Yvonne Yuan

Yvonne Yuan (PhD) is an associate professor in the School of Nutrition, Toronto Metropolitan University. Her teaching and research are focused on food chemistry related to functional foods and chronic disease risk factors and health. Her research program is focused on the antioxidant and biological activities of plant foods, specifically edible marine macroalgae (seaweeds) from Western and Atlantic Canada.

She is part of the Toronto Met team working with the National Institute of Nutrition in Vietnam to scale up small-scale food processing plants to promote food security for women subsistence farmers and children in rural Vietnam. Other collaborative projects she has been involved with have evaluated:

• The antioxidant capacities of tocol isomers in edible oils.
• The antioxidant activities of flaxseed lignans and metabolites.
• The effects of diet components on biomechanical strength of bone.

Many of her papers are co-authored by Toronto Met undergraduate student research assistants who have worked in her lab over the years with the support of NSERC USRA, Toronto Met Undergraduate Research Opportunities Scholars, Work Study Programs, her research grant funds and FNR400/401 course projects.

Yuan is a past chair of the Nutrition Interest Division for the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology and serves as the newsletter contributor for the School of Nutrition for the Canadian Nutrition Society. She is the faculty advisor for the Toronto Met Student Branch of the Canadian Association of Foodservice Professionals.

Yuan has received several awards in past years recognizing her professional service, research contributions and teaching. These include:

• Champion of Education & Training, Educator Award, the Canadian Association of Foodservice Professionals, 2008.
• Institute Award, the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology, 2009.
• Faculty Service Award, the Faculty of Community Services, 2010-2011.
• Faculty Scholarly, Research and Creative (SRC) Achievement Award, Faculty of Community Services, 2011-2012.
• Dean’s Teaching Award, Faculty of Community Services, 2012-2013.

• FND100: Food Science I
• FND300: Food Science II
• FND301: Product Development
• FNP500: Advanced Issues in Professional Practice
• FNR400/401: Independent Research Project

Research interests:

• The antioxidant and biological activities of plant foods, specifically edible marine macroalgae (seaweeds) from Western (British Columbia) and Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick and Nova Scotia).
• The effects of diet components on biomechanical strength of bone.

Research projects:

• Mechanisms underlying bioactivity of edible seaweed/algae constituents.

Selected publications  

Book chapters:

• Tou, J., Oldaker, C. & Yuan, Y.V., 2019, Novel marine sources of nutraceuticals and functional foods:  The marine crustacean krill, macro- and microalgae. In “Encyclopedia of Marine Biotechnology”, S.-K. Kim (ed.)  CRC Taylor & Francis Press Inc., Boca Raton, FL. Accepted, in press January 20, 2018.

• Yuan, Y.V. & Baduge, S., 2018, The contribution of phytochemicals to the antioxidant potential of fruit juices.  Ch. 7 In “Fruit Juices: Extraction, Composition, Quality and Analysis”, G. Rajauria, B.K. Tiwari (eds.) Elsevier Ltd., pp. 95-128.

• Athukorala, Y. & Yuan, Y.V., 2013, Fucoidans from marine brown macroalgae:  Isolation, identification and potential biological activities.  Ch. 24 In “Marine Nutraceuticals:  Prospects and Perspectives”, S.-K. Kim (ed.)  CRC Taylor & Francis Press Inc., Boca Raton, FL.  pp. 393-435 ules21010119

• Patras, A., Yuan, Y.V., Costa, H. S. & Sanches-Silva, A. (2013) Antioxidant activity of phytochemicals, in Handbook of Plant Food Phytochemicals: Sources, Stability and Extraction (eds B.K. Tiwari, N.P. Brunton and C.S. Brennan), John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Oxford.
  

• Yuan, Y.V. & Athukorala, Y., 2012, Red Algal Mycosporine-like Amino Acids (MAAs)  as Potential Cosmeceuticals.  Ch. 12 In “Marine Cosmeceuticals:  Trends and Prospects”, S.-K. Kim (ed.)  CRC Taylor & Francis Press Inc., Boca Raton, FL.  pp. 143-167.

• Yuan, Y.V., 2008, Marine Algal Constituents.  Ch. 11  In “Marine Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods”, C. Barrow & F. Shahidi (eds.)  CRC Taylor & Francis Press Inc., Boca Raton, FL.  pp. 259-296.

• Yuan, Y.V., 2007, Antioxidants From Edible Seaweeds.  Ch. 19  In “Antioxidant Measurement and Applications”, F. Shahidi & C.-T. Ho (eds.)  ACS, Oxford University Press, Washington, D.C.  pp. 268-301.

• Yuan, Y.V., 2006, Migratory Chemicals From Food Containers and Preparation Utensils.  Ch. 76  In “Handbook of Food Science, Technology and Engineering”  Volume II, Y.H. Hui,  (ed.)  CRC Taylor & Francis Press Inc., Boca Raton, FL. pp. 76-1-76-19

Peer-reviewed journal papers:

• Seem, S.A., Yuan, Y.V. & Tou, J.C., 2019, Chocolate and chocolate constituents influence bone health and osteoporosis risk.  Nutrition: The International Journal of Applied and Basic Nutritional Sciences, Accepted, in press February 17, 2019.

