University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture researchers are using artificial intelligence and existing DNA data to identify bacteria that affect how long fresh beef keeps the bright-red color shoppers expect.
Assistant professors Aranyak Goswami (computational biology) and Derico Setyabrata (meat science) received a $20,000 Arkansas Beef Council grant for a year-long study. The council cites an estimated $3.7 billion in annual U.S. losses when beef is marked down or discarded after premature browning even when the product remains wholesome.
The team aims to build a “Freshness Hit List” of five to 10 bacterial signatures that could guide future clean-label preservation — using beneficial microbes instead of synthetic additives. Animal Science department head Michael Looper called the work an industry partnership that can reduce waste and improve value for Arkansas producers.
