43-12 |
Predicting beef tenderness using dual-energy X-ray absorption |
J. SUBBIAH, G. A. Kranzler, N. Kotwaliwale, and P. Weckler. Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering Extension, Oklahoma State Univ., 214-C Agricultural Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078-6021 Tenderness is a critical factor in consumer perception of beef palatability. Direct evaluation of tenderness is absent in USDA beef quality grading, because there is currently no widely accepted instrument available for predicting tenderness on-line. We demonstrate that the ‘r-value’ (ratio of low-energy mass attenuation coefficient to high-energy mass attenuation coefficient) varies with the composition of constituents related to meat toughness such as collagen and connective tissue. This concept can be used to estimate beef tenderness. The objective of this study was to develop and calibrate an X-ray imaging system to estimate beef tenderness using dual-energy X-ray attenuation. Beef steak samples for imaging were obtained from regional packing plants. Our X-ray imaging system consisted of a variable-energy X-ray source, a photodiode array coupled with phosphor scintillation material, a 12-bit digitizer, and a computer. X-ray attenuation data were collected at two different energy levels. After imaging, the steaks were aged for 14 days. Warner-Bratzler shear-force measurements were collected as the tenderness reference. Models were developed to relate attenuation data to tenderness scores. The system provided high-quality X-ray images (resolution: 1024 x 1024; graylevel ranges: 0-4095; imaging area: 50 x 50 mm). Calibration was established using attenuation phantoms. Preliminary results show that the dual-energy X-ray attenuation model predicted tenderness scores with moderate accuracy. Work is being continued to refine the model to improve prediction accuracy. This study demonstrated the feasibility of using dual-energy X-ray attenuation to label beef cuts on the basis of predicted aged-beef tenderness. Implementation would enable the U.S. beef industry to expand market share by responding to consumer preference at the market place.
Session 43, Food Engineering: Rheology and texture
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