MeatsPad

We continue visiting meat industry leaders at the IFFA show. Today we talk with Dónal Lock who is the Chef Executive at Kerry. He explains the relationship between culinary arts and meat processing/meat science and how they merge to feed the current consumer.

We begin these series of episodes recorded at the IFFA show with global meat industry leaders in Frankfurt, Germany. Today we sit down with Volker Steinkamp who is the founder of Cliptechnik, a German firm created 15 years ago which provides clipping solutions for the global meat industry.

Today's episode features Drs. Andy King, Tommy Wheeler, and Steve Shackelford from the USDA Meat Animal Research Center. Our guests describe their current research work and and a broad overview of the Center's projects in regards to innovative methods for increasing the efficiency of livestock production.

On this podcast, Drs. Francisco Najar and Phil Bass discuss about a recent publication in Meat and Muscle Biology titled “Determining the longissimus lumborum and psoas major beef steak color life threshold and effect of post-mortem aging time using meta-analysis” and its implications for the retail business. This meta analysis was developed to understand the impact of postmortem aging time on the color stability of fresh meat displayed at the retail level in the U.S. https://www.iastatedigitalpress.com/mmb/article/id/12526/

In today's episode, we sit down with Dr. Phil Bass and Abbey Davidson, a representative of the American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP), to talk about the current state of small and mid-sized meat processors in United States and their supporting them during the pandemic.  We also discussed the platforms where AAMP participates in and how they are currently providing support to small processors from food safety to understanding consumers’ demand.

Dr. Phil Bass and Dr. Wesley Osburn sit down to talk about one very interesting topic in meat science, curing meat. Dr. Wesley Osburn gives us great insight about the his experiences and learnings over the years and reflects on the process of curing and a new technology to achieve curing in the meat industry.

Today we share our microphone with Dr. Jessica Melsinger from Merck Animal Health. Jessica reflects on many topics, including sustainable practices in animal agriculture, animal health, and meat. She also explains the role of the meat industry in using and delivering every piece of meat from the farm to the table.

This week we sit down with Brandon Fields from PIC to discuss about the evolution of pork quality and learn about the past and current challenges faced by the pork industry. Brandon Fields is a Global Director in Applied Meat Science at PIC (Pig Improvement Company) and during his career he has studied pigs to improve production and genetic potential of pigs.

Our very fist guest on this show is back! Dr. John M. Gonzalez, who is an Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia, returns to discuss about the use of growth promotants in animal production and its impact on meat quality.

Today we have a new format in which we talk about a variety of topics with Dr. Phil Bass.   Dr. Francisco recently traveled to South America to learn and assist meat processors, and in this episode he shares his experiences and debates the importance of learning how other countries process meat.   Among these are the effects of injections, producer-consumer communication, and meat processing academy.

In this episode we sit down with Maria Bueso Ponce from Honduras. Her passion for meat science has led her to become a leader in the meat industry in Central America helping modernize beef and pork slaughter floors and more in that region.    We discuss her strategies and the opportunities she has identified with small meat processors wanting to adapt their production lines with new tools and technologies to optimize meat quality.

We travel to the other side of the world to talk with Kenichi Kato who is a Wagyu Beef Processing Expert in Japan.   We discuss about the antemortem practices followed by producers in Japan to produce high quality meat.   This video is sponsored by U.S. Meat Export Federation®, Ultra Source® and EFA - Meat Processing Tools®.

On this episode, we go back almost two years to discuss why MeatsPad was born.  We share some of the ins and outs of this project and its positive impact to help connect the meat industry. We flip the table and Dr. Francisco Najar and Dr. Phil Bass are interviewed by Collette Kaster, M.S. and Deidrea Mabry, M.S. from AMSA.

Today Drs. Francisco Najar and Phil Bass sit down with two magnificent meat industry leaders. Dr. KatieRose McCullough and MS. Cheyenne McEndaffer from the North American Meat Institute and the US Beef Export Federation, respectively, speak about their experience and career. We take this chance to discuss about WMIN (The Women's Meat Industry Network), which was created to support women and their role in meat industry. They also share about their passion and how they currently help other women in their professional development.

This week we have the pleasure to invite two friends, Thea and Amando Lopatka, CEO and Operations Manager for of UMAY DRY®️, respectively, to talk about how this brand was created. Thea also created DryAgePro®️, a company that provides solutions to meat processors and restaurants who are seeking to dry age at a commercial scale and at low cost using the special and original membrane bags. You will find this talk very enriching if you are a company that seeks to learn about new, inexpensive and easy alternatives for dry aging, and how you can implement them; as well as the benefits and differences that exist compared to traditional methods of dry aging in meat.

This week we sit down with two outstanding food safety leaders in the meat industry. Dr. Randall Phebus and Dr. Darin Detwiler from Kansas State University and Detwiler Consulting Group, respectively, discuss about the evolution of Food Safety and HACCP. Dr. Phebus is a Professor at Kansas State University who coordinates an active applied food safety research program focusing on food microbiology, food safety, food biosecurity and defense, and public health. He works closely with food processors, regulators, and technology providers across the country to improve food quality and safety through laboratory-based and processing-based research and troubleshooting activities. Dr. Detwiler serves as a consultant who supports food industry firms in their efforts to align all employees' roles with policies and protocols for compliance. He is a professor of food regulatory policy, specializing in food safety, global economics of food and agriculture, Blockchain, and food authenticity. Today you will learn: 1. The evolution of HACCP 2. Why HACCP began? 3. How to be a food safety leader 4. USDA efforts 5. Non-eating meat to meat industry leader 6. Future of food safety

In this episode we fly all the way to Spain to visit Viscofan, the world leader in the production of casings in the meat industry. We sat down with Alberto Lorés Guerrero who is an expert in the application of cellulose casings, collagen, and artificial casings for sausage manufactures. Alberto is a Food Technologist and a passionate fellow who is also a leader in the global meat industry. He has developed numerous projects in different meat processing companies in Europe and has been involved in meat processing trainings for the meat industry. This episode will serve as an introduction to learn more about casings, casing types, and how they can be used in the meat industry. In this episode you will learn: 1. Types of casings 2. Plant-based 3. Collagen casings 4. Cellulose casings 5. Storage temperature 6. Stuffing horn and calibers 7. Optimization in the process

For our last conversation during the Reciprocal Meat Conference 2021, we invited Dr. Elisabeth Lonergan to talk about her most recent work on the effect of supplementing minerals on meat quality. Meat our host: Dr. Huff-Lonergan is a Professor in the Animal Science Department at Iowa State University. She received her BS in Food Science at the University of Missouri/Columbia and her MS and Ph.D. at Iowa State. She was on faculty at Auburn University before joining the faculty at Iowa State University. Her research centers on improving the efficiency of muscle growth and improving fresh meat quality. The Lonergan lab research program (joint with Dr. Steven Lonergan) uses cutting-edge protein chemistry techniques to find effective, practical solutions for the livestock industry. Today you will learn about: 1. Use of minerals 2. Why Zinc? 3. pH decline 4. How it can affect tenderness 5. Meat and Muscle Biology 6. Research

This week we share our microphone with Dr. Colle to discuss the effect of extended aging times of beef subprimals on tenderness and other quality attributes. To optimize tenderness, the meat industry utilizes aging as a practice to ensure a good eating experience, but in some cases, there are certain beef cuts that undergo more than 21 days of aging. Dr. Colle studies the impact of long aging times and how these times affect color stability of beef cuts when displayed at the retail level. Finding a nice balance between tenderness and color shelf-life attributes is key to get a tender product and also preventing retailers to mark prices down due to oxidation. Today you will learn about: 1. The importance of aging 2. Tenderness and color-life 3. Benchmarks in meat industry 4. Shelf-life 5. The role of calpains 6. Inexpensive means to optimize color

This week we feature two members of the K-STATE Meat Science group to talk about palatability and one of their most recent research comparing plant-based products to ground beef. Dr. Travis O'Quinn and MS Sam Davis discuss about their findings and how consumers preferred ground beef over plant-based beef alternatives.  Meat our guests: Dr. O'Quinn graduated with his B.S. (2008) and M.S. (2010) degrees from Texas Tech University and earned a Ph.D. in Meat Science from Colorado State University (2012). Dr. O’Quinn’s research interests center on beef palatability and the factors affecting the traits of tenderness, juiciness and flavor. He has conducted research involving more than 13,000 beef consumers from across the country. Sam Davis grew up in the Flint Hills of Kansas and obtained his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Kansas State University. He is currently a project manager on the fresh research and development team at Clemens Food Group, a pork company in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Today you will learn about: 1. Palatability 2. Why juiciness, tenderness and flavor? 3. Meat quality 4. Plant-based products 5. Ingredients and clean label 6. Consumer demographics

This week we have the honor to feature Dr. Jesús Velazco, Director of Perishables at HEB México, who will touch on the current challenges faced by the retail industry in North America. He shares some tips for folks in the meat department to have a profitable and prosperous business.  Dr. Velazco also participated in the bovine myology project, which has led to many improvements in terms of cutability and feasibility over the years within the meat industry. Today you will learn: 1. Supporting meat industry leaders 2. Meat trade 3. Meat cutting 4. Generating value in fresh meat 5. Communication channels between retail and producers 6. HEB quality 7. Leadership

This week we sit down with Dr. Ty Lawrence to address some questions from meat processors on how much water we should use when processing livestock. Dr. Lawrence is a professor of animal science at West Texas A&M University and has spent a lot of years studying water usage in the meat industry as well as evaluating how to improve the yield, quality, and safety of red meat products. Today you will learn about: Water source for the meat industry Aquifers Processes to save water Water quality Gallons per head Water treatments

“𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒌𝒆𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒂𝒕 𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒇-𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒔” 𝐃𝐫. 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐩 This week we welcome back our former guests to continue the conversation on pork quality. Dr. Travis Arp and Dr. Dustin Mohrhauser from USMEF and Smithfield Foods, respectively, talk about some of the challenges for the pork industry in terms of fat quality and how they tackle it on the frontline. Many countries pay close attention to the inbound quality of their pork products, and during this conversation we dive into how the industry is currently monitoring and evaluating these factors. Today you will learn about: 1. Pork quality  2. Firmness  3. Export market 4. Iodine value 5. Asian markets 6. Control and verification  7. The role of genetics in pork quality 8. Swine nutrition

This week on the MeatsPad Podcast we receive Jack Bobo, author of the book ‘Why smart people make bad food choices' During this episode, Jack shares his previous experiences and explains about the role of agriculture in the modern world and how the food industry, government, and academia may work together to combat food waste. In addition, he dives into the future of food and describes how consumers are reshaping their thinking about what they eat. Meat our guest: Jack Bobo is the CEO of Futurity, a food foresight company that helps brands get ahead of trends so they don’t get run over by them. He leverages insights in food technology, consumer attitudes and consumer trends to deliver meaningful results for his clients. Jack is a regular speaker on global trends in agriculture, consumer perceptions of risk, science communication and the art of networking. Today you will learn about: 1. What are the fears of today’s consumer? 2. Modern agriculture 3. The food waste dilemma 4. Supersizing 5. A multidisciplinary approach 6. Simple solutions for complicated problems 7. Sustainability

This week we sat down with Dr. Jeremy Adler who is an expert on sanitation in the meat industry. Dr. Adler highlights the ins and outs of an efficient sanitation program that could be used by meat processors. Meat our guest: He obtained his BS in Microbiology, MS in Reproductive Physiology, and PhD in Food Microbiology/Meat Science from Colorado State University. Dr. Adler is a Sr. RD&E program for food safety for Ecolab. His primary responsibilities center on supporting the Global Food and Beverage innovation pipeline and deploying customer-facing food safety and quality management solutions as a core element of Ecolab digital innovation programs. He also works closely with Regulatory on proposed legislation that has the potential to impact Ecolab F&B and its customers. In this episode you will learn about: 1. Why Sanitation? 2. How it works 3. Defining soil types 4. Fat and protein 5. Dispersion 6. Cleaning agents 7. Sanitation after Covid-19

This week we talk about what is happening in the meat science community with the upcoming Reciprocal Meat Conference taking place in Reno, Nevada. In addition, Dr. Bass shares about his current research on dry aging. Sit back and enjoy this conversation!

We are delighted to have the opportunity to present you such a great project which is an example of giving back to the community and fighting food insecurity in the state of Colorado. Dr. Bob Delmore and Jordan Levi are leaders in the meat industry and today they explain how cattle feeders, meat packers, and academia came together to tackle hunger in Colorado. Meat our guests: Dr. Bob Delmore is a professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University.  He teaches courses in Meat Science, Meat Processing and Food Safety. He is also a member of the Center for Meat Safety & Quality conducting research to address national and global issues.   He recently oversaw design and construction of the JBS Global Food Innovation Center In Honor of Gary and Kay Smith at Colorado State University. Jordan is the founder of the Fed Cattle Exchange which began operations in 2016. In March of 2018, Jordan, his firm and partners facilitated the purchase of Five Rivers Cattle, the world’s largest cattle feeding operation with a onetime capacity of approximately 900k head. Prior to forming Arcadia in 2009, Mr. Levi formed and co-managed Heritage Management Company, a hedge fund and family office for two Oklahoma City Forbes list oilmen. Today you will learn about: Using meat science as a tool Meat industry leaders Beef sticks Meat in the diet Cattle producers, packers, and academia Food security Future of current projects

This week we sit down with Dr. Joe Regenstein to discuss about religious slaughter. His broad experience and extensive work in the kosher and halal food categories will help us to address questions from beef producers who want to learn more about this topic. Meat our guest: His B.A. and M.S. are from Cornell and his Ph.D. in Biophysics is from Brandeis University. Dr. Regenstein is a Professor Emeritus of Food Science and Head of the Cornell University Kosher and Halal Food Initiative (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, CALS), and Adjunct Professor in Veterinary Medicine and Jewish Studies (Arts and Sciences). Dr. Regenstein has received two awards from CALS’: Efforts to Promote Multicultural Diversity and Outstanding Accomplishments in Science and Public Policy and has received IFT’s Elizabeth Stier Humanitarian, Bor-Luh International and Carl Feller’s Career Service Awards. Today you will learn about: 1. History of religious slaughter 2. Product demand 3. Difference between Kosher and Halal 4. Economic benefits 5. Opportunities in Kosher slaughter 6. Tips for beef producers 7. Forequarter vs hindquarter

This week on the MeatsPad, we feature Dr. Daniel and Diana Clark from the Certified Angus Beef®brand. Today we dive into the specifications of the CAB program and to discuss about the uniqueness of CAB and what makes it a very successful brand. Daniel and Diana Clark engage and teach partners about beef quality and meat science at the brand’s Culinary Center and meat labs across the country. The trainings they develop allow retailers, distributors and chefs to experience beef fabrication and the brand’s science-based specifications through hands-on activities. Beyond the meat labs, Daniel enjoys data mining to grow overall knowledge of beef while Diana tackles consumer research to better understand the people who consume it. Meat our guest: Originally from Illinois, the dynamic duo attended the University of Illinois. Diana finished with a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in animal science, specializing in meat science and muscle biology. Daniel did the same, and then added a doctorate degree in animal science before the couple moved to Wooster, Ohio. With experience on meat judging teams and in academic research, they’ve each taught classes at The Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI) and worked in the industry, from leading quality and safety compliance for meat companies to developing a food-safety certificate program for ATI. Today you will learn about: 1. What makes CAB CAB? 2. 10 specifications 3. #1 Marbling 4. Consistency is key 5. Culinary center 6. Cutting alternatives 7. Graduate school experience

We are very pleased to receive Karsten Schellhas on MeatsPad today! He is a 4thGeneration German Master Butcher, who worked in many countries in Europe, Canada and the USA.  He has extensive experience in the meat but also in the alternative protein industry. Karsten has helped companies of all sizes – from small to large to achieve their goals. Using process technology and innovation is important as well as training the next generation of employees in the food industry. Today you will learn about: 1. Europe's influence on North American cuisine 2. What makes a good fresh sausage? 3. Spices 4. Correct mixing 5. Stuffing tips 6. Modern equipment 7. Handling of casings 8. Proper storage of non-meat ingredients

