White Papers

White papers and reference documents address the science behind current issues facing the meat industry. The following titles are currently available:

AMSA Fact Sheets 

Published by the AMSA Scientific Information Committee

• Salmonella Fact Sheet
  Salmonella is a gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria with a talent for adapting to its environment. This ability to grow or persist in many different conditions makes it particularly problematic as a foodborne pathogen.

• Anatomy of a Meat Product Label
  In the U.S, labeling of meat and poultry products intended for interstate commerce is closely regulated by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

• Beta-Agonists: What Are They and Why Do We Use Them in Livestock Production?
  Beta-adrenergic receptor agonists (beta-agonists, for short) are synthetic compounds that mimic some of the effects of naturally-occurring compounds by binding to beta-receptors on the surface of cells within the muscle, fat and other tissues of animals.

• Mechanically Separated Poultry
  Mechanically separated poultry (chicken or turkey) is a low-cost poultry protein, which is produced by mechanically separating bone and attached skeletal muscle.

Co-Published Fact Sheets 

AMSA and the National Pork Board have co-published a series of fact sheets on various aspects of pork quality. Titles are listed below. Many of these are under revision and will be re-released in early 2010.

On-Farm Pork Safety

Post Harvest Pork Safety

Pork Quality