Meat Color

242 Weber Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
(785) 532-1230
mdchao@k-state.ed

Description

The K-State Meat Color Laboratory is an approximately 900 square foot facility that has unique capabilities for evaluating meat color and shelf-life under controlled or retail conditions. Products that can be evaluated range from fresh to frozen to processed meats consisting of all species and different packaging types. Attributes commonly measured are instrumental and visual color and other shelf-life traits of odor and microbial profile.

These facilities can simulate retail display conditions to allow applied meat color and quality research. Three open-top display cases allow a wide range of temperatures and defrost cycles as well as multiple lighting types and intensities. Two Hussmann three-tiered upright display cases allow for retail focused research under LED or fluorescent lighting. Visual panels now utilize handheld tablets to allow for instant data collection for analyses. The K-State Meat Color Laboratory can work with the other meat science laboratories (Meat Lab, Muscle Biology/Meat Color Chemistry Lab, Microbiology Lab, and/or Sensory Lab) to design both applied and basic studies to suit the needs of the researcher.

Contact Information

Unit Coordinator(s)

Michael Chao
Assistant Professor
242 Weber Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
(785) 532-1230
mdchao@ksu.edu