This week we feature Diana Huerta who is an Applications Engineering Manager from Sealed Air’s Shrink Bags Product Line. Besides all her knowledge and experience in food packaging and polymers, she is a meat scientist and works with meat processors to optimize the shelf-life of fresh meat on a daily basis. We are entering a new era in meat packaging and Diana points out how the meat industry is constantly adapting to satisfy the demand of meat in the world. Meat our guest: Diana has a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Venezuela and holds a Master’s degree in Meat Science from Texas A&M University. She has been awarded 3 U.S. patents for packaging solutions, has 6 published academic papers, and is fluent in English and Spanish. Diana has made considerable contributions to the automation initiatives at Sealed Air in response to the food industry's pressing needs to get food to consumers while facing workforce shortages. In addition, she leads a team of engineers and scientists responsible for researching customer needs, developing new solutions, and implementing commercially viable packaging solutions. Today you will learn: 1. New era of meat packaging 2. Automation 3. Thoughts on labor shortages 4. Tendency for less product handling 5. Global food supply 6. Sustainability in meat production 7. Packaging and shelf-life MeatsPad ranked among the top 3 Meat Podcast of 2021. We are so proud to be ranked #3 by https://blog.feedspot.com/meat_podcasts/

Let’s talk about Salt! This week we sat down with Dr. Rodrigo Tarté who is an Assistant Professor and Meat Scientist in the Department of Animal Science at Iowa State University. He has many years of experience in academia and industry and discusses the importance of salt in processed meats to ensure food safety, texture, flavor and more.  Meat our guest: He holds BS and MS in Food Technology, and a Ph.D. in Food Science & Technology and Meat Science, from Iowa State University. Dr. Tarte joined the Iowa State faculty in 2015 after nineteen years in the meat processing industry, during which he held key research & development posts in major meat and food processing companies, primarily Kraft Foods/Oscar Mayer and John Morrell Food Group (division of Smithfield Foods).  His primary areas of expertise and research are meat further processing, meat product formulation, non-meat ingredient technology and food safety microbiology.  Today you will learn about:  1. Sodium Chloride  2. Types of salt  3. Protein extraction  4. Myosin  5. Principles in formulation  6. How much is too much?  7. Other salt alternatives  8. Potassium Chloride  9. Industry to academia

Dr. Dale Woerner is an Associate Professor and Cargill Endowed Professor at Texas Tech University. Today, Dr. Woerner, Blake Foraker, and Jenna Frink discuss the benefits and challenges of beef X dairy crossbreeding production systems in the U.S. Meat our guest: Dr. Woerner earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Animal Science, Meat and Food Industry Management from Texas Tech University in 2003 and 2005, respectively, and earned his Ph.D. in Animal Science/Meat Science from Colorado State University in 2009.  He served on the faculty at Colorado State University for 9 years, and recently joined the faculty at Texas Tech University in an endowed chair position. You will learn about: 1. Crossbreeding programs in the U.S. 2. Importance of dairy cattle 3. Impact on palatability 4. Color shelf-life 5. Meat quality 6. Understanding the economy of crossbreeding 7. Genotypes of cattle 8. Future research

We feature Rebecca Thistlethwaite who is the Director of the Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network (NMPAN), an Extension community-of-practice housed at Oregon State University. She highlights the role of NMPAN and how this organization helps meat processors across the U.S. Rebecca has over 23 years working in agriculture in many different facets, from farmworker and farm owner to agricultural researcher, training beginning farmers, and policy advocacy. Rebecca lives in the Columbia River Gorge region of Oregon with her two children. Meat our guest: She has a master's degree in International Agricultural Development from the University of California – Davis. She is author of two books on farming- Farms With a Future: Creating and Growing a Sustainable Farm Business (2012) and The New Livestock Farmer: The Business of Raising and Selling Ethical Meat (2015) and provides business and marketing consulting for sustainable farms and food businesses. When not running NMPAN, you will find her cooking, trail running, health coaching, or volunteering for local schools.

Our guest on this week’s episode is Dr. Bucky Gwartney, an International Marketing Specialist with the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. He discusses about the role of USDA-AMS in providing beef grading services to large and small meat processors. He is responsible for the development and oversight of red meat standards, which include the beef yield and quality grades, among other standards, and serve as a technical expert on many red meat related activities within USDA. He also serves as the USDA representative on several international standards organizations. Meat our guest: He attended Oklahoma State University (OSU) where he received a B.S. in Agriculture, Animal Science and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Science/Meat Science from the University of Nebraska. Dr. Gwartney is very active in meat industry associations, serving as past president of the American Meat Science Association (AMSA) and as a past Muscle Foods Division Chair at the Institute of Food Technology. He was part of the research team that received the International Meat Secretariat Prize for Meat Science and Technology, is an AMSA Fellow and an OSU Graduate of Distinction. In this episode you will learn about: 1. USDA-AMS 2. Beef grading 3. History of the U.S. grading system 4. Dentition as an age indicator 5. International meat science work 6. Grading at small meat facilities

In this episode we sit down with Dr. Anna Dilger, an Associate Professor of Meat Science and Muscle Biology at the University of Illinois, and we dive into policy, research, and pork quality. Dr. Dilger shares some suggestions for small and mid-sized meat processors who may use inexpensive tools like measuring pH to improve pork quality. Meat our guest: She is a graduate of Purdue University of the University of Illinois. Anna’s research focuses on how genetics and management of animals alters the quantity and quality of meat they produce, with a focus on pork quality. She serves on the Board of Directors of the American Meat Science Association and as President-Elect for the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). You will learn about: 1. CAST 2. Policy in Agriculture 3. Pork quality 4. The toolbox for meat scientist 5. New recommendations for cooking pork 6. A pHmeter can save you from many headaches 7. Advocating for the meat industry and much more!

