Canyon FFA Member Conducts Meat Science Agriscience Projects to Solve Real-World Problems
Wednesday, April 17, 2024 | Author: Texas FFA News
Canyon FFA member, Kade Lawrence, has capitalized on his passion for meat science to establish five separate Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs). Two are agriculture-based scientific experiments that allowed him to apply his knowledge of the scientific method to solve practical, real-world problems.
“All of these experiences allowed me to explore various aspects of the meat industry,” said Lawrence.
His first project examined the effect of freezing temperatures and freezing frequency on purge losses and tenderness of Eye of Round steaks.
“I concluded that the freezing temperature indeed affects purge loss, with less purge being lost at colder freezing temperatures,” said Lawrence. “Tenderness was not affected by freezing temperature or frequency.”
After the success of his first exploration, he jumped into the next.
Lawrence’s second project revolved around steak maceration. It examined the effect of maceration frequency on changes in surface area, purge loss, and objective tenderness of Eye of Round and Bottom Round steaks.
“I concluded that the cubed ‘chicken-fried’ steak preparation method, which involves maceration, does not improve the tenderness of different muscles equally,” said Lawrence. “Surface area was dramatically increased, and steaks were most tender when macerated three times. However, tenderness was not consistently maintained after the cooking process.”
The agriscience projects allow him to learn the importance of the scientific process, data collection, and data analysis and how they can lead to new information and growth in a particular field.
“I plan to apply these skills to my future academic and professional pursuits and further enrich my understanding of meat science,” said Lawrence.
Lawrence’s successful SAE project was recognized at the 2023 Texas FFA State Convention as the Star Lone Star in Agriscience.
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