A rapid method based on front-face fluorescence spectroscopy for the monitoring of the texture of meat emulsions and frankfurters.

In order to investigate the potential of fluorescence spectroscopy to characterise meat emulsions and frankfurters, a split-plot design comprising three factors at three levels each, i.e. fat/lean ratios (0.25, 0.7 and 1.5), chopping speed (1000, 2000 and 3000 rpm) and chopping time (1, 3 and 7 min), was considered. Principal component analysis and hierarchical ascendant clustering performed on the texture attributes and L(*)a(*)b(*) value data sets for the batters and frankfurters showed that a limited number of clusters can be discriminated, mainly according to the chopping conditions. From the fluorescence spectra of batters and frankfurters, the similarity maps defined by principal components 1 and 2 allowed clear discrimination between formulations with a high fat content from those of low fat content, whereas formulations with an intermediate fat content overlapped. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) showed strong correlations between the batter texture attributes and the batter fluorescence spectra since the first pairs of canonical variates exhibited squared correlation coefficients of 0.88. Moreover, it was shown by CCA that batter fluorescence spectra and frankfurter texture-attributes were highly correlated (r(2)=0.91) for the first canonical variates suggesting that it may be possible to predict the texture of a frankfurter from a fluorescence spectrum recorded on the batter.