This week our guest is Noah Hall, a Director of Processing and Kill Floor Equipment for UltraSource in Kansas City. He will share more about his role and meat processing education opportunities that are available in the meat industry for meat processors who seek to expand their knowledge. Meat out guest: Noah is a native of North Dakota and received his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering and a master’s degree in Meat Science from North Dakota State University. Noah has 10+ years experience working with plant equipment layouts, operation, and training. He currently works for UltraSource, a company that specializes in equipment and supplies to the meat and food industry. In this episode you will learn about: 1. Education opportunities 2. Keeping up to date 3. Meat processing 4. Resources for meat processors 5. How can a meat processor improve his business? 6. Where does our talent come from? 7. Investing in employees

We are honored to host Dr. Michael Dikeman this week on MeatsPad. Dr. Dikeman is a Professor Emeritus in Meat Science at Kansas State University. Today, he shares about his research contributions and their impact on the meat industry after nearly 50 years of teaching and conducting research at K-State. Early in his career, he cooperated with U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Nebraska for 18 years coordinating the carcass and meat research component of the Germ Plasm Evaluation and Germ Plasm Utilization extensive research projects. Results have been and still are used throughout the world. Today you will learn about: 1. Enzymes responsible for meat tenderization 2. Meat industry evolution 3. Impactful findings 4. Meat Science Encyclopedia 5. Beef production in South America 6. Branded programs

We feature Dr. Travis Arp who is the Senior Director of Export Services/Access for the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Today, Dr. Arp shares about the importance of the quality attributes of the meat produced in the U.S. Also, he explains in detail about those factors that make the U.S. meat industry a very competitive and successful industry. Travis started with USMEF in October, 2012. At USMEF, he is responsible for market and trade access issues while also working with USMEF members, USMEF foreign offices, and the U.S. government to improve market access for U.S. red meat exporting companies. Meat our guest: Dr. Arp has a Master’s and Doctoral degree in Meat Science from the University of Florida and Colorado State University, respectively, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture Economics from the University of Missouri. Dr. Arp is originally from the Madison, Wisconsin area, where he grew up on a purebred cattle operation, which his family now owns and operates in northern Missouri. Today you will learn: 1. Role of USMEF 2. Technical support  3. International markets 4. U.S. Beef 5. U.S. meat products 6. Export opportunities

Our guest this week is Dr. Jonathan Campbell who is an Associate Professor at Penn State University. Dr. Campbell discussed today about the art of curing and the applications of Sodium Nitrate and Nitrite in processed meats. Meat our guest: Dr. Campbell began his career in the meat industry in 1998 while working as an Animal Science undergraduate student in the Meat Laboratory at Clemson University. From 2000 – 2006, Jonathan served as the Meat Laboratory Manager. Jonathan then accepted a full-time extension associate and research position and joined the meat science group at Iowa State University. Campbell worked in Ames from 2006-2013, where he gained valuable knowledge and extensive experience in the area of processed meats and food safety. Jonathan then joined the Animal Science faculty at Penn State University on July 1, 2013 where he currently serves as the Extension Meat Specialist hosting numerous workshops and short courses annually. Campbell is also closely tied to meat and food processors in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern U.S. and works on validating the safety of various processed meat items, specifically artisanal salumi and charcuterie style products. Today you will learn about: 1. The importance of curing 2. Sodium Nitrite 3. Natural sources of Nitrite and Nitrate 4. Meat processing 5. Other non-meat ingredients 6. Regulations and much more!

In this episode we feature Dr. Kurt Vogel who is an Associate Professor of Animal Welfare and Behavior at the University of Wisconsin – River Falls. Dr. Vogel talks about the importance of humane handling and slaughter of livestock. He also explains more in depth about efficient stunning methods in meat processing facilities. He teaches courses in animal welfare, animal physiology, and meat science. He was the 2020 recipient of the Distinguished Teacher Award – the highest honor bestowed on the faculty at UW-River Falls.  In addition to his teaching duties, he oversees the Animal Welfare Lab at UW-River Falls and mentors undergraduate and graduate researchers on a variety of projects regarding the relationships of animal welfare and product attributes. Dr. Vogel co-coaches the UW-River Falls Animal Welfare Judging Team as well. Outside of UW-River Falls, Dr. Vogel works as a consultant on animal welfare issues in the meat, dairy, and animal welfare assurance fields.  Today you will learn about: 1. The humane slaughter act 2. Efficient stunning processes 3. Types of stunning 3. Captive bolt 4. Electrical and chemical stunning in pigs 5. Research on stunning methods 6. Animal welfare 7. Reasons for humane slaughter  and much more!

