Academic Appointments

Primary: Animal and Food Sciences, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment
Secondary: Center for Muscle Biology; Division of Nutritional Sciences

Research Interests

Proteomics of meat quality
Myoglobin chemistry and meat color
Novel strategies to improve meat quality 

Professional Experience

Professor (2017 - Present)
Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

Associate Professor (2012 – 2017)
Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

Assistant Professor (2006 – 2012)
Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

Courses Taught

FSC 304, Animal Food Products
FSC 430, Sensory Evaluation of Foods

Awards

Distinguished Research Award, American Meat Science Association (2022)

University Research Professor, University of Kentucky (2021)

International Lectureship Award, American Meat Science Association (2019)

Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Connecticut, College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources Alumni Association (2019)

Meats Research Award, American Society of Animal Science (2018)

Thomas Poe Cooper Distinguished Research Award, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky (2017)

Bobby Pass Excellence in Grantsmanship Award, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky (2016)

Special Visiting Researcher Fellowship, Government of Brazil (2014-2017)

Early Career Achievement Award, American Society of Animal Science (2013)

Achievement Award, American Meat Science Association (2012)

Outstanding Young Animal Scientist Award – Research, American Society of Animal Science Southern Section (2012)

International Meat Secretariat Prize (2009)

Outstanding Paper Presentation Award, American Oil Chemists’ Society (2006) 

Synergistic Activities

Invited speaker in the U.S., Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, South Africa, Australia, South Korea, China, India, Belgium, Germany, and Norway

Expert Reviewer for more than 50 international journals and 12 grants programs

Editorial Services

Associate Editor, Meat and Muscle Biology (2016 – Present)

Guest Editor, Animal Frontiers (2014 October)

Section Editor, Journal of Animal Science (2013 – 2016)

Editorial Board, International Journal of Food Science and Technology (2013 – Present)

Editorial Board, Animal Frontiers (2012 – 2016)

Editorial Board, Journal of Animal Science (2011 – 2013)

Editorial Board, Fleischwirtschaft International (2011 – Present)

Editorial Board, Meat Science (2010 – 2016)

Section Editor, Journal of Muscle Foods (2008 – 2009)

Publications - Complete List

Google Scholar

Recent Publications

Suman, S.P.; Wang, Y.; Gagaoua, M.; Kiyimba, F.; Ramanathan, R. 2023. Proteomic approaches to characterize biochemistry of fresh beef color. Journal of Proteomics, 281, 104893.

Gagaoua, M.; Suman, S.P.; Purslow, P.P.; Lebret, B. 2023. The color of fresh pork: Consumers expectations, underlying farm-to-fork factors, myoglobin chemistry and contribution of proteomics to decipher the biochemical mechanisms. Meat Science, 206, 109340.

King, D.A.; Hunt, M.C.; Barbut, S.; Claus, J.R.; Cornforth, D.P.; Joseph, P.; Kim, Y.H.B.; Lindahl, G.; Mancini, R.A.; Nair, M.N.; Merok, K.J.; Milkowski, A.; Mohan, A.; Pohlman, F.; Ramanathan, R.; Raines, C.R.; Seyfert, M.; Sorheim, O.; Suman, S.P.; Weber, M. 2023. American Meat Science Association Guidelines for Meat Color Measurement. Meat and Muscle Biology, 6(4): 12473.

Ramanathan, R.; Denzer, M.; Kiyimba, F.; Harr, K.; Suman, S.P.; Hunt, M.C.; Pfeiffer, M.; Mafi, G.G., Kim, Y.H.B. 2023. Role of postmortem bioenergetics in beef colour chemistry. Italian Journal of Animal Science, 22(1): 711-727.

Richards, M. P.; Whalin, J. G.; Wu, Y.; Suman, S. P.; Wang, Y.; Shohet, J. L. 2023. Myoglobin and hemoglobin: discoloration, lipid oxidation and solvent access to the heme pocket. Meat and Muscle Biology, 6(3): 14400.

Ramanathan, R.; Kiyimba, F.; Suman, S.P.; Mafi, G.G. 2023. The potential of metabolomics in meat science: Current applications, future trends, and challenges. Journal of Proteomics, 283, 104926.

Yu, Y.; Zhou, Z., Jin, Y.; Zhou, Z.; Shi, J.; Fu, Y.; Luo, X.; Li, H.; Suman, S.P.; Guan, J.; Sun, Q. 2023. Carcass characteristics and meat quality attributes of cattleyak in Tibet Plateau. Food Science of Animal Products, 1, 9240027.

Salim, A.P.A.A.; Suman, S.P.; Viana, F.M.; Canto, A.C.V.D.C.S.; Monteiro, M.L.G.; Adam Conte-Junior, C.; Mano, S.B., 2023. Influence of harvest method on proximate composition, texture profile and protein oxidation of beef from grain-fed Nellore cattle. Acta Scientiarum. Animal Sciences, 45, e59110.

