Dr. Bethany Uttaro

Image Bethany Uttaro
Research Scientist

Meat Quality: Applied Bioinstrumentation

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
6000 C and E Trail, Lacombe, Alberta

Current research and/or projects

  • On-line sorting of pork bellies for firmness
  • Measurement of pork shoulder and leg face features for primal composition
  • Automated evaluation of marbling composition, meat colour and meat quality of pork primal cuts

Professional activities / interests

  • Peer review: regular reviewer for manuscripts submitted to Meat Science. Occasional reviewer for 6-8 other journals.
  • Operation Minerva - Introducing Grade 8 girls to STEM workplace as part of developing their further education pathway.

Education and awards

Education:

  • Ph.D. Animal Science: University of Guelph, 2003. Thesis "Objective and Physical Evaluations of Meat Quality"
  • M.Sc. Meat Science: University of Guelph, 1991. Thesis "Growth, Carcas Yield, and Meat Quality of Pork from Pigs Receiving Diets containing the Beta-agonist Ractopamine"
  • B.Sc. Animal Science: Nova Scotia Agricultural College, Truro, 1987

Awards:

  • CMSA: Percy Gitelman Memorial Scholarship. 1999
  • NSERC Visiting Fellow in a Canadian Government Laboratory. 2003-2006

Key publications

  1. Bruce, H.L., Holdstock, J., Uttaro, B.E., Larsen, I.L., Aalhus, J.L. (2021). Extent of dark-cutting in beef carcasses graded Canada B4. Meat Science, [online] 172 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2020.108363

    2021 - View publication details

  2. Ham- and shoulder-face characteristics in relation to pork primal composition. Banff Pork Seminar 2021. Banff, AB, January 2021.

    2021 - View publication details

  3. Bioimage analysis for estimation of mid-loin marbling from external marbling on the boneless pork loin. Le Porc Show 2020. Quebec City, QC, November 2020.

    2020 - View publication details

  4. Uttaro, B., Zawadski, S., Juárez, M. (2020). An approach for objective and automated identification of pork belly firmness, 169 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2020.108221

    2020 - View publication details

  5. Yang, X., Wang, H., Badoni, M., Zawadski, S., McLeod, B., Holman, D., Uttaro, B. (2020). Effects of a novel three-step sous-vide cooking and subsequent chilled storage on the microbiota of beef steaks. Meat Science, [online] 159 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2019.107938

    2020 - View publication details

  6. Uttaro, B., Zawadski, S., McLeod, B. (2019). Efficacy of multi-stage sous-vide cooking on tenderness of low value beef muscles. Meat Science, [online] 149 40-46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.11.008

    2019 - View publication details

  7. Uttaro, B., Zawadski, S., Aalhus, J., Lopez-Campos, O., Prieto, N., Juarez, M. (2018) Towards an automated pork belly system based on degree of firmness. 64th International Congress of Meat Science and Technology (ICoMST), August 12-17, 2018, Melbourne, Australia

    2018 - View publication details

  8. Soladoye, O.P., Prieto, N., Lopez-Campos, O., Aalhus, J.L., Uttaro, B., Roberts, J.C., Larsen, I., Shand, P., Gariépy, C., Juárez, M. (2018). Potential of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in predicting pork belly softness. Meat Science, [online] 142 1-4. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.03.025

    2018 - View publication details

  9. Uttaro, B., Zawadski, S., Aalhus, J., Juarez, M. (2018) Exploring prediction of pork mid-loin marbling from the Latissimus dorsi. CMSA/CMC Annual Meeting, May 29-31, 2018, Montreal PQ

    2018 - View publication details

  10. Wang, H., Badoni, M., Zawadski, S, McLeod, B., Uttaro, B., Yang, X. (2018) Storage life at 2° C or -1.5° C of beef steaks cooked by a three-step sous-vide method. CMSA/CMC Annual Meeting, May 29-31, 2018, Montreal PQ

    2018 - View publication details

  11. Uttaro, B., Zawadski, Juarez, M. (2018) Early identification of pork belly firmness: effect of flank fold and conveyor angle. CMSA/CMC Annual Meeting, May 29-31, 2018, Montreal PQ

    2018 - View publication details

  12. Uttaro, B., Zawadski, McLeod, B. (2018) Efficacy of multi-stage sous-vide cooking on steaks from lower value beef muscles. CMSA/CMC Annual Meeting, May 29-31, 2018, Montreal, PQ.

