UNL food scientist emphasizes importance of food safety for the food chain

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UNL food scientist emphasizes importance of food safety for the food chain

A meat specialist at the University of Nebraska says food safety is critical to maintaining the food supply chain.

Byron Chaves informs Brownfield about ongoing research to improve the process.

“In my lab, for example, we perform product and process validations of barometers that industry can then use to improve food safety practices in the production of meat and poultry products, whether those products are raw, cooked or processed,” he says.

He says contamination in the food supply can occur at any time.

“We need to consider the ingredients, transportation, refrigeration and distribution practices, and the workers,” he says.

According to Chaves, the United States is considered a pioneer when it comes to food safety.

“We certainly have a lot of strengths and one of the benefits of working in the meat industry in the U.S. is that it’s very collaborative,” he says. “We work closely with microbiologists, meat scientists and ranchers, so we have this very technically integrated system where we work very closely together.”

Chaves spoke at the US Meat Export Federation’s Global Processing Seminar in Lincoln, Nebraska.