Education

Biography

Dr. Yan Zhang is an Associate Professor of College of Food Science and Nutrition Engineering, China Agricultural University. Dr. Zhang has focused on the color change, nutrition and function of anthocyanin and chlorophylls during fruits and vegetables processing for many years. In 2004, she published the first demonstration about the degradation kinetics and mechanism of anthocyanin under high pulsed electric field processing. Following 13 years, her research group has defined the effect and mechanism of high pressure processing on endogenous enzymes related to color change of fruits and vegetables, find out the minimal damage to chlorophyll, chlorophyll protein complex and thylakoid membrane under high pressure which are favorable for the color retain in processing green vegetables and fruits, and developed many ready-to-eat food. Since the high rates of overweight and obesity, have been more and more commonly seen in current generation Dr. Zhang also focused on the metabolism, modulation and intervention of natural plant pigments to obesity, especially for the anthocyanin and chlorophyll. Her contribution has made it significant in understanding the effect of natural plant pigments on intervention of obesity and modulation of gut microbiota in early life, and demonstrated the mechanism of dietary chlorophylls and obesity-related indexes was likely to be associated with pigments’ alterations to the gut microbiota composition. Besides her research group has illustrated that grape anthocyanin intake in a critical developmental window could promote the anthocyanin metabolism and modulate the gut microbiota, improving the absorption of anthocyanin and triggering Akkermansia and Lactobacillus blooming, thus probably make a great influence on the long-term health level and metabolic status. Dr. Zhang has published 54 peer-reviewed papers.

Research Interest

• Color quality assessment of emerging alternative food processing technologies. Focused on the effects of High Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP) and High Pressure Carbon Dioxide (HPCD) processing on the stability of anthocyanin and chlorophyll, including the degradation kinetics, mechanism and preservation.
• Function and nutrition of natural plant pigments. Focused on the metabolism, modulation and intervention of natural plant pigments to obesity. Especially for the anthocyanin and chlorophyll.

Scientific Activities

Teaching Experience

Professional Activities

1. [Project Name] Spores inactivation effect and mechanism of hpts combined with ethanol
   [Project Introduction] The project is sponsored by the “Science Nova” Talents Training Program of Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission, and lasted from 2012 to 2015. I am in charge of the investigation about the inactivation, kinetics and mechanism of spores under pressure combined thermal and ethanol.
2. [Project Name] Development of Ready to Eat Fruits and Vegetables Products
   [Project Introduction] The project is sponsored by the Twelfth Five-year National Science and Technique Plan Projects, Ministry of Science &Technology of China, and lasted from 2011 to 2015. I am in charge of the investigation about the color quality assessment of fruits and vegetables processed by high hydrostatic pressure and GAPs.
3. [Project Name] Berry Fruits Comprehensive Processing and Utilization
   [Project Introduction] The project is sponsored by the Twelfth Five-year National Science and Technique Plan Projects, Ministry of Science &Technology of China, and lasted from 2012 to 2015. I am in charge of the effect of high pressure processing on the degradation of anthocyanin and its bioactivity.

Honors and Awards

• Honored by the “Science Nova” Talents Training Program of Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission (2012)
• Honored by Excellent Talents Training Program of Organization Department, Beijing (2011)
• Honored as Excellent Faculty Scholar by China Agricultural University (2011)
• Natural Science Award of Ministry of Education (R.P.C) (Theory Research of Pulsed Electric Field application in Food Processing, Second Prize, 2011)
• Innovative Team Award of Ministry of Agriculture (R.P.C), (Non-thermal processing & Technology Innovative Team, 2011)
• Technological Innovation Invention Award (IFT, China), (Equipment development and application of high pressure carbon dioxide, 2010)
• Technological Innovation and Technology Progress Award (IFT, China), (Key technology of carrot juice processing, 2008)

Publications

1. Zhang Yan, Liao Xiaojun, Ni Yuanying, Wu Jihong, Hu Xiaosong, Wang Zhenfu, Chen Fang. Kinetic analysis of the degradation and its color change of cyaniding-3-glucose exposed to pulsed electric field.  European Food Research and Technology, 2007, 224, 597-603.
2. Zhang Yan, Liao Xiaojun. Chen Fang., Wu Jihong, Hu Xiaosong. Isolation, identification and color characterization of cyanidin-3-glucose and cyanidin-3-sophoroside from red raspberry. European Food Research and Technology, 2008, 226 (3): 395-403.
3. Zhang Yan, Hu Xiaosong. Chen Fang., Wu Jihong, Liao Xiaojun. Stability and color characterization of PEF-treated cyaniding-3-glucose, Food Chemistry, 2008, 106(2): 669-676.
4. Zhang Yan, Sun Jianxia, Hu Xiaosong, Liao Xiaojun. Spectral Alteration and degradation of cyanidin-3-glucoside exposed to pulsed electric field. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2010, 58 (6), 3524–3531.
5. Yang Yingjie, Liao Xiaojun, Hu Xiaosong, Zhang Yan*, Chen Fang, Wu Jihong. The contribution of high pressure carbon dioxide in the inactivation kinetics and structural alteration of myrosinase. International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 2011, accepted.
6. Rongrong Wang, Tingting Wang, Qian Zheng, Xiaosong Hu, Yan Zhang*, Xiaojun Liao. Effects of high hydrostatic pressure on color of spinach puree and related properties, Journal of Science Food Agriculture, 2012, 92, 1417-1423.
7. Zhong Zhang, Bin Jiang, Xiaojun Liao, Jianyong Yi, Xiaosong Hu, Yan Zhang*. Inactivation of Bacillus subtilis spores by combining high-pressure thermal sterilization and ethanol, Journal of Food Microbiology, 2012,160: 99-104.
8. Jianyong Yi, Bin Jiang, Zhong Zhang, Xiaojun Liao, Yan Zhang*, and Xiaosong Hu. Effect of Ultrahigh Hydrostatic Pressure on the Activity and Structure of Mushroom (Agaricusbisporus) Polyphenoloxidase, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2012, 60: 593-599.
9. Rongrong Wang, Qian Xu, Jia Yao, Yajie Zhang, Xiaojun Liao, Xiaosong Hu, Jihong Wu, Yan Zhang*, Post-effects of high hydrostatic pressure on green color retention and related properties of spinach puree during storage. Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies, 17 (2013) 63-71.
10. Bing Zhou, Maja Semanjski, Natalie Orlovetskie, Saurabh Bhattacharya, Sima Alon, Liron Argaman, Nayef Jarrous, Boris Macek,Yan Zhang, Lior Sinai, Sigal Ben-Yehuda.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.Arginine dephosphorylation propels spore germination in bacteria, Accepted, 2019.
11. Yuayuan Li, Yu Cui, Xiaosong, Hu, Xiaojun Liao, Yan Zhang*. Chlorophyll supplementation in early life prevents diet-induced obesity and modulate gut microbiota in mice. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, Accepted, 2019.
12. Feng Lu, Fengjiao Liu, Qian Zhou, Xiaosong Hu, Yan Zhang*. Effects of Grape Pomace and Seed Polyphenols Extracts on the Recovery of Gut Microbiota after Antibiotic Treatment in High-Fat Diet-Fed Mice, Food & Nutrition Research, Accepted, 2019.