• Athukorala, Y., Trang, S., Kwok, C. & Yuan, Y.V., 2016, Antiproliferative and antioxidant activities and mycosporine-like amino acid profiles of wild-harvested and cultivated edible Canadian marine red macroalgae (external link) .  Molecules, 21(1), 119.

• Elisia, I., Young, J.W., Yuan, Y.V. & Kitts, D.D. (2013).  Association between tocopherol isoform composition and lipid oxidation in selected multiple edible oils (external link) .  Food Research International.  52, 508-514.

• Yuan, Y.V, Westcott, N., Hu, C., & Kitts, D. (2009). Mycosporine-like amino acid composition of the edible red alga Palmaria palmata (dulse) harvested from the west and east coasts of Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick (external link) . Food Chemistry. 112, 321-328.

• Hu, C., Yuan, Y.V, & Kitts, D. (2007). Antioxidant activities of the flaxseed lignan secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, its aglycone secoisolariciresinol and the mammalian lignans enterodiol and enterolactone in vitro (external link) . Food and Chemical Toxicology. 45(11). 2219-2227.

• Yuan, Y.V. & Walsh, N. (2006). Antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of extracts from a variety of edible seaweeds (external link) . Food and Chemical Toxicology. 44,(7). 1144-1140

• Yuan, Y.V, Bone, D., & Carrington, M. (2005). Antioxidant activity of dulse (Palmaria palmata) extract evaluated in vitro (external link) . Food Chemistry. 91,(3). 485-494.

• Yuan, Y.V, Carrington, M., & Walsh, N. (2005). Extracts from dulse (Palmaria palmata) are effective antioxidants and inhibitors of cell proliferation in vitro (external link) . Food and Chemial Toxicology. 43,(7). 1-73-1081

Invited conference presentations:

• Yuan, Y.V., 2015, Antiproliferative effects of mycosporine-like amino acid containing extracts from edible wild and cultivated Atlantic Canadian red macroalgae against Caco-2 and HeLa cell lines.  The 5th Congreso Internacional Biologia, Quimica y Agronomia, Guadalajara, Mexico, Sept. 30-Oct. 2.

• Yuan, Y.V., 2015.  Macroalgae extracts and their role as a source of functional ingredients.”  NutraMara Conference 2015 - Harnessing Marine Bioresources for Innovations in the Food Industry. Dublin, Ireland, June 29-30.

• Yuan, Y.V. & Athukorala, Y., 2010, Mycosporine-like amino acid (MAA)  profiles, antioxidant and anti-proliferative activities of wild and cultivated red algae from Atlantic Canada.  Seafood and Health Symposium.  Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China, Dec. 21.

• Yuan, Y.V., 2010, Mycosporine-like amino acid (MAA)  profiles of selected wild and cultivated red algae from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, Canada.  Understanding the Chemistry of Phytochemical Antioxidants and their Role in Human Health and Wellness Symposium.  Pacifichem 2010 Conference, Honolulu, Hawai’i, Dec. 15-20.

• Yuan Y.V., Yuen, N.P. & Hill, S.K., 2009, Mycosporine-like amino acid (MAA)  profiles and antioxidant activities of selected wild and cultivated red algae from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, Canada.  International Society for Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods Conference, San Francisco, CA, Nov. 1-4.

• Yuan, Y.V., 2009.  Impact of UV-exposure during growth on the antioxidant activities of selected edible red algae.”  The James Craigie Research Centre, Acadian Seaplants Ltd., Charlesville and Dartmouth, NS, November 25.

• Yuan, Y.V., Armitage, E.J. & Yuen, N.P., 2008, Mycosporine-like amino acid (MAA)  profiles and antioxidant activities of red algae harvested from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.  The Constance MacFarlane Seaplant Symposium, Institute of Island Studies, Univ. of PEI, Charlottetown, PEI, September 24-27.

• Yuan, Y.V., 2006.  Impact of UV-light exposure on the antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of the edible red alga Dulse, Palmaria palmata.”  The Pharmacy and Nutrition Seminar Series, College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, May 11.

• Nominated for Federation of Chinese Canadian Professionals (FCCP) Award of Merit by alumna, Director of School of Nutrition and Interim Dean of Faculty of Community Services, 2016
• Dean’s Teaching Award, Faculty of Community Services, 2012-2013.
• Faculty Scholarly, Research and Creative (SRC) Achievement Award, Faculty of Community Services, 2011-2012.
• Faculty Service Award, Faculty of Community Services, 2011-2010.
• Institute Award, Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology, 2009.
• Champion of Education & Training, Educator Award, Canadian Association of Foodservice Professionals, 2008.