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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Environmental Microbial & Food Safety Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #286357
Title: Fluorescence based spectral assessment of pork meat freshness

Author
item KIM, JAEGONE - Chungnam National University
item Kim, Moon
item CHO, BYOUNG-KWAN - Chungnam National University

Submitted to: Food Engineering Progress
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/28/2012
Publication Date: 10/1/2012
Citation: Kim, J., Kim, M.S., Cho, B. 2012. Fluorescence based spectral assessment of pork meat freshness. Food Engineering Progress. 16(3):249-256.

Interpretive Summary: Spectroscopic technologies have been used as a nondestructive means to assess various quality and safety attributes of agricultural commodities. Meat products, when illuminated with an appropriate light, can exhibit dynamic fluorescence responses. In this study, fluorescence characteristics of pork meats were evaluated to determine optimal illumination (excitation) and response (emission) wavelengths for assessing meat freshness. Using optimal fluorescence measurement parameters, chemical and biological indicators of pork meat freshness were obtained. This investigation demonstrates the potential of fluorescence as a rapid and nondestructive method to assess pork meat freshness. It provides beneficial technical information to other scientists, food technologists, government meat inspection programs, and meat-processing industries.

Technical Abstract: Development of sensitive, nondestructive measurement methods for meat freshness is necessary to ensure safe distribution of meat products in the continually growing meat market. Fluorescence spectral technology has been shown to be a promising measurement method for quality and safety evaluation of food and biological materials. In this study, fluorescence excitation-emission spectral characteristics of pork meats were measured and used to determine optimal fluorescence spectral factors for freshness measurement. Chemical and microbial indicators of pork freshness were correlated with fluorescence emission spectra at optimal excitation wavelengths using linear regression methods. The coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square error of validation (RMSEV) for models to predict the TBARS, TBC, VBN, pH of pork loin were 0.694 (0.188), 0.823 (0.417), 0.869 (0.598), and 0.632 (0.131), respectively. The excitation and emission wavebands identified in this study could be used for rapid and nondestructive measurement of pork freshness.