    2018 - View publication details

  13. Juarez, M., Horcada, A., Prieto, N., Roberts, J.C., Dugan, M.E.R., Lopez-Campos, O, Uttaro, B., Larsen, I.L., Hosford, S., Galbraith J., Aalhus J.L. 2017 Guaranteeing Canadian lamb meat quality using near infrared spectroscopy on intact rack. Can J Anim Sci. 98: 390-393. doi:10.1139/CJAS-2017-0106

    2018 - View publication details

  14. Juárez, M., Dugan, M.E.R., López-Campos, Ó., Prieto, N., Uttaro, B., Gariépy, C., Aalhus, J.L. (2017). Relative contribution of breed, slaughter weight, sex, and diet to the fatty acid composition of differentiated pork, 97(3), 395-405. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/CJAS-2016-0103

    2017 - View publication details

  15. Wang, H., Badoni, M., Zawadski, S., McLeod, B., Uttaro, B. and Yang, X. 2017. Effects on beef microflora of a three-step sous-vide method. International Congress of Meat Science and Technology annual conference. Cork, Ireland, August 13-18, 2017

    2017 - View publication details

  16. Soladoye, O.P., Uttaro, B., Zawadski, S., Dugan, M.E.R., Gariépy, C., Aalhus, J.L., Shand, P., Juárez, M. (2017). Compositional and dimensional factors influencing pork belly firmness. Meat Science, [online] 129 54-61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2017.02.006

    2017 - View publication details

  17. Juarez, M., Lopez Campos, O., Prieto, N., Hosford, S., Galbraith, J., Uttaro, B., and Aalhus, J. 2016. Evaluating alternative lamb carcass classification systems in Canada. Canadian Meat Science Association Newsletter.

    2016 - View publication details

  18. Zhang, H., Aalhus, J.L., Gariépy, C., Uttaro, B., López-Campos, O., Prieto, N., Dugan, M.E.R., Jin, Y., Juárez, M. (2016). Effects of pork differentiation strategies in Canada on pig performance and carcass characteristics. Canadian Journal of Animal Science, [online] 96(4), 512-523. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjas-2015-0197

    2016 - View publication details

  19. Vahmani, P., Meadus, W.J., Uttaro, B., López-Campos, Ó., Mapiye, C., Rolland, D.C., Caine, W.R., Aalhus, J.L., Dugan, M.E.R. (2016). Effects of feeding beef fat enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acid biohydrogenation products to pigs. Canadian Journal of Animal Science, [online] 96(2), 95-99. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjas-2015-0080

    2016 - View publication details

  20. Prieto, N.; López-Campos, Ó.; Uttaro, B. and Aalhus, J.L. Meat Quality of Dark Cutters is Complex. Bull Breeders. Ed. Prairie Post. February (2016), pp A17.

    2016 - View publication details

Contact

Research facility

Lacombe Research and Development Centre
6000 C and E Trail
Lacombe, AB T4L 1W1
Canada

Expertise

Agriculture›Carcass grading›Pork carcass quality
Agriculture›Meat science
Agriculture›Pork
Information Technology›Computer Vision›Analyzing
Technology›Bioinformatics

Affiliations

  • Canadian Meat Science Association (CMSA) Executive committee chairs, and Committee member - 2003-present
  • Olds College: Industry Advisory Committe member, Meat Processing Program 2018-present
  • Meat Science: Editorial Board member. 2016-present.
  • CCSI: Carcass Quality and Meat Standards Working Group. 2009-present

Language

English