Optics: measuring and testing – By shade or color – With color transmitting filter
Patent
1999-07-01
2000-07-11
Evans, F. L.
Optics: measuring and testing
By shade or color
With color transmitting filter
2504611, 250910, G01N 2164
Patent
active
060881143
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
SCOPE OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus which may be used in carrying out predictions of meat quality based on optical properties. A system which consistently predicts meat quality, particularly in respect of tenderness, would be of significant benefit to the consumer, and as well to the packing house and to the farmer. The apparatus for use in determining meat tenderness involves probing the meat with a probe which emits radiation to excite connective tissue to fluoresce. The probe is designed to pick up and transmit such fluorescence. The apparatus may be used with a depth of penetration sensing device and dedicated software to provide an indication of meat quality. The probe may also be used to detect other optical properties which correlate with meat quality based on a distinctive pattern of fluorescent peaks.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The principle of connective tissues in meat fluorescing when exposed to a particular radiation wavelength has been known for some time as described by Swatland, H. J. Objective Measurement of Physical Aspects of Meat Quality, Reciprocal Meat Conference Proceedings, Vol. 42, 1989. Initial investigations in the development of a probe, which is capable of both exciting and collecting fluorescence from connective tissue in meat, are described in Swatland, H. J. Analysis of Signals from a UV Fluorescent Probe for Connective Tissue in Beef Carcasses, Computers and Electronics in Agriculture (6, 1991) 225:234 and Bidirectional Operation of a UV Fluorescent Probe for Beef Carcass Connective Tissues, Computers and Electronics in Agriculture (7, 1992) 285:300, both of Elsevier Science Publishers B. V. Amsterdam. The original probe was an adaptation of a fat depth probe used by the Danish Meat Research Institute in Denmark for measuring the depth of fat on pig carcasses. The probe was adapted by the use of an optical fibre which was inserted in the device. The fibre was cut at an angle so that the interface optics were asymmetrical. Exciting radiation was supplied in the optic fibre from a 100 watt short arc mercury source directed through a heat absorbing filter, a red attenuation filter and a dichroic mirror. Light peaking at 365 nanometers was directed into the proximal end of the optic fibre with a microscopic objective. Fluorescence from the connective tissues in contact with the optical fibre of the probe was measured through the dichroic mirror at the proximal end of the fibre with a flat response silica detector and a radiometer. The dichroic mirror was used as a chromatic beam splitter to separate the outgoing excitation light at 365 nanometer from the incoming fluorescent emission at a wavelength considerably greater than 365 nanometer. A depth measurement device for measuring the depth to which the probe was plunged into the carcass was provided either by an optical shaft encoder to trigger photometer measurements at set increments through the carcass, or a continuously variable analog device, such as a potentiometer. The operation of the potentiometer can be affected by temperature.
The positioning of the glass optic fibre in the probe was also suggested, instead of being cut at an angle, of being slightly bent or rounded in conjunction with a plurality of additional thin fibres as described in the article by Swatland, H. J., Bi-directional Operation of a UV Fluorescence Probe for Beef Carcass Connective Tissues Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 7(1992) 285:300. The use of the multiple fibres around the glass optic fibre was to gather additional information in respect of shape of the connective tissue as the probe passed by the connective tissue.
Extensive analysis of the collected fluorescence from use of the meat probe is described in several papers by Swatland in Food Research International which include Correction for Baseline Drifting in Probe Measurements of Connective in Beef, Food Research International 26, 1993 371:374; An Anomaly in the Effective Temperature on Collagen Fluorescence in Beef, Food Research International, 26, 1
REFERENCES:
Swatland, H.J.: "Dynamic Analysis of Electromechanical Data from a Hand-Held Meat Probe in Relation to Meat Structure", Food Research International, vol. 27, 1994, Canada, pp. 433-441.
Swatland, H.J.: "Objective Measurement of Physical Aspects of Meat Quality", Department of Food Science and Animal & Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G2W1, Canda, pp. 65-74.
Swatland, H.J., "Analysis of Signals from a UV Fluorescence Probe for Connective Tissue in Beef Carcasses", Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, vol. 6, 1991, pp. 225-234.
Swatland, H.J.: "Bidirectional Operation of a UV Fluorescence Probe for Beef Carcass Connective Tissues", Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, vol. 7, 1992, pp. 285-300.
Swatland, H.J.: "An Anomaly in the Effect of Temperature on Collagen Fluorescence in Beef", Food Research International, vol. 26, 1993, Canada, pp. 271-276.
Swatland, H.J.: "Correlations of Mature Beef Palatability with Optical Probing of Raw Meat", Food Research International, vol. 28, No. 4, 1995, Canada, pp. 403-416.
Swatland, H.J.: "UV Fiber-Optic Probe Measurements of Connective Tissue in Beef Correlated with Taste Panel Scores for Chewiness", Food Research International, vol. 28, No. 4, 1995, Canada, pp. 23-30.
Swