The American Meat Science Association has named Dr. R. Bruce Tompkin as the recipient of the 2011 R. C. Pollock Award.
The award, presented annually in honor of the first general manager of the National Live Stock and Meat Board, honors a dedicated AMSA member whose work through teaching, extension, research or service represents an extraordinary and lasting contribution to the meat industry. Tompkin has spent his 40-year career advancing and applying the science of food safety as a researcher and educator. He is internationally recognized as a top food microbiologist in fresh and processed meats and as one of the top HACCP experts in the world. He served on the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Food. His work on salmonella shaped the sampling protocols, methodology and controls in use across the industry, and his research has resulted in the publication of 83 research papers, reviews and technical reports as well as 11 book chapters and four patents.
As an AMSA member, Tompkin has served on the Nitrite-Free Processed Meat Product Study and Microbiology Program Committees. He’s been a regular participant in the Reciprocal Meat Conference and the Meat Industry Research Conference programs.
