Elnaz Shabani, Ph.D., is an analyst at Lux Research, based near Boston. She contributes thought leadership and subject-matter expertise to Lux’s coverage of food tech innovation. In this role, she covers innovations in ingredient informatics, including AI for CPG applications, clean-label food additives, shelf-life extension, business opportunities in food waste valorization, and biomass fermentation for alternative proteins and ingredients. She leverages her deep scientific background and industry understanding to advise innovation leaders in the food and beverage sectors and broader CPG businesses.
Prior to joining Lux, Elnaz was an innovation scientist at Beyond Meat, where she helped advance plant-based meat texturization via fiber extrusion and was able to develop a pilot-scale shredded meat texture product. Her work there exemplified her ability to translate complex scientific concepts into commercially viable products that meet the demands of the market.
Elnaz holds a Ph.D. in fiber and polymer science from North Carolina State University and did her postdoc research at the University of Massachusetts, where she won a grant from the Good Food Institute. As a co-principal investigator on the project, she explored fiber-spinning techniques for designing fibrous textures of whole-cut plant-based meat products. Her research contributions are well recognized, with multiple peer-reviewed journal articles and over 50 citations.
In her free time, Elnaz enjoys taking long walks and listening to audio books, cooking, and spending time with her husband and her small dog, Shiny.
