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Mikel Focuses Research on Adding Value and Safety to Beef
AUBURN, Ala. - Producing quality cattle is important, but that effort is wasted if consumers don't buy the final product. Auburn University meat scientist William B. (Benjy) Mikel is working to ensure the beef industry can meet consumer demand.
A 1983 graduate of Auburn's agricultural education undergraduate program, Mikel became interested in meat science while working on his bachelor's degree by participating on the meats judging team. He went on to earn a master's and the Ph.D. in food science from Mississippi State University, where he also worked closely with Mississippi's meat industry.
He joined the Auburn faculty in 1988 as an assistant professor of Nutrition and Food Science in the School of Human Sciences. In 1992 his appointment switched to the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences in the College of Agriculture.
Though Mikel initially worked in a primarily extension role, his duties are now predominantly research related, and he has been making strides in the study of safety and value added issues through the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES).
"To me, the meat industry is a very vital part of the cattle industry because it's the end product," he said. "What you can do with the meat will determine how much the animal is worth."
"The microbial aspect, the safety of the product, is important from a wholesomeness aspect, but also from a perception standpoint," he continued. "Although we have a very safe food supply, that one case, when it occurs, can really create a problem for the industry."
A specific area of interest to Mikel has been ensuring the safety of exported beef. He conducted an AAES study looking at the shelf-life of beef products and searching for ways to prolong that shelf-life.
"With NAFTA passing, I think it is going to create even more of an opportunity for the United States to export beef," he said. By addressing shelf-life issues, the industry will be better equipped to provide high-quality products to overseas markets.
One such project is the use of organic acids, which already are approved for spraying on carcasses, as a way to extend the shelf-life of beef products.
"We've looked at the effects of acid on strip loins that were destined for overseas export and found that the acid did an extremely good job of cutting down on the bacteria over an extended shelf-life of 100-plus days," said Mikel. A second phase is looking at using the acid on hamburger products.
"We know that the acids do work on most bacteria, though unfortunately, it hasn't been very effective on E. coli," he said. "In the future we are going to look at other methods to reduce bacteria such as E. coli, Listeria, and even Salmonella."
Mikel also feels that adding value to the products is vital for beef to compete with the poultry industry, which has been very progressive in offering value-added and variety cuts.
One project presently underway is evaluating the characteristics of various muscles from low quality cattle. "Certain muscles may be used to produce value-added products, such as beef fingers, instead of being used for ground beef," said Mikel.
In addition to his research, Mikel also teaches courses in value-added analysis of meat animals and meat processing. He also is serving as major professor for several master's and doctoral students in the department and serves on graduate committees for numerous students in the department and in other colleges.
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News from:
Office of Ag Communications & Marketing
Auburn University College of Agriculture
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
3 Comer Hall, Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849
334-844-4877 (PHONE) 334-844-5892 (FAX)
Contact Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu
Contact Katie Jackson, 334-844-5886 or smithcl@auburn.edu
