Meat Science involves everything from growth and development to hot dogs.  The University of Kentucky has a fully functional USDA inspected meat processing facility designed for teaching and research.  UK students can participate in hands-on learning classes such as ASC 300 Meat Science or FSC 304 Animal Derived Foods or lecture classes like FSC 430 Sensory Evaluation of Foods, FSC 434G Food Chemistry, FSC 530 Food Microbiology or ASC 630 Advanced Meat Science.  

The UK Meats Laboratory’s Extension activities include the UK Meat Cutting School, the 4-H Country Ham Project, Master Cattlemen, the Food Systems Innovation Center, and the UK Butcher Shop.  Researchers evaluate how animal diet affects meat quality, factors affecting meat color, sensory evaluation of meats, food microbiology, and the use of antioxidants in meats.