Gary Smith

Gary Smith, PhD

Born and raised in Caddo County, Oklahoma, Dr. Gary Smith attended universities in California, Washington and Texas. Since 1961, he has taught and conducted research at Washington State University (WSU), Texas A&M University, and Colorado State University (CSU).

From 1916 to 1975, his research focused on beef palatability (bullocks vs. steers, carcass chilling effects on tenderness, blade tenderization, electrical stimulation of carcasses, Tenderstretch®); beef shelf life (vacuum packaging for domestic and transoceanic shipments, retail case life); and USDA Feeder Cattle Grade Standards From 1975 to 1990, his research efforts included modified atmosphere packaging of beef; transoceanic shipments of variety meats; USDA Beef Quality and Yield Grade Standards; time-on-feed and beef palatability; The Hamburger Steer®; breed types and beef palatability; beef lipids and human nutrition; National Consumer Retail beef Study; and restructured beef steaks.

From 1990 to 2015, his research focused on chemical residues in US beef; National Beef Quality Audits; International Beef Quality Audit; National Market Cow and Bull Audits; injection site lesions; Conventional, Natural, and Organic Beef; feeding Vitamin E and Beef retail case life; “Multiple-Hurdle E. coli 0157:H7 decontamination systems; implementation of HACCP programs in beef packing plants; Palatability Assurance Critical Control points; controlling Salmonella and Listeria on ready-to-eat beef; Best Practices for mitigating BSE (Mad Cow Disease) risk in packing plants; traceability systems implementation; and instrument grading of beef carcasses. Dr. Smith credits his success to colleagues and graduate students (who did the hard work) and the help of cattle feeders, packers, and retailers (who allowed them to use their facilities and products).

Dr. Smith occupied the Ken and Myra Monfort Endowed Shair in Meat Science at CSU beginning in June of 1990. Previously, he served as Professor (1969-1982) and Head (1982-1990) of the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M where he received many awards.

Outstanding Teaching Performance Award,
Honor Professor Award
College of Agriculture Teaching Award
University Distinguished Teaching award
Deputy Chancellor’s Award for Team Research

Other awards and honors include:

International Stockmen’s Hall of Fame Induction
National Cattlemen’s Foundation Vision Award
USMEF Distinguished Service Award
AMSA R.C Pollock Award
Beefmaster Breeders United, Commitment to Excellence Award
Honored Researcher of the CSU Research Foundation
ISI Thomson Scientific’s Highly Cited Researcher
Beef Magazine’s top 40 Most Influential People in the US Beef Industry
American Hereford Association Hall of Merit Induction
Meat Industry Hall of Fame Induction
AMSA Mentor Award
Cattle Feeder’s Hall of Fame Award
College of the Sequoias, California State University-Fresno and WSU Distinguished Alumni Award
Certified Angus Beef Industry Achievement Award

Below are resources from Dr. Smith:

Eurofins Microbiology Laboratories New England Expands Accreditation Scope to Include Alicyclobacillus (ACB) Testing

Eurofins Microbiology Laboratory (EML) New England adds Alicyclobacillus spp. testing to its ISO 17025:2017 scope of biological services. This is an expansion to their existing scope that includes routine pathogen and indicator organism testing for food, food products, beverages, environmental samples, and pet food.

Keywords: News Microbiology Beverages

Data-Driven Food Safety: E. coli Testing as a Tool for Process Control in Beef Plants

Learn how data-driven E. coli testing improves process control and food safety in beef plants. Explore sampling strategies, harvest monitoring, and microbial analytics to reduce contamination risks and enhance regulatory compliance.

Keywords: Blog Microbiology Meat JScanga

Validating Thermal Processes for Low Water Activity Foods On-Demand Webinar

Low water activity foods (LWAFs) have historically been considered low-risk for microbiological hazards because their limited “free” (unbound) water in the formulation prevents bacterial growth. However, foodborne illness outbreaks revealed that pathogens can survive for extended periods in LWAFs, even in the absence of growth. Watch now to learn what is required to validate control measures to reduce microbial risks in LWAFs. Originally Aired on June 18, 2025.

Keywords: Webinar Microbiology AdvancedFoodMicrobiology Food Pet Infant Formula Ingredients

Formulating Shelf Stable Nutritional Bars and Natural Products On-Demand Webinar

Are microbial stability challenges affecting the formulation or shelf life of your nutritional bar or natural product? Food safety is essential in product development, ensuring consumers enjoy innovative flavors with confidence. Join Dr. Malcond Valladares and Ed Collins in this webinar as they explore food safety concerns specific to nutritional bars natural products and share formulation strategies to enhance microbial stability. Originally Recorded on June 19, 2025

Keywords: Webinar Microbiology Product Development Food

Process Authority: FAQ and Answers

The Eurofins team of process authorities routinely provides expert guidance to food manufacturers to prepare microbiologically safe products. In this service, we encounter many questions that span across a variety of food products and manufacturing processes. Here we list and will continue to compile the most common questions and answers asked of a process authority and the responses. Use this information as a guide in your scheduled process or as you work through the formulation and development of your new food product. You may also use this as a tool to submit your own questions for a process authority!

Keywords: Blog Microbiology AdvancedFoodMicrobiology

Acid vs. Acidified Foods: Microbiological Safety, Spoilage, and Regulatory Considerations On-Demand Webinar

When it comes to food safety and regulatory compliance, acidified foods stand out as a unique category that demands careful attention. These shelf-stable products, ranging from pickled vegetables to tangy condiments, rely on precise pH control and proper processing to ensure they remain safe and stable for consumers. In this webinar, we’ll simplify the complexities of acid and acidified foods, breaking down key factors regarding microbiological safety, stability, and regulatory compliance.

Keywords: Webinar AdvancedFoodMicrobiology Microbiology Food Regulatory MKimber

On-Demand Webinar - Navigating Preservative Testing: Ensuring Safety, Quality & Compliance

Join experts from two leading Eurofins labs in this in-depth webinar as they break down the latest preservative testing methodologies, covering both natural and synthetic preservatives.

Keywords: Webinar Microbiology

Know Your EMP Risks in Fruit & Vegetable Processing

Food safety risks in fruit and vegetable processing environments can come from many different sources. Agricultural items are inherently dirty products, which can introduce risk- including microbial pathogens- to a facility from the outside environment. If your Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) and sanitation programs are not sufficient to control these risks, these products could be potentially cross contaminating other products that are subsequently processed in the facility. It is therefore imperative that we think about risks from both our incoming products and our processes when designing environmental monitoring programs.

Keywords: Blog Microbiology Produce

5 Common Causes of Non-culturable Presumptive (NCP) Pathogen Results and Strategies to Address

Non-culturable presumptive (NCP)- samples that yield positive pathogen detection results by PCR screening methods but do not confirm by cultural methods- can be frustrating and disruptive to clients. These situations are not unique to a testing company or the methods that are run, but it is possible to understand the root causes of NCPs, and to identify additional procedures to reduce the frequency with which they occur and minimize the likelihood of these situations impacting your data.

Keywords: Blog Microbiology CCrowe

Laboratory Workflow for a Listeria spp. Sample

When you submit a sample to the laboratory for microbiology testing, what happens? Follow a Listeria spp. sample through the lab workflow in this infographic.

Keywords: Infographic Microbiology Food

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