Wang, Y.; Li, S.; Chen, J.; Zhu, H.; Harsh, B.N.; Boler, D.D.; Dilger, A.C.; Shike, D.W.; Suman, S.P. 2022. Supranutritional Supplementation of vitamin E influences myoglobin post-translational modifications in postmortem beef longissimus lumborum muscle. Meat and Muscle Biology, 6(1): 13541.

Barkley, K.E.; Boler, D.D.; Suman, S.P.; Dilger, A.C.; Harsh, B.N. 2022. Characterization of pork loin chop color stability using loin quality traits and instrumental discoloration measures. Meat and Muscle Biology, 6(1): 14459.

Hasan, M.M.; Rashid, M.; Suman, S.P.; Perreault, H.; Paliwal, J.; Rodas-Gonzalez, A. 2022. Tandem mass tag labeling-based analysis to characterize muscle-specific proteome changes during postmortem aging of bison longissimus lumborum and psoas major muscles. Meat and Muscle Biology, 6(1): 13055.

Cooper, J.V.; Suman, S.P.; Burdick. K.S.; Sutovsky, P.; Lonergan, S.M.; Lorenzen, C.L. 2022. Color attributes and myoglobin chemistry exhibit relationships with tenderness and calpain-1 abundance in postmortem longissimus lumborum muscles from Holstein heifers. Meat Science, 189: 108824.

Zhai, C.; Suman, S.P.; Li, S.; Nair, M.N.; Beach, C.M.; Edenburn, B.M.; Boler, D.D.; Dilger, A.C.; Felix, T.L. 2022. Ractopamine-induced remodeling in the mitochondrial proteome of postmortem longissimus lumborum muscle from feedlot steers. Livestock Science, 260: 104923.

Hasan, M.M.;  Chaudhry, M.M.A.;  Erkinbaev, C.; Paliwal, J.; Suman, S.P.; Rodas-Gonzalez, A. 2022. Application of Vis-NIR and SWIR spectroscopy for the segregation of bison muscles based on their color stability. Meat Science, 188: 1108774.

Antonelo, D.S.; Beline, M.; Silva, S.L.; Gomez, J.F.; Ferreira, C.; Zhang, X.; Pavan, B.; Koulicoff, L.A.; Rosa, A.F.; Goulart, R.S.; Gerrard, D.E.; Suman, S.P.; Schilling, M.W.; Balieiro, J.C.C. 2022. Variations in intramuscular fat content and profile in Angus x Nellore steers under different feeding strategies contribute to color and tenderness development in Longissimus thoracis. Meat and Muscle Biology, 6(1): 13043.

Antonelo, D.S.; Gomez, J.F.M.; Silva, S.L.; Beline, M.; Zhang, X.; Wang, Y.; Pavan, B.; Koulicoff, L.A.; Rosa, A.F.; Goulart, R.S.; Li, S.; Gerrard, D.E.; Suman, S.P.; Schilling, M.W.; Balieiro, J.C.C. 2022. Proteome basis for the biological variations in color and tenderness of longissimus thoracis muscle from beef cattle differing in growth rate and feeding regime. Food Research International, 153: 110947.

Kim, H.M.; Suman, S.P.; Wang, Y.; Li, S.; Beach, C.M.; Nair, M.N.; Zhai, C.; Harsh, B.N.; Boler, D.D.; Dilger, A.C.; Shike, D.W. 2021. Vitamin E influences proteome profile of beef longissimus lumborum muscle. Fleischwirtschaft International, 4: 65–69.

Chaudhry, M.M.A.; Hasan, M.M.; Erkinbaev, C.; Paliwal, J.; Suman, S.P.; Rodas-Gonzalez, A. 2021. Bison muscle discrimination and color stability prediction using near-infrared hyperspectral imaging. Biosystems Engineering, 209: 1–13.

Wang, Y.; Li, S.; Rentfrow, G.; Chen, J.; Zhu, H.; Suman, S.P. 2021. Myoglobin post-translational modifications influence color stability of beef longissimus lumborum. Meat and Muscle Biology, 5(1): 15; 1–21.

Ramanathan, R.; Nair, M.N.; Wang, Y.; Li, S.; Beach, C.M.; Mancini, R.A.; Belskie, K.; Suman, S.P. 2021. Differential abundance of mitochondrial proteome influences the color stability of beef longissimus lumborum and psoas major muscles. Meat and Muscle Biology, 5(1): 16; 1–16.

Hasan, M.M.; Sood, V.; Erkinbaev, C.; Paliwal, J.; Suman, S.P.; Rodas-Gonzalez, A. 2021. Principal component analysis of lipid and protein oxidation products and their impact on color stability in bison longissimus lumborum and psoas major muscles. Meat Science, 178: 108523.

