Meat Science Minor

Location(s): Brookings Main Campus

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Student working with meat in a lab.

Program Coordinator/Contact

Judson “Kyle” Grubbs, Assistant Professor
Department of Animal Sciences
Animal Science Complex 116
605-688-5451

Program Information

The Meat Science minor is designed for students seeking careers associated with the meat and food industry including research and product development, quality assurance, food safety, fresh meat processing, meat product manufacturing, and government service. Students learn product characteristics, product development, production, food safety, and marketing of fresh and processed meats. Completion provides excellent preparation for a career in the meat and food industry, and also provides an excellent background for graduate study in either meat or food science.

Course Delivery Format

Program faculty will engage students in a variety of academic and experiential learning experiences, including numerous activities in the SDSU Meats Laboratory.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students completing a Meat Science minor will:

describe the various aspects of the meat and livestock industries and how they interrelate and function, including knowledge of how pre-harvest factors impact food safety and product quality;
understand the global role of meat products in human health and nutrition and livestock production, and contribute to problem-solving food demands in the 21st century;
apply knowledge of the basic physical and chemical components of meat and their influence on specific attributes of meat and meat products to development of new and improvement of existing meat products;
describe the scientific and technological procedures involved in the processing of meat animals and preservation of meat products;
describe the food safety issues as related to the meat industry, and apply the principles of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points; and
recognize the role of today’s consumer in the meat and livestock industries.

Requirements for Meat Science Minor: 18 Credits

AS 241 - Introduction to Meat Science Credits: 2
AS 241L - Introduction to Meat Science Lab Credits: 1
AS 441 - Advanced Meat Science Credits: 3
or AS 450 - Meat Product Safety and HACCP Credits: 3
AS 445 - Value-Added Meat Products Credits: 2
AS 445L - Value-Added Meat Products Lab Credits: 1
AS 491 - Independent Study (COM) Credits: 1-3 (1-3 credits required)
or AS 494 - Internship (COM) Credits: 1-12 (1-3 credits required)
or AS 498 - Research (COM) Credits: 1-3 (1-3 credits required)

Electives

Select from the following. Credits: 6-8

AS 200 - Introduction to Meat Judging Credits: 1-2
AS 285 - Livestock Evaluation and Marketing Credits: 2
AS 285L - Livestock Evaluation and Marketing Lab Credits: 1
AS 400 - Judging Team Credits: 1-2
AS 441 - Advanced Meat Science Credits: 3
AS 450 - Meat Product Safety and HACCP Credits: 3
AST 443 - Food Processing and Engineering Fundamentals Credits: 2
AST 443L - Food Processing and Engineering Fundamentals Lab Credits: 1
FS 251 - Food Safety and Quality Management Systems Credits: 3
FS 341 - Applied Food Science Credits: 3
FS 341L - Applied Food Science Lab Credits: 1
FS 351 - Principles of Food Processing Credits: 2
FS 351L - Principles of Food Processing Lab Credits: 1
FS 451 - New Food Product Development Credits: 3
FS 451L - New Food Product Development Lab Credits: 1
HMGT 251 - Foodservice Sanitation Credits: 1
MICR 311 - Food Microbiology Credits: 2
MICR 311L - Food Microbiology Lab Credits: 2