Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A22—BUTCHERING; MEAT TREATMENT; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH
  • A22B—SLAUGHTERING
  • A22B5/00—Accessories for use during or after slaughtering
  • A22B5/0064—Accessories for use during or after slaughtering for classifying or grading carcasses; for measuring back fat
  • A22B5/007—Non-invasive scanning of carcasses, e.g. using image recognition, tomography, X-rays, ultrasound
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
  • G01N21/17—Systems in which incident light is modified in accordance with the properties of the material investigated
  • G01N21/25—Colour; Spectral properties, i.e. comparison of effect of material on the light at two or more different wavelengths or wavelength bands
  • G01N21/31—Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry
  • G01N21/35—Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry using infrared light
  • G01N21/3563—Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry using infrared light for analysing solids; Preparation of samples therefor
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
  • G01N33/02—Food
  • G01N33/12—Meat; Fish

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for prediction of the drip loss of a part of a carcass by measuring a muscle in the part of the carcass after slaughtering.
• DK 163.382 B (Slagteriernes Forskningsinstitut) discloses a method of determining the quality of individual meat pieces, in which method a reflection measuring probe is introduced into the meat piece and a number of measurements of the light reflectivity along the scanning line of the probe is recorded. The data set of reflection values obtained is subjected to a statistical analysis computing how many times each reflection value appears, and the degree of frequency is inserted in a multivariable algorithm expressing a quality property. The reflection is .measured in a wavelength band in the border range between the visible and the near-infrared range, for instance at 950 nm.
• the juice holding capacity which is the capability of the meat to retain water, for instance during storage. This capability may be determined with high accuracy in chilled meat (post rigor) by means of the method described. When measuring slaughter-warm meat (pre rigor) , no correlation as to juice holding capacity has been found.
• DK 172.774 Bl (Slagteriernes Forskningsinstitut) discloses a method of predicting the drip loss of a meat piece or determining its juice holding capacity. In the method two sets of light reflectivity measurements with timing difference are recorded on a slaugh- ter-warm muscle in the carcass, for instance with a timing difference of 1-20 minutes. The change of the reflection values are inserted in an algorithm expressing the juice holding capacity of the meat. Measurements are made in the near-infrared area from 900 to 1800 nm. A drawback of the method is that it takes a long time, seen in relation to the advancing tempo of carcasses on a modern slaughter line. Moreover, a higher accuracy than the one found (1.8%) is desirable.
• the method according to the invention is charac- terized in that measurements are carried out while the part carcass is still warm from slaughter, that the light reflectivity of the muscle is measured in at least one wave range with a wave number below 1500 cm , that the resulting, possibly processed measurement data are inserted as a variable in an algorithm expressing a prediction of the drip loss as a function of the light reflectivity in one or more
• wave ranges with a wave number below 1500 cm , and that the prediction of the drip loss is automatically calculated in a calculation unit by means of the algorithm.
• the method according to the invention is based on the surprising observation that by carrying out a reflection measurement on a muscle in a carcass, while the carcass is still warm after the slaughtering, in at least one wave range with a wave number below 1500 cm " , a quick measurement can be made predicting the drip loss, which makes it possible to measure the carcasses in the tempo, in which they are advanced on a common slaughter line, and it has moreover been found that the measurement is able to predict the drip loss with an accuracy which is substantially higher than the one obtained by the method using measurements with timing difference.
• the wave range in question with a wave number below 1500 cm lies preferably in which corresponds to the middle-infrared range, i.e. very far from the above wavelengths of 950 and 900 - 1800 nm used up till now.
• a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterized in that measurements are carried out in one or more wave ranges with a wave number in the interval 900-1500 cm . In this connec- tion a very good correlation between the reflection ability and the prediction of the drip loss has been found .
• measurements are carried out in one or more wave ranges with a wave number in the interval 900-1200 cm "1 .
• measurements are carried out in more than one wave range, and the algorithm is preferably multivariable .
• measurements are made in less than 100 wave ranges and/or an algorithm having less than 100 variables is used.
• measurements are carried out in less than 10 wave ranges and/or an algorithm having less than ten variables is used.
• the piece of equipment may be a fully automatic device or a semi-automatic, operator controlled instrument.
• the piece of equipment may be adapted to measure each carcass passing the equipment, but may possibly only carry out random measurements if conditions so require.
• the equipment may moreover be designed for measuring chilled meat.
