafood-based snacks,” shared Kataria.

“Shrimp protein powder allowed us to enhance the nutritional profile while keeping the flavour subtle and enjoyable,” she said.

Dr Reddy explained that shrimp protein’s application could revolutionise the world of ready-to-use and ready-to-cook snacks, helping shift dietary habits towards better nutrition without sacrificing taste or convenience.

The trailblazing work was recently showcased at the 2nd Indian Fisheries Outlook–2025, where it earned the Best Poster Presentation Award under the theme ‘Post Harvest Processing, Value Addition and Food Safety’.

Vice Chancellor JPS Gill and Dean Meera D Ansal applauded the team’s efforts for shining a light on the power of aquatic proteins in everyday foods and for bringing national recognition to the institution.

“The accolade reinforces the snack’s potential to impact both public health and food innovation,” said Dr Gill.

“Such recognition not only uplifts the academic spirit of our university but also opens doors for cross-sector collaborations in sustainable food development. It reflects how scientific ingenuity when rooted in local research can ripple outwards to serve national nutritional goals,” he added.

Ludhiana