Our guest this week is Dr. Aladin Bekhit, a Meat Scientist and Associate Professor at the University of Otago in New Zealand. Dr. Bekhit’s research interests include muscle biochemistry and other factors that control meat quality, more specifically the color of fresh meat and tenderness. He also studies the waste streams in meat processing facilities. Meat our guest: He obtained his PhD in Biochemistry from Lincoln University, New Zealand in 2004. His PhD work investigated the role of metmyoglobin reducing activity in the maintenance of fresh meat color. Aladin obtained his MS in Food Process Engineering from the University of Reading, UK. He is currently an associate professor of Food Science at the University of Otago (NZ) and hold several visiting professor posts in Saudi Arabia, China and New Zealand Universities. Today you will learn about: 1. Protein oxidation 2. Strategies to reduce oxidation 3. Meat color 4. New trends in meat packaging in New Zealand 5. Waste utilization 6. Impact of oxidation on gut microbiota

This week our guest is Dr. Dustin Mohrhauser who is an Associate Pork Quality Manager at Smithfield Foods. He will share today with us about some routes for retail business to communicate with large pork processors when procuring fresh pork. Pork abscesses are not very common but may be formed due to lesions or vaccinations. Meat our guest: Dustin earned undergraduate degrees (BS ’07) as well as graduate degrees (MS ’09, PhD ’13) at South Dakota State University. Following graduation, he started with Smithfield Foods as a Technical Services Coordinator and has since been elevated to Associate Pork Quality Manager. His responsibilities include providing a link between live production and fresh pork groups with an interest in maintaining and improving pork quality. In this role, Dustin has been involved in fresh pork research, sales and marketing support, and providing technical support related to meat quality concerns. In this episode you will lean: 1. Communication channels 2. Quality defects in pork 3. Pork abscess 4. Customer feedback 5. Approaching a large pork processor

Our guest this week is Dr. de Mello who is the Meat Science and Food Safety Program Leader for the University of Nevada, Reno. He shares with us some of his work on meat and nutrigenomics and how feeding cattle different diets will affect the microRNA profile in beef and may be used as biomarkers for meat quality. Over the course of his professional and academic career, he taught animal products and food regulations at Paulista University in Brazil and worked for JBS USA as Technical Specialist and Quality Assurance and Food Safety Superintendent. His broad research program at UNR approaches important "from farm to table" stages including animal nutrition, animal handling, harvest, fabrication, and processing. Meat our guest: Dr. de Mello obtained his D.V.M. from University of Marilia, Brazil in 2001, M.S. from Sao Paulo State University, Brazil in 2004, and Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln in 2010. Dr. de Mello teaches introductory and advanced meat science courses in the Department of Agriculture, Nutrition, and Veterinary Sciences. He also serves as the academia chair for the Nevada Food Safety Task Force. You will learn about: 1. Importance of meat nutrition 2. Nutrigenomics 3. Impact on meat industry 4. Nucleotides 5. Beef nutrition 6. Meat quality

This week we feature Dr. David Gerrard, a Professor and Head of the Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences at Virginia Tech. Dr. Gerrard has devoted his career to study the mechanisms controlling energy metabolism in skeletal muscle. This dialogue will serve as an introductory episode which outlines the basics of Meat Science. Meat our guest: He received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. from Purdue University. Dr. Gerrard held various positions, including faculty at University of Missouri-Columbia (1992) and Purdue University (1996) and was a visiting scientist at the Institute National de Recherche Agronomique, France. In 2009, Gerrard accepted a faculty and leadership position at Virginia Tech and moved to Blacksburg, Virginia. Dr. Gerrard has educated over 30 individuals who hold positions at a number of universities, government and privately funded research environments. He has been PI or co-PI of some 15 federal grants worth over $6M and has published over 105 refereed publications in a variety of journals including JAS, Meat Science, FASEB, AJP, Cell Calcium and PLOS ONE. Today you will learn about: 1. All muscle is not the same 2. Species and meat quality 3. Dark meat vs white meat 4. Fiber type 5. Impact of age 6. Grass-fed vs grain-fed

Our guests this week are Collette Kaster and Deidrea Mabry who lead the American Meat Science Association (AMSA), the premier organization for meat scientists that work in all segments of the global meat and livestock industries as well as government and academia. Collette Kaster currently serves as the CEO for the American Meat Science Association and also serves as the Executive Director for PAACO, the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization, where she leads efforts to provide training and certification for animal welfare auditors and audit programs. Deidrea currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer for AMSA and has been with AMSA since 2007. In this role she oversees all operational and administrative functions as well as educational programs and communication including RMC technical program, PORK 101, SALUMI 101, webinars. Today you will learn about: 1. What is AMSA 2. Their role in AMSA 3. Current members 4. Benefits of the organization 5. ICOMST/RMC 2020 6. Future of AMSA

Our guest this week is Dr. Sara Gragg who is an Associate Professor at Kansas State University. During this episode, she will discuss about the importance of antimicrobial interventions and she will provide an update on current strategies used in the meat industry. Dr. Gragg earned her undergraduate degree in Food Science & Technology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln before moving to Texas for graduate school. She then earned her MS in Food Science, doctorate in Animal Science, and was a post-doctoral research scientist at Texas Tech University. Dr. Gragg has nearly 20 years of experience in food safety and her research program investigates pre-harvest and post-harvest issues affecting the meat industry. She is particularly interested in studying the pre-harvest transmission of foodborne pathogens in food animals, as well as investigating interventions to reduce foodborne pathogens in live animals. Sara currently teaches courses in food microbiology, produce safety and food policy at Kansas State University. Today you will learn about: 1. Types of antimicrobial interventions 2. Organic acids 3. Food safety 4. Sources of contamination 5. Current research 6. Validations for the pork industry 7. BSL-3 Laboratory

