INFORMED- Increased Efficiency: Moving from Assumed Quality to Online Measurement and Process Control

The INFORMED project have addressed challenges in the area of online monitoring and control of production in the meat processing industry. The consortium identified major sensory challenges and technological tools that could open up opportunities in meat processing. The object in this project was to develop three novel sensor systems to measure important quality and food safety parameters such as tenderness, water holding capacity (WHC), foreign body detection (FOD), water activity (aw) and bacterial contamination. Each meat quality parameter addressed has potential for value creation in terms of product consistency, yield, safety, waste reduction and feedback for promotion of best farming practices. The planned technological principles utilised for these sensor systems were multi-energy x-ray, sensitive mechanical force/feedback sensors and microwave. A relevant research team was put together with experts in sensor technology, meat processing and meat science to address the challenges of this project. Industrial meat processors of various sizes, with various levels of existing automation and from several countries were also involved. This to ensure that the relevance of the developed technology is international and covered all types of meat processors. Technology partners involved in the meat industry were also included so that commercialisation of the technology could be feasible. Three novel sensor systems, for measuring meat quality and food safety, were developed in this project. The use of multi-energy x-ray has proven that energy dispersive x-ray scattering and transmission can be used to measure water holding capacity, tenderness and foreign object detection, and that foreign object detection may be improved with Time Delay Integration technology, used in scattering or transmission detection mode. Various x-ray technology combinations have been tested, and several large-scale experiments have been conducted. Based on the results from the large-scale experiments an x-ray prototype is designed. Measuring water-holding capacity, water activity and bacterial contamination using microwave spectroscopy have resulted in the design and construction of a unique cavity resonator for measuring these parameters. Results showed that there is a high correlation between water holding capacity and reflection/transmission coefficient signals, showing the possibility of real-time measurements to replace current 24-hour test. A high correlation between water activity in a dry cured ham model and reflection/transmission coefficient signals was also found. Tests performed on bacterial contamination indicates that it might be possible to differentiate between pathogens and pathogen free products. A non-destructive laboratory model for mechanical measuring of tenderness was design and constructed based on results in the project. From the first test using the probe for force measurements, the results showed that the tender meat gave less resistance than the tougher meat. The main motivation for using a robot for this application is the need to have full control of the motion of the probe during testing. Using a robot enables repetitive and equal motions to be performed to the meat, this is important when numerous of muscles are to be tested.

The INFORMED project will address challenges in the area of online monitoring and control of production in the meat processing industry. The consortium have identified major sensory challenges and technological tools that may open up opportunities in m eat processing, immediately and in the future. The object is to develop three novel sensor systems to measure important quality and food safety parameters such as tenderness, water holding capacity (WHC), foreign body detection (FOD), water activity (aw ) and bacterial contamination. The planned technological principles utilised for these sensor systems are multi-energy x-ray, sensitive mechanical force/feedback sensors and microwave. A relevant research team has been put together with experts in sensor technology, meat processing and meat science to address the challenges of this project. Industrial meat processors of various sizes, with various levels of existing automation and from several European countries are also involved. This ensures that the re levance of the developed technology is international and covers all types of meat processors. Technology partners that are involved in the meat industry are also included so that commercialisation of the technology is feasible. Each meat quality parameter addressed has potential for value creation in terms of product consistency, yield, safety, waste reduction and feedback for the promotion of best farming practices.