On-line, proximate analysis of ground beef directly at a meat grinder outlet

• Published in: Meat science Vol. 43; no. 3; pp. 245 - 253
• Main Authors: Isaksson, T., Nilsen, B.N., Tøgersen, G., Hammond, R.P., Hildrum, K.I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.07.1996; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; errors; fat; Food industries; food processing equipment; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; ground beef; infrared spectroscopy; Meat and meat product industries; on line; prediction; protein content; proximate composition; reflectance; water content; Near infrared spectrometry; On line; Proximate analysis; Quality control; Analytical method; Meat product; Chemical composition; Beef; Minced meat
• ISSN: 0309-1740; 1873-4138
• DOI: 10.1016/S0309-1740(96)00016-2

The fat, moisture and protein contents of ground beef were determined on-line by a diffuse reflectance near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy instrument at the outlet of a meat grinder. Beef samples in the range of 6.2–21.7% fat, 59.6–72.9% moisture and 18.1–20.7% protein were studied. Calibrations from samples ground with hole diameters of 4, 8, 13 or 19 mm in the grinder plate were validated. In addition, calibrations of combinations of these samples from the different hole diameters were validated. Prediction errors, expressed as root mean square error of cross validation of the beef samples, were 0.73–1.50% for fat, 0.75–1.33% for moisture and 0.23–0.32% for protein, depending on the hole diameter of the grinder plate. Calibrations from samples ground with the smallest hole diameters gave lowest prediction errors. The present prediction error results are only slightly higher compared to reported prediction error results using conventional at- and off-line NIR instruments. It is concluded that the on-line NIR prediction results were acceptable for samples ground with grinder plates of 4, 8 or 13 mm hole diameter.