The bulk of relief sent to hurricane victims came in the form of store-bought foods and clothing.

A group of ISU students decided to make a far beefier contribution.

All day last Friday, the Iowa State Meat Laboratory processed raw beef into beef sticks for the victims. All participating workers were volunteers from the animal science and meat science departments.

“We thought the beef sticks might be a nice touch for people who might want a snack and for people who get sick of [meals ready to eat],” said Angela Laury, animal science graduate assistant.

She said beef sticks are unique because they are a shelf-stable meat product.

The ingredients, fermentation and cooking process drop the pH and water activity of the product, which makes the beef sticks not susceptible to bacteria growth. Because of this, beef sticks in general have long shelf-lives, Laury said.

The beef sticks were shipped Monday to Mississippi State University and Louisiana State University where they will be distributed to the evacuees and recovery personnel in need.

Laury said all 300 pounds of the raw beef were donated by the Iowa State Processed Meats Short Course Program.

The students finished making the beef sticks Friday, resulting in 1,300 packages.

Each package contains two beef sticks, said Sherrlyn Olsen, animal science graduate assistant, who conceptualized the idea with Laury.

“In a case like [Hurricane Katrina], it’s best to make a product that does not require refrigeration,” said Joseph Sebranek, professor of animal science.

“There aren’t many beef products that can be shipped and stored without refrigeration.”

The meat science club and faculty wanted to give something other than money, Laury said. They have already given more than $500 to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

The department originally wanted to send the food with the Government of the Student Body’s relief efforts, but encountered schedule conflicts within the meat lab that resulted in a later production date.

“The meat lab is very, very busy,” Laury said. “We produce products every day.”