Yun Yin

Yun Yin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Food Science & Technology at Virginia Tech. Her research focuses on aroma/flavor compound identification, food safety innovations through antimicrobial packaging, and applying engineering solutions to flavor manufacturing challenges. Key areas include edamame quality optimization, microencapsulation techniques, and sensory-driven plant breeding.

Education:

• Ph.D., Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2017)
• M.S., Food Science and Nutrition, Zhejiang University (2010)
• B.S., Food Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University (2007)

Research Highlights:

• Developed visible light-activated TiO₂ antibacterial packaging films
• Characterized aroma profiles in hydroponic fennel and microgreens
• Optimized hop essential oil encapsulation for non-alcoholic beverages
• Validated new edamame cultivars (e.g., 'VT Sweet') for U.S. markets

Key Contributions:

• Advanced methods for quantifying unstable odorants like 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline
• Integrated sensory evaluation with instrumental flavor analysis
• Improved microwave drying models for agricultural materials