amilton de mello

Amilton de Mello

Associate Professor

Summary

Our research program focuses on issues intimately related to current food security demands.

Some of our current research projects include topics related to:

  • Sustainable practices to obtain animal protein.
  • Alternative feedstuffs in beef cattle diets.
  • Maximize yields, improve labor efficiency, and add value to meat cuts.
  • Proper application of animal welfare practices to ensure proper transformation from muscle to meat.
  • Pre and post-harvest food safety interventions to minimize cross-contamination during slaughter and processing.
  • Improve overall quality of meat and its nutritional values.

In partnership with the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, our program promotes seminars, certification courses, and workshops to educate and train general public. We also serve as support for extension agents and state agencies during FFA and 4-H events.

Our outreach program is integrated with the Nevada Food Safety Task Force, a group of professionals that promotes effective ways to improve food safety standards throughout the state.

Courses offered

Meat Industry, Food Safety, and Quality Systems (AGSC 255) is offered during Spring to undergraduate students and focuses on preparing them for future careers in the meat industry. Students will learn about the meat production chain and "from farm to table" stages. Topics include animal welfare, industry operations, federal regulations, quality systems, food safety interventions, and principles of research and development.

Meat Science and Muscle Biology (AGSC 455/655) is offered during Fall to undergraduate senior and graduate students. This course approaches meat science and muscle biology topics. Students will learn about  muscle tissue structure, contraction, biochemistry, collagen structure, protein types, and lipid oxidation.

Education

D.V.M. University of Marilia, Veterinary Medicine, 2001
M.S., Sao Paulo State University, 2005
Ph.D., University of Nebraska, 2010

Publications

Fact Sheets

Journals

Meat Science Lexicon

2018

Meat and Muscle Biology 2(3)

Seman, D.L., Boler, D.D., Carr, C.D., Dikeman, M.E., Owens, C.M., Keeton, J.T., Pringle, T.D., Sindelar, J.J., Woerner, D.R., de Mello, A.S., Powell, T. M.

The American Meat Science Association became aware of the need to develop a lexicon for the standardization of various terms used in meat sciences that have been adopted by researchers in allied...