07/13/2026
Elena Camacho, a UConn Nutritional Sciences undergraduate, is working this summer as a Research & Development intern at plant-based protein innovator PURIS.
Elena’s work so far has centered on assessing how plant-based ingredients perform across critical metrics such as texture, viscosity, stability, and sensory attributes. While her role covers ingredient functionality and analytical evaluation, Elena is most passionate about her projects in food product application. She’s gained hands-on experience developing and evaluating prototype food concepts ranging from spoonable products to beverages, frozen desserts, and snacks. Elena is particularly fascinated by how laboratory data translates into real-world product performance, observing firsthand how minor formulation adjustments can dramatically alter texture, flavor delivery, stability, and overall consumer experience.
We wish Elena continued success and a meaningful conclusion to her summer internship at PURIS!