• the time required for recording measurement data may vary in accordance with the specifications of the equipment and will thus typically lie from below one second and up to 10 seconds, thus making it possible for one single piece of equipment to measure in the tempo of the slaughter line.
• measurement data are used which have been recorded within less than 1 minute, for instance less than 10 seconds.
• measurements are carried out while the part carcass is still in slaughter-warm condition, i.e. while the muscles undergo the transformation from living tissue in a recently slaughtered animal to chilled, edible meat.
• the measuring is therefore preferably carried out while the muscle is in pre rigor condition, in particular before the chilling of the part carcass.
• the measuring is preferably carried out within two hours from the slaughtering (drainage of blood) , for instance 0.5 to 2 hours after slaughtering.
• the apparatus is characterized in comprising a light reflection meter adapted to measure the light reflectivity of a muscle in at least one wave range with a wave number below 1500 cm , a calculation unit with a program and/or memory part adapted to automatically record measured, possibly processed light reflectivity data in an algorithm and to calculate the algorithm value, - an algorithm contained in the program and/or memory part expressing a prediction of the drip loss as a function of the light reflectivity in one or more wave ranges with a wave number below 1500 cm , measured on a muscle in a part carcass after slaughter- ing, while the part carcass is still warm (pre rigor) , and a signal unit which after the insertion of light reflectivity data in the algorithm and calculation of the algorithm value emits a signal depending on the calculated prediction.
• the apparatus may be stationary or portable and may be adapted to measure directly on a visible meat surface or on a cut surface in the meat provided by insertion of a measurement probe with a pointed end.
• the measurement head of the apparatus is preferably in contact with the muscle during measurement. If desired, measurements may be performed in various different muscles .
• a slaugter part carcass is in the present case preferably to be understood a whole carcass, in particular a carcass from which the bowels have been removed, a half carcass produced by backsplitting of a whole carcass, or a part carcass or a cut-out piece, for instance a fore-end, a middle piece or a ham of a pig carcass. Measurements are preferably carried out on a muscle in a whole or backsplit carcass.
• a carcass is in particular a pig carcass.
• This example illustrates that the drip loss of slaughter carcasses can be predicted with high accuracy already on the slaughter line by measurement of the reflection of the meat at several wave ranges with a wave number below 1500 cm " .
• the measuring is carried out within a so short period of time that no transformation of the meat takes place during the period of measurement .
• 1/3 of a group of 46 pigs are exercised to provide a higher share than normal of carcasses having a high drip loss after chilling. Then all pigs are given an anaesthetic and slaughtered. 35 minutes after sticking, a hot meat sample (cutlet) is taken from the back muscle (longissimus dorsi) . The temperature is 37 to 41°C.
• ATR Attenuated Total Reflectance
• _ 1 tion is 4 cm .
• the drip loss of the meat from the same 46 pigs is recorded in a laboratory by measuring of the weight of a meat sample by cutting out after 24 hours and again after 72 hours (K.O. Honikel 1987. How to measure the water-holding capacity of meat? Recommendation of standardized methods. Evaluation and Control of Meat Quality in Pigs. Edited by P.V. Tarrangt, G. Eikelen- boom & G. Monin. Martinus Nij oof Publishers, Holland: p. 129-142) .
• the drip losses measured lie between 0.7 and 8.0%.
• PLS Partial Least Squares
• Wdryp kford + k, a., + a 2 + n n in which dryp is the predicted drip loss (in kl, k 2. n are constants,
• 1, 2 n are reflection measurement values or the first or second derivative in a range with a given wave number, and n is an integer, for instance 100.
• RMSEP (% drip loss) can be calculated, which will appear from the table below.
• the drip loss can be determined with an inaccuracy of less than 1% by measuring of the reflection capability of the meat in several wave ranges in the interval from 900 to 1200 cm " and by insertion of the measurement values in a multivariable algorithm developed with a standard measuring method as reference.
• This inaccuracy is sufficiently small for making it realistic to sort the carcasses in quality classes already before the carcasses are chilled in the slaughterhouse, which makes it possible to use carcasses with a very low drip loss or a high drip loss for the manufacture of types of products suitable therefor, whereas carcasses with a normal drip loss for instance may be used for the production of fresh cut-outs.
• Fig. 1 The correlation between the spectroscopically measured drip loss and the drip loss measured in the laboratory of the 42 samples is shown in Fig. 1.
• the 1st derived of the IR spectra is used.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
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• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
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• Computer Vision & Pattern Recognition (AREA)
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• Investigating Or Analysing Materials By Optical Means (AREA)

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Citations (4)

• 2000
  • 2000-05-29 DK DK200000844A patent/DK173748B1/da not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2001
  • 2001-05-28 AU AU62070/01A patent/AU6207001A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2001-05-28 WO PCT/DK2001/000368 patent/WO2001092855A1/en active Application Filing

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