From Harvest to Market
Producing safe, high-quality meat products requires science, technology and skilled management at every step. The Meat Science and Processing minor gives you hands-on experience across the processing chain, from livestock harvesting and fabrication to food safety, product development and packaging.
What You’ll Study
You’ll explore meat and food science, processing, microbiology, sanitation and food safety while learning the principles behind harvesting, carcass fabrication and value-added meat and poultry products.
What You’ll Take Away
You’ll gain the scientific knowledge, hands-on processing experience and management skills to understand how safe, high-quality meat products move from raw materials to consumers while preparing for careers across the food and meat industries.
Build Your Meat Science Foundation
Learn how science, safety and skill come together to create high-quality meat products. Build practical knowledge that connects animal production with food systems people rely on.
The Path to the Product
Follow the process from livestock harvesting and carcass fabrication to consumer ready products. Learn how raw materials become the meat and poultry products people know and enjoy.
Food Safety and Quality
Explore the science and practices that protect food safety and quality from processing through packaging. Build knowledge of sanitation, microbiology and the systems and standards behind safe, high-quality products.
Processing in Practice
Put meat science into practice through hands-on processing experiences. Learn how equipment, technology and process controls work together to turn raw materials and ingredients into finished products.
Coursework Highlights
The coursework in the meat science and processing minor connects animal science, food safety and processing, helping you understand every stage of meat and poultry production.
Classes and Labs
Build a broad foundation in animal science through physiology, nutrition, genetics, growth and behavior. Study food processing and safety alongside current issues in biosecurity, animal welfare, and human health.
Follow the journey from muscle to meat while learning about processing, inspection, grading, preservation, and food safety. Work with beef, pork, and chicken as they become consumer-ready products.
Put meat science principles into practice through hands-on work with processing methods, product preparation, inspection and food safety.
Learn the practices that help keep meat, dairy and egg products safe from farm to table. Study foodborne pathogens, sanitation, and the systems that protect public health.
Gain hands-on experience producing sausage in the Cal Poly Meat Processing Center while applying food safety principles and production practices. You’ll take the experience from processing to market by helping sell products at a local farmers market.
Explore how modern poultry production moves from hatchery to finished product. You’ll learn about flock management, production systems and processing practices used across the poultry industry.
Add Meat Science to Your Degree
Discover how the meat science and processing minor can add hands-on experience and a deeper understanding of food production to your degree.