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ISU meat lab provides educational opportunities for state meat processors

The Iowa State University Meat Laboratory recently hosted the Iowa Meat Processors Association Convention Seminar on February 18th. Attendees learned from our talented team about injecting, tumbling and marination of pork, general cutting of boxed beef, cutting tests and costing, as well as antioxidants and ground beef packaging. 

We also recently held the Fresh Pork Processing short course for participants to expanding their knowledge of the pork processing industry. Topics covered included: animal handling, pork harvest, pork carcass fabrication, accelerate (hot boning) processing, pork quality, fresh sausage production and more. 

Fresh sausage production Grilling fresh sausage

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Upcoming educational opportunities at the Iowa State Meat Laboratory include:

The Fresh Beef short course is designed for persons working in the meat processing industry with a focus on the harvest, fabrication, and processing of beef. It will also provide valuable information for those in live animal production, marketing, food production, supplier, and other industries related to fresh beef. 

The Fresh Beef Short Course is designed to offer a hands-on experience for participants who have an interest in expanding their knowledge of the beef processing industry. Speakers, nationally and internationally recognized authorities in their fields will provide information about the latest technology. Enrollment for this course is limited so that participants can participate in hands-on activities and have ample opportunities to interact with speakers and staff and have their questions answered. Iowa State University’s modern Meat Laboratory allows participants to observe demonstrations utilizing the latest technology

Registration for the March 22-24, 2022 Fresh Beef Short Course is now open. The link to register can be found at https://www.meatscience.ag.iastate.edu/content/short-course- registration-info

A HACCP workshop will be held at the Quality Inn & Suites Conference Center in Ames, Iowa September 28-30, 2021. The course is designed to review the philosophy and principles of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system and to discuss how to implement HACCP in plants. Individuals that complete the course will receive a certificate indicating they are HACCP trained individuals and their name will be added to a registry of HACCP trained individuals that is maintained by the International Meat & Poultry HACCP Alliance. This course is designed for individuals that have little or no knowledge of HACCP and individuals that would like to have a refresher on HACCP and learn of the changes that have taken place in HACCP during the last 2-3 years. 

The HACCP training is a type of learning program that aims to educate food safety managers and related handlers about the significance of HACCP as well as its implementation. The HACCP Workshop this year runs from Tuesday, March 29, 2022, to Thursday, March 31, 2022. There will be four different workshop sessions that you will complete and then an adjourning session to complete the workshop. After the completion of this three-day workshop, you will receive a certificate stating that you are a HACCP-trained individual. 

Registration for the March 29-31, 2022 HACCP Training Program is now open. The link to register can be found at https://www.meatscience.ag.iastate.edu/content/short-course- registration-info