CHAMPAIGN, IL — The American Meat Science Association (AMSA) has announced Dr. Melvin C. Hunt of Kansas State University is the recipient of the 2012 American Meat Science Association (AMSA) R. C. Pollock Award, presented annually in honor of the first general manager of the National Live Stock and Meat Board. Dr. Hunt will be honored at a special reception and awards presentation at the AMSA 65th Reciprocal Meat Conference on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 in Fargo, ND.
Mr. Pollock, dedicated to the advancement of meat science, was the moving force in the establishment of the Reciprocal Meat Conference. The award, sponsored by the AMSA Educational Foundation, honors a dedicated AMSA member whose work through teaching, extension, research, or service represents an extraordinary and lasting contribution to the meat industry.
Dr. Thomas Powell, Executive Director of AMSA, commenting on the award, said “Dr. Hunt’s reputation as a preeminent meat color researchers is well-known throughout the world. His service to the meat industry and the meat science discipline spans two decades of teaching, mentoring and research.”
Dr. Hunt, or ‘Hunter’ as he is known, began his career as a research chemist for Tennessee Eastman Company working on new applications of antioxidants, surfactants, and meat packaging systems. He also developed a proprietary base for functional dietary fibers suitable for sequestering bile acids and lowering serum cholesterol and as a replacement for nitrite in cured meats.
Dr. Hunt has been a part of the Animal Science Faculty at Kansas State University since 1975, where he focused his research on postmortem meat quality with particular interest of factors affecting meat color and myoglobin chemistry. He has served as Chair of the Food Science and Industry Undergraduate Program for 19 years.
Hr is internationally recognized for his expertise in meat color measurement and was the primary author of the Guidelines for Meat Color Measurement published by AMSA. This guide is the only comprehensive document on meat color measurement available to meat scientists. His students have clearly shown the advantages of using reflectance at 610 nm as an isobestic wavelength for direct determination of oxymyoglobin rather than using the traditional method of following the accumulation of metmyoglobin.
Dr. Hunt has published widely on meat pigment chemistry, meat color, and packaging systems. In the last six years, Hunt has authored or co-authored 51 refereed journal articles. In addition, he has been an invited speaker at national and international conferences to discuss his research. He has received research funding from national and commodity sources and from more than 50 major packaging and ingredient companies to address pigment chemistry, shelf life, color life, cold chain management, product palatability, and microbiology.
He is considered to be among the top five meat color experts in the world. His former graduate students hold prominent positions in government, industry and academia. He has been recognized by several organizations for contributions to research, teaching, and advising. He has served as president or chair of meat activities of three professional organizations: AMSA, ASAS, and IFT.
As an AMSA member, Dr. Hunt has served president, past president and director of the AMSA Board of Directors and chair of the 1991 RMC planning committee as well as a member of chair for numerous AMSA committees including the Meat Color Guidelines, Teaching Award and Undergraduate Travel award. Additionally, he has been a regular participant at the annual ICoMST meeting and currently serves as the US contact person.
Other groups have also recognized Dr. Hunt’s contributions to the meat industry. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including the AMSA Signal Service and Distinguished Teaching Awards, the North American Meat Processors Association Harry L. Rudnick Educator of the Year Award, American Society of Animal Science Meat Research Award, the Professor of the Year Award sponsored by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education and The Carnegie Foundation, and the Distinguished Faculty Award from Kansas State University
AMSA fosters community and professional development among individuals who create and apply science to efficiently provide safe and high quality meat defined as red meat (beef, pork and lamb), poultry, fish/seafood and meat from other managed species.
Source: The American Meat Science Association
