Scientific Resource Guides & Papers

White Papers

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

AMSA Resource Guides

Published by AMSA

  • Color Chemistry-Resource Guide   Color of muscle foods revolves around myoglobin, the primary red pigment in meat. Understanding the chemical states of myoglobin is important for managing and controlling color.
  • Color: Factors Impacting - Resource Guide Numerous factors affect meat color. Traits of the muscle itself, biochemical reactions within the meat, live animal attributes and many external and environmental factors may contribute to meat color and changes to color.
  • Salmonella Pathogenicity - Resource Guide The pathogenicity of Salmonella refers to its ability to cause illness in humans and animals. Many factors impact the likelihood for an illness to occur.
  • Salmonella Enumeration - Resource Guide  The quantity of viable Salmonella cells influences the potential to cause human illness. Rapid, precise quantification methods are important for collecting information to fully assess public health risk of products.
  • Salmonella Interventions -Resource Guide  Multiple interventions are needed as part of risk-based mitigation strategies to control Salmonella in poultry from farm to fork
  • Salmonella Overview  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).
  • 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.

On-Farm Pork Safety


Post Harvest Pork Safety

Pork Quality