Chemometrics and hyperspectral imaging applied to assessment of chemical, textural and structural characteristics of meat.

Spectroscopy in the visible near-infrared spectral (Vis-NIRS) range combined with imaging techniques (hyperspectral imaging, HSI) allows assessment of chemical composition, texture, and meat structure. The use of HSI in the meat and food industry has observed a significant growth in the last decade, yet its use for assessment of meat it is not optimal yet. The application of HSI for assessment of meat is reviewed with focus on its ability to capture meat unique chemical and structural characteristics. While HSI is widely used for assessment of chemical composition, a limited number of evidences on its ability to handle the effect of different sources of variation on the assessment is found. The use of spatially resolved spectroscopy has been able to detect structural information related to animal background, muscle type, rigor process and ageing. Similarly the use of texture features seem to capture unique characteristics of meat.