We are featuring Abbie Uhlenkott and Brendan Negri who work in an American Wagyu beef processing facility in the Northwest. Abbie grew up around cattle in rural Idaho and graduated from the University of Idaho with a B.S. in Animal and Veterinary Science and a B.S. in Agricultural Economics. Our other guest, Brendan Negri, grew up in the outdoors of southern Idaho and earned his B.S. in Natural Resource Conservation at the University of Idaho. Abbie and Brendan work for Washington Beef in Toppenish, Washington as Management Trainees.  You will learn:  1. The uniqueness of processing Wagyu cattle  2. Worker safety  3. In-plant strategies to tackle COVID-19  4. Fat rendering  5. Early career in the meat industry

This week, we feature Dr. Chris R. Calkins who is a Professor of Animal Science at the University of Nebraska. He earned B.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Texas A&M University and a M.S. degree from the University of Tennessee. He has several hundred refereed journal articles, book chapters and conference proceedings, holds 6 patents, and has received millions of dollars in research support. Dr. Calkins is recognized around the world for his expertise in meat quality and value adding strategies for beef and has given numerous invited presentations in North and South America, Europe and Asia. He was inducted into the Meat Industry Hall of Fame in 2019. Today you will learn about: 1. What is Rigor Mortis 2. Practices to enhance tenderness 3. Chilling times 4. Lean carcasses 5. Beef in Latin America 6. Meat quality  

Our guest this week is Dr. Dustin Boler who is a Meat Scientist with Topigs Norsvin. He earned undergraduate degrees at Purdue University (BS ’04) and graduate degrees at the University of Illinois (MS ’08, PhD ’11). Following graduation, he was on faculty at Ohio State and the University of Illinois, where his research focused on fresh pork quality.  He has interacted with industry partners to evaluate the effects of farm practices on carcass characteristics and cutability and also focused on processed meat quality, issues relating to fat quality, and sensory and consumer acceptability of pork and beef. Dr. Boler taught classes at the graduate and undergraduate levels in Meat Science and Muscle Biology. Now, with Topigs Norsvin, his international responsibilities encompass research and development activities, sales and marketing support, and technical service for integrated producers and packers.

This episode will cover the current impact of the increase in size and weight of cattle, carcasses, and subprimal cuts due to this pandemic.  Jessica Lancaster is a third year PhD student at the University of Idaho studying Meat Science under the mentorship of Dr. Phil Bass. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Animal Science at Colorado State University. She then continued onto the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she coached the meat evaluation and meat animal evaluation teams and earned her Master's Degree in Meat Science. Her primary research focus is the impact of oversized carcasses on steak quality and opportunities for alternative fabrication of oversized beef carcasses. Today you will learn about: - Current beef sizes/weights - Quality issues associated with heavier carcasses - Alternatives for retailers  And much more.

Our guest this week is Dr. Jennifer Acuff, an Assistant Professor of Food Microbiology at University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, AR. Although her integrated research, extension, and teaching program is currently focused on serving the producers of Arkansas, Dr. Acuff is no stranger to working and collaborating with processors and universities throughout the U.S. Dr. Acuff was born and raised in College Station, TX, earned a B.S. in Biology at Abilene Christian University, an M.S. in Food Science at Kansas State University, and Ph.D. in Food Science from Virginia Tech. Over the years, her research has ranged from beef safety to low-moisture, ready-to-eat foods, with the common, overarching goal of providing applied, useful research to stakeholders and consumers. In this episode you will learn about: - The importance of eliminating pathogens - The presence of E-coli and Salmonella  - Antimicrobial interventions - Killing pathogens through scalding - Contamination via evisceration And a lot more! - 

We feature Dr. Phil Bass who is an Assistant Professor and Meat Scientist at the University of Idaho. He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Animal Science at California Polytechnic State University and his Ph.D. in Meat Science from Colorado State University. Phil served as the Senior Meat Scientist for the Certified Angus Beef brand for several years where he led educational programs, innovative beef carcass merchandising initiatives, and analyzed data for the betterment of the brand and beef community. Phil transitioned to a faculty position in the Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences Department with the University of Idaho in 2017 where he teaches and focuses his research primarily on ways of improving beef carcass value and palatability through practical and applied means. In this episode you will learn about: -What is aging? -Pros and cons of dry aging -Wet aging -Influence of cattle genetics -Practices to optimize tenderness And much more!

During this episode, we are excited to have Dr. Ranjith Ramanathan as our guest. Dr. Ram is an Associate Professor of Meat Science in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences at Oklahoma State University. Dr. Ram obtained his Ph.D. and MS degrees in Animal Science from the University of Connecticut in 2012. He received his Bachelor of Veterinary and Animal Science in 2004 from Kerala Agricultural University, India. His research focuses on both fundamental and applied factors that influence fresh meat quality.  In this episode you will learn about: -What is meat color? -Myoglobin, a protein responsible for meat color -Why does meat oxidize? -Types of meat packaging -How to optimize the shelf-life of meat -Difference between meat color and food safety -Future of meat production  And a lot more!

