Biographical Sketch

Dr. Mitchell is a Professor of Food Chemistry in the Department of Food Science at UC Davis and Master Advisr for the Food Science undergraduate program at UC Davis. She also the co-director of the Food Safety and Measurement Facility at UC Davis; a mass spectrometry based facility focused on advancing chemical understanding of foods and beverages.

Dr. Mitchell’s research centers on developing analytical methods that can be used to promote understanding of the chemistry of biologically active compounds in fresh and processed foods and especially their metabolism in humans. Her research is concentrated on elucidating the basic chemical reactions and changes in composition that occur in fruits, nuts and vegetables as a result of plant breeding, pre- and post-harvest processes; and identifying and quantifying target and non-target plant metabolites for food authentication, food safety and for biological relevance.

Her research program has achieved national and international recognition for investigating chemical relationships between agriculture, food quality and health.  She has published over 65 manuscripts, with most focusing directly on the influence of pre-, and post-harvest factors on food quality, and given more than 100 invited presentations and abstracts. Her research has been featured in the New York Times, BBC News, The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, along with others.

Dr. Mitchell enjoys mentoring undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students from around the world. She is active member of the Agricultural and Food Chemistry Division of the American Chemical Society.

Dr. Mitchell teaches three courses at UC Davis including: The Chemical and Physical Analysis of Foods, Food Toxicology, and Food Folklore and Health.

Awards and Honors

• Distinguished Service Award, American Chemical Society, 2013/2014
• John Kinsella Endowed Chair in Food and Nutrition, University of California, 2010-2015
• Visiting Scientist for the TransTasman Project. Victorian Department of Primary Industries, Victoria, Australia & Crop and Food Research, New Zealand, awarded in 2004.
• Visiting Scientist for the TransTasman Project. Victorian Department of Primary Industries, Victoria, Australia & Crop and Food Research, New Zealand, awarded in 2003.
• First Place Presentations in In Vitro Studies; International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics. 1995
• Departmental Citation for Outstanding Undergraduate Accomplishment in Environmental Toxicology. University of California Davis 1991