The American Meat Science Association (AMSA) is pleased to announce that Dr. Cameron Faustman, University of Connecticut; Dr. Andy King, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center and Dr. Brad Kim, Purdue University will be the featured speakers in the AMSA 67^th Reciprocal Meat Conference (RMC) Meat Quality Symposium, on Tuesday, June 17.  

Meat color is a major trait influencing consumer purchase decisions at the point-of-sale. Any deviation from the consumer-desirable color is considered as an indicator of unwholesomeness and leads to product rejection. This session focuses of the current research and practical applications to improve fresh meat color stability.

Dr. Cameron Faustman opens this session with a presentation on “Myoglobin chemistry and modifications that influence color stability.” Myoglobin and its ability to store oxygen is critical to aerobic metabolism in living muscle.  This presentation provides a background for the session with a discussion of the relationship between myoglobin chemistry and meat color, and how modifications that influence color stability.

The “Role of mitochondria in meat color and pre-harvest factors governing beef color” follows with by Dr. Andy King, US MARC. Dr. King reveals the sources of inherent animal variation in lean color traits.  The presentation examines the role of muscle metabolism, particularly mitochondrial function, in determining color stability.  The talk also sums up the roles of genetics and antemortem management in reducing variation in lean color and color stability. 

With color being a factor that A consumer’s first impression of meat at this store is determined primarily by color, therefore, prolonging the natural color is a major goal of the meat industry, especially at the retail level. Many  factors significantly influence meat color and display color life. Dr. Brad Kim’s presentation on “Practical applications to improve fresh meat color” assesses the f current and emerging technologies, and strategic factors to improve meat color and color stability

The AMSA 67^th Reciprocal Meat Conference (RMC) is June 15-18, 2014, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  For more information regarding the AMSA 67^th RMC please visit: www.meatscience.org/rmc or contact Deidrea Mabry 1-800-517-AMSA ext. 12.