Our guest this week is Derek Schroeder who is a slaughter equipment and meat processing specialist at Ultrasource. He is from Northeast Nebraska. Derek earned his BS in Animal Science at the University of Nebraska-lincoln. He continued on for his MS in Meat Science under Dr. Dennis Burson where his research emphasis was in sodium reduction in processed meats. After graduating with his MS, he went into equipment sales at UltraSource LLC in KC, MO. He specializes in kill floor and processing equipment and he also plays a role in teaching in UltraSource Academies providing the fundamentals of Meat Science to meat processors. In this episode you will learn about: -Increased demand of local meats -What to do when doubling production -Correct carcass spacing within the hotbox -Rail size -What are mobile slaughter houses? -And a lot more

We feature Nelson Gaydos, an Outreach Specialist, at the American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP). He graduated from Penn State with both a Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science and a Master’s Degree in Animal Science with a focus on Meat Microbiology. He joined AAMP back in July of 2016 as its Outreach Specialist where his responsibilities include: answering members questions on food safety, processing, HACCP and regulatory affairs, or any other subject, help find and provide supporting documentation, aid in guiding industry-focused research and challenge studies, create and develop training and educational materials including videos, brochures and articles, direct AAMP’s Internship Program, travel to state and regional convention to promote the organization and educate members and help represent AAMP in Washington D.C. concerning regulatory affairs. The subjects we discuss in this episode are: -AAMP resources -Guidelines that should be in place to minimize the COVID-19 transmission -Personal protective equipment -Good Manufacturing Practices  -A production shift due to the current pandemic - And a lot more

In episode #5, we feature Dr. Brandon Goehring, a Technical Services Manager at Visko Teepak. He finished his BS in Animal Science at Iowa State University.  He completed his MS and PhD at Kansas State university researching bacon quality.  While at K-state, he managed in the K-State Meat Lab and coached the Meats Judging team.  Upon graduating, he went to work for the CampoFrio Food group in an R&D role working with Italian style Salami, Prosciutto and other dry-cured food items. He then moved on to a Food Scientist teaching/troubleshooting role at Ultrasource where he managed the Test kitchen and the Ultrasource Academy programs.  While at Ultrasource he spent a significant time working with smokehouse operations and drying chambers.  He currently works at Viskoteepak as a Technical Services Manager providing customer troubleshooting solutions for Fibrous, Plastic, Cellulose, and Collagen casings. You will learn about: -Quality parameters of meat  -Differences between wet aging and dry aging -Factors to control when producing fermented meat products -The importance of pH in meat processing  And a lot more.

This week, we feature Dr. Elizabeth Boyle, a Professor in Meat Science in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry at Kansas State University. She will discuss about a peer-reviewed journal article that was recently published (link below). This research stemmed from the need of accessible supporting documentation for small and mid-sized pork processors who may hold pork carcasses for an extended hanging time.  - Dr. Boyle obtained her B.S. in Wildlife Biology from the University of Minnesota. Then she graduated with her M.S. in Food Science and Nutrition and Ph.D. in Food Science with a meats emphasis from Colorado State University.  Currently, she provides scientific and technical assistance to meat processors and trade associations. Additionally, Dr. Boyle hosts HACCP workshops and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in meat processing, HACCP and Preventive Controls, and Advanced HACCP.  In this episode you will learn about: -Extended hanging time effect on pork carcasses -Adequate temperature and relative humidity  -What is supporting documentation? -Can we store pork cuts in vacuum bags after a long hanging time? -Link to article: https://www.iastatedigitalpress.com/mmb/article/id/9494

Dr. Carlos Campabadal, an extension specialist at Kansas State University, discussed about the current situation with corn prices and how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted beef producers in the U.S.  Carlos is a faculty member of the Department of Grain Science and Industry that works at the International Grains Program Institute (IGP) focusing on outreach in the areas of grain storage, quality and processing, U.S. grain grading and export systems, and feed manufacturing.  He obtained his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Costa Rica. He then graduated with his M.S. in Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the University of Illinois. Carlos obtained his doctoral degree in Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University. In this bonus episode we will learn about: 1. Price fluctuations in corn during the Covid-19 pandemic 2. Current update on corn production in the U.S. 3. Corn availability on the market 4. Future challenges in the grain industry And a lot more!

We are featuring Dr. Jorge Simroth, a Feedlot Nutritional and Production Consultant at Feedlot Health Management Services in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada, who will talk about the current challenges that are faced by both the beef industry and the meat industry in North America. He obtained his B.S. in Agriculture at Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon. He then received his M.S. in Ruminant Nutrition from West Texas A&M University. Upon the completion of his M.S., he returned to Mexico to work as an animal Nutrition Consultant and Technical Services representative. In 2018, he graduated with his Ph.D. in Pathobiology from Kansas State University.  In this bonus episode we will learn about: -The impact of the current pandemic on the meat industry in North America -The challenges in the beef industry during the Covid-19 pandemic -The negative impact on cattle prices -Government subsidies to help beef producers And a lot more. 

In this episode, we feature Dr. John M. Gonzalez who is an Associate Professor at the University of Georgia. Dr. Gonzalez obtained his B.S. in Agricultural Economics and Poultry Science from Texas A&M University. He then earned his M.S. in Animal Science from Sul Ross State University. In 2008, Dr. Gonzalez achieved his Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of Florida.  His research areas: 1. Studies the cellular influencers of muscle growth and their impact on meat quality 2. Examines the effects of muscle fiber size/type and collagen crosslinks and their relationship with fresh meat color and tenderness 3. Explores novel technologies, including feed additives, management strategies, and breeding strategies and how these components modify gestational, in ovo, or postnatal muscle growth and development 4. Evaluates the cellular and biochemical characteristics from livestock that are responsible for muscle fatigue during transportation