Alyson E. Mitchell

Alyson E. Mitchell is a Professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of California, Davis. Her research focuses on food chemistry, particularly the chemical changes in fruits and vegetables, food safety, and the development of analytical methods for identifying beneficial and toxic compounds in foods. She holds a Ph.D. in Food Science from UC Davis (1996).

Education:

• Ph.D. in Food Science, University of California, Davis (1996)

Research Interests:

• Secondary plant metabolites and their applications in food authentication and safety.
• Optimization of food processing to retain beneficial compounds and reduce toxicants (e.g., acrylamide).
• Food-matrix interactions influencing bioavailability of nutrients and bioactives.
• Development of advanced analytical techniques for food analysis.

Recent Research Trends: Her work spans methods for detecting amygdalin in almonds, flavonoid effects on aging, and green strategies to recover phenolic compounds from agricultural waste. She also addresses public health concerns around synthetic food dyes and processed foods.

Awards:

• 2024: UC Davis Graduate Program Advising and Mentoring Award
• 2017: Fellow, American Chemical Society
• 2015: Fellow, Agricultural and Food Chemistry Division of the American Chemical Society
• 2010–2015: John Kinsella Endowed Chair in Food and Nutrition

Advising & Grants: Mitchell advises graduate students in food science, with a focus on analytical and applied research. Her grants and collaborations support studies on food safety, processing innovations, and sustainable practices.

Labs/Teams: Leads research teams investigating almond quality, elderberry bioactives, and food forensics at UC Davis, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to food science challenges.