Sponsored by American Society of Animal Science

Melvin Hunt, Professor Emeritus, Kansas State University, is recognized for his contributions to the research of meat color and pigment chemistry. Hunt's research expanded industry’s critical understanding of muscles’ inherent ability to utilize oxygen and to reduce metmyoglobin leading to solutions for utilizing meat cuts with suboptimal color stability, prevention of bone discoloration, and optimization of color in modified atmosphere packaging. Of particular note was his work with the premature browning phenomena of ground beef and its significance to food safety. Based in part on his research, the USDA changed its public policy recommendations from using color as an indicator of ground beef doneness to that of endpoint temperature. Dr. Hunt’s former graduate students hold prominent positions in government, industry and academia. He was recognized by the North American Meat Processors Assoc. for his research, and the ASAS and AMSA Distinguished Research Awards.