**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE PRIMARY, LONG-TERM TERM GOAL OF THE PDS IS TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF UTILIZING THE ENDOTHELIAL NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE SYSTEM (NOS) IN POST RIGOR SKELETAL MUSCLE AS AN INNOVATIVE METHOD TO GENERATE NITRIC OXIDE AND RESIDUAL NITRITE TO CURE MEAT AND POULTRY PRODUCTS. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT THE ADDITION OF THE AMINO ACID L-ARGININE ACTIVATES THE NOS SYSTEM IN POST RIGOR SKELETAL MUSCLE TO GENERATE NITRIC OXIDE (NO) FOR CURED MEAT COLOR DEVELOPMENT AND RESIDUAL NITRITE FOR PRODUCT SHELF LIFE AND SAFETY AS AN ANTIMICROBIAL.THE OUTCOMES OF THIS PROJECT ARE: 1) DEVELOP A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE FACTORS THAT IMPACT THE ABILITY OF THE NOS SYSTEM TO GENERATE NITRIC OXIDE AND RESIDUAL NITRITE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CURED MEAT PRODUCTS AND 2) DEVELOP PROCESSING/OPERATING PROCEDURES/PARAMETERS FOR MEAT PROCESSORS TO EFFECTIVELY USE THE NOS SYSTEM TO CURE MEAT AND POULTRY PRODUCTS IN A CONSISTENT AND PREDICTABLE MANNER AND 3) VERIFY THAT THIS SYSTEM DOES NOT COMPROMISE FOOD QUALITY OR SAFETY.THIS PROJECT WILL IMPROVE OUR KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL, AND BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF MEAT PRODUCTS CURED VIA THIS NOVEL AMINO ACID BASED ALTERNATIVE CURING METHOD BY ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR DIRECT ADDITION OF SODIUM NITRITE. THESE EFFORTS WILL ALLOW FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE INTERCONNECTED BIOCHEMICAL MECHANISMS CONTRIBUTING TO THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE NOS SYSTEM IN POST RIGOR SKELETAL MUSCLE. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THIS INNOVATIVE ALTERNATIVE CURING SYSTEM WILL IMPROVE THE SAFETY, QUALITY, SHELF-LIFE, CONVENIENCE, NUTRIENT PROFILE AND SENSORY ATTRIBUTES OF CURED MEAT AND POULTRY PRODUCTS.