Ms.V.Bhooma

Research Scholar
Area: Genetic Engineering
Email ID: bhooma.v@ktr.srmuniv.ac.in

Affiliation: Department of Genetic Engineering, Kattankulathur Campus, SRM Institute of Science and Technology (formerly known as SRM University)

Education

Other Details:

Research Interest:

• The world’s most expensive spice, Saffron, is extensively used all around the world for culinary purposes. It is also said to have a lot of medicinal properties such as antioxidant, antitumor, analgesic, memory enhancing properties, etc. The restricted production of saffron and the high demand makes it very susceptible for adulteration. Adulteration with fillers, dyes and few plant substances have been reported already. Few methods have been described by ISO, ISI and FSSAI for the authentication of market samples of saffron. But these methods are not effective in determining the adulterant present in the market samples. The detection of the adulterant is necessary as it may have an impact of the safety and the health of the consumer. In this study, a reference is created using authentic saffron from Kashmir. The market samples are authenticated and the adulterant present are detected by a combinatorial approach of using molecular (DNA barcoding and TA cloning) and chemical (HPLC and HPTLC) methods. This study stresses on the importance of authentication and quality control of food commodities.

Selected Publications:

• Varadharajan Bhooma, Madasamy Parani (2018) DNA barcoding after cloning identifies taxonomically diverse botanical adulterants in the market samples of saffron. Research Journal of Biotechnology 13 (2), 29-33.
• Irusappan Sivaraj, Stalin Nithaniyal, Varadharajan Bhooma, Umapathy Senthilkumar, Madasamy Parani (2018) Species delimitation of Melia dubia Cav. from Melia azedarach L. complex based on DNA barcoding. Botany 96(5), 329-336.

Work in Progress:

• Molecular and chemical fingerprinting tools for the identification of adulterants in Saffron

Achievements and Awards:

• Presented a poster titled “Molecular and chemical fingerprinting tools for the identification of adulterants in Saffron” in the 24th ISCB Conference, conducted at Manipal University, Jaipur, January 11-13, 2018 and won the first prize in that session.
• Presented a poster titled “Molecular and chemical fingerprinting tools for the identification of adulterants in Saffron” in the National Conference, Recent Trends in Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology (RTGEB), Organized by the Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM University, Chennai, September 25th  & 26th, 2017.
• Cleared GATE 2009 with a percentile of 85.36
• Worked as a volunteer in Indian Science Congress and Indian Youth Science Congress conducted in SRM University.