Determining meat eating quality using technology approaching commercial reality
Determining meat eating quality using technology approaching commercial reality
The ground-breaking £1 million Integrated Measurement of Eating Quality (IMEQ) research project to determine the eating quality of meat is moving closer to commercial reality with the successful testing of a robot at a Scottish meat processing premises.
Quality Meat Scotland and the Scottish Government are the co-funders of the IMEQ project, which is being delivered by a consortium of partners, led by SAC.
Due for completion in spring 2013, it uses cutting edge automated technology to determine carcass pH and temperature using surface-based ultrasound probes located at different positions on the carcase.
The technology also uses automatic means of measuring meat colour, carcase fat and eating and nutritional qualities. These measures are being integrated with a video image analysis (VIA) system, resulting in a new process for use on the line in abattoirs.
Professor Charlotte Maltin, Science and Innovation Manager with Quality Meat Scotland, said: “The ability of the robotic manipulator to work effectively at line speed is crucial to the success of this project and we are delighted this is proving possible in a practical working environment.”
* Learn more about the IMEQ project in the July/August issue of Meat Management.
