The American Meat Science Association (AMSA) announces that Shai Barbut has been selected as the 2016 AMSA International Lectureship Award. The International Lectureship Award was established to honor an individual for internationally recognized contributions to the field of meat science and technology and is sponsored by Hawkins, Inc. Dr. Barbut will be honored at the AMSA 69^th Reciprocal Meat Conference (RMC) Awards banquet on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 in San Angelo, Texas.

Dr. Barbut is a professor in Canada’s premier agricultural college at the University of Guelph, Ontario in the Food Science Department. In addition, he is the Research Advisor for Marel-Stork, a major meat processing equipment manufacturer. In these roles, he has a truly international influence in all aspects of academia, industry, and government. He is a career-long industry leader in all respects with a unique and largely unequalled understanding of world-wide meat processing, foreign agricultural regulations, and technology development based on regional needs. He has shared this knowledge and expertise with AMSA and made it a stronger organization. AMSA has benefited tremendously from his continued involvement and unique internationally-based perspectives.

Shai is a bridge that connects what can often be considered two separate meat science worlds, the U.S. and everyone else. Shai lives in Canada, but also travels to different places. He has absolutely amazing stories to tell about all of his adventures as a global traveler and “what meat science is” depending on geographic location. He is an engaging and informative presenter, and you are guaranteed to walk away with a new perspective on the international state of meat science and where we will be in the future. In an industry that is becoming and more increasing international, Dr. Barbut fills the gaps between the diversity of U.S., Canada, Europe, and the variety of meat and poultry production found across the globe.  His textbook, Poultry Products Processing, is used around the world and is considered the subject area standard. His 2015 book, The Science of Poultry and Meat Processing, is now available online.

Shai is considered by his colleagues as an internationally and nationally recognized authority on primary and further processing, use of non-meat ingredients to enhance texture, acceptability, and yield of meat products, structure and function relationships within protein gel matrixes, and safety of processed meats. He has been instrumental in supporting the Canadian Research Institute of Food Safety, especially in food science and meat safety-related initiatives. He has worked with a number of government committees on providing science-based solutions and on the technical aspects of meat processing, including the Agriculture Canada Expert Committee on Meat, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food Meat Processing Committee, and the Canadian Poultry Research Council.

He is a true internationally recognized expert in meat scientist who deserves recognition for his world-wide contributions to the field of meat science and technology. His life’s work in meat biology and chemistry has truly enhanced, expanded, and promoted meat science globally.

Source: AMSA