Three animal science students from California State University, Fresno’s meat science program won top honors at the annual California Association of Meat Processors Conference, which was held on campus Feb. 17-19.
Steven Ellison, a senior from Fresno, was awarded Grand Champion for his maple sausage. Chad Souza, a junior from Hanford, won third place for his chicken enchilada sausage. Brenda Oats, a senior from Fresno, received an honorable mention for her Irish beerock sausage.
The three-day event hosted by Fresno State included scientific processing seminars, a trade show and the Cured Meat Championship. Over 100 individuals participated in the conference and 165 products were entered in the competition.
The annual convention of the American Association of Meat Processors, which is the parent organization, will host the National Cured Meats Championship in San Diego this July. More than 900 products will be entered from across the U.S.
The competition included 20 entries from five universities in California and Nevada. In addition to Fresno State, represented were California State University, Chico; California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo; University of California, Davis; and the University of Nevada, Reno.
The California Association of Meat Processors represents state-inspected meat processing facilities in California and Nevada. It has an annual cured meats competition for its members, which also includes the student division that universities and community colleges can compete in.
CAMP is affiliated with the American Association of Meat Processors, a national trade organization representing more than 1,800 meat, poultry and seafood processors, wholesalers, retailers, caterers, home food service companies and suppliers to the meat industry. CAMP has about 80 members.
Last week’s conference provided information about trends in fine dining and the culinary arts as well as food safety and processing technology.
The event was hosted by the Fresno State Animal Science Department and its student organization, the Fresno State Meat Science Club.
(Copy by University Communications student-intern Megan Jacobsen.)
See original press release: http://www.fresnostatenews.com/2006/02/MeatEvent.htm
