Food Science (2000 - )

Degree

Ph. D. University of California at Davis, 1996

Research

Professor Mitchell’s research program investigates the basic chemical reactions and changes in composition that occur in fruits and vegetables as a result of breeding, pre- and post-harvest processes and developing mass spectral approaches for identifying and quantifying target and nontarget secondary plant metabolites for authentication, safety and biological relevance. Her research team helps identify strategies and processing innovations for retaining and optimizing levels of beneficial compounds in finished food products, and for decreasing the formation of toxic compounds (e.g. acrylamide, advanced lipid oxidation products, etc.,) in finished foods. Additional investigations include characterizing the food-matrix interaction and how this influences and bioavailability and metabolism of bioactives.

Extension of Knowledge Activities

• FST103 - Physical and Chemical Methods for Food Analysis
• FST128 - Food Toxicology
• FST198- Food Product Development Teams
• Freshman Seminar - Food: Evolutionary Perspectives, Food Politics, Marketing and Health Consequences

For more information on Dr. Mitchell, visit her home page.