Zhang, X.; To, K.V.; Jarvis, T.; Campbell, Y.L.; Hendrix, J.D.; Suman, S.P.; Li, S.; Antonelo, D.S.; Zhai, W.; Chen, J.; Zhu, H.; Schilling, M.W. 2021. Broiler genetics influences proteome profiles of normal and woody breast muscle. Poultry Science, 100: 100994.

Ramanathan, R.; Suman, S.P.; Faustman, C. 2020. Biomolecular Interactions Governing Fresh Meat Color in Postmortem Skeletal Muscle: A Review. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 68: 12779–12787.

Viana, F.M.; Wang, Y.; Li, S.; Conte-Junior, C.A.; Chen, J.; Zhu, H.; Suman, S.P. 2020. Thermal instability induced by 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal in beef myoglobin. Meat and Muscle Biology, 4(1): 18, 1–7.

Salim, A.P.A.; Wang, Y.; Li, S.; Conte-Junior, C.A.; Chen, J.; Zhu, H.; Rentfrow, G.; Suman, S.P. 2020. Sarcoplasmic proteome profile and internal color of beef longissimus lumborum steaks cooked to different endpoint temperatures. Meat and Muscle Biology, 4(1): 15, 1–15.

Zhang, X.; Zhai, W.; Li, S.; Suman, S. P.; Chen, J.; Zhu, H.; Antonelo, D. S.; Schilling, M. W. 2020. Early postmortem proteome changes in normal and woody broiler breast muscles. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 68(39), 11000-11010.

Ramanathan, R.; Hunt, M.C.; Mancini, R.A.; Nair, M.N.; Denzer, M.L.; Suman, S.P.; Mafi, G.G. 2020. Recent updates in meat color research: Integrating traditional and high-throughput approaches. Meat and Muscle Biology, 4(2): 7, 1–24.

Zhang, X.; Antonelo, D.S.; Hendrix, J.D.; To, V.; Campbell, Y.L.; Von Staden, M.; Li, S.; Suman, S.P.; Zhai, W.; Chen, J.; Zhu, H.; Schilling, M.W. 2020. Proteomic characterization of normal and woody breast meat from broilers of five genetic strains. Meat and Muscle Biology, 4(1): 9, 1–17.

Antonelo, D.S.; Gomez, J.F.; Consolo, N.R.B.; Beline, M.; Colnago, L.A.; Schilling, M.W.; Zhang, X.; Suman, S.P.; Gerrard, D.E.; Balieiro, J.C.C.; Silva, S.L. 2020. Metabolites and metabolic pathways correlated with beef tenderness. Meat and Muscle Biology, 4(1): 19, 1–9.

Salim, A.P.A.A.; Suman, S.P.; Canto, A.C.; Costa-Lima, B.R.; Viana, F.M.; Monteiro, M.L.; Silva, T.J.P.; Conte-Junior, C.A. 2019. Muscle-specific color stability in fresh beef from grain-finished Bos indicus cattle. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 32: 1036–1043.

Kim, H.M.; Suman, S.P.; Li, S.; Beach, C.M.; Nair, M.N.; Zhai, C.; Edenburn, B.M.; Felix, T.L.; Dilger, A.C.; Boler, D.D. 2019. Ractopamine-induced changes in the proteome of post-mortem beef longissimus lumborum muscle. South African Journal of Animal Science, 49: 424–431.

Salim, A.P.A.A.; Suman, S.P.; Canto, A.C.; Costa-Lima, B.R.; Viana, F.M.; Monteiro, M.L.; Silva, T.J.P.; Conte-Junior, C.A. 2019. Influence of muscle source on protein oxidation, texture profile and proximate composition of beef from grain-finished Bos indicus cattle. Ciencia Rural, 49: e20180996

Wen, W.; Zhao, Z.; Li, R.; Guan, J.; Zhou, Z.; Luo, X.; Suman, S.P.; Sun, Q. 2019. Skeletal muscle proteome analysis provides insights on high altitude adaptation of yaks. Molecular Biology Reports, 46: 2857–2866.

Ramanathan, R.; Nair, M.N.; Hunt, M.C.; Suman, S.P. 2019. Mitochondrial functionality and beef colour: A review of recent research. South African Journal of Animal Science, 49: 9–19.

Salim, A.P.; Suman, S.P.; Viana, F.M.; Monteiro, M.L.; Panzenhagen, P.H.N.; Canto, A.C.; Conte-Junior, C.A. 2019. Harvest method influences color stability of longissimus lumborum steaks from Bos indicus cattle. Meat and Muscle Biology, 3: 33–41.

Neethling, N.E.; Hoffman, L.C.; Sigge, G.O.; Suman, S.P. 2019. Muscle-specific color stability of fresh meat from springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis). Meat and Muscle Biology, 3: 1–12.

Nair, M.N.; Canto, A.C.V.C.S.; Suman S.P.; Rentfrow, G. 2019. Muscle-specific effect of aging on beef tenderness. LWT – Food Science and Technology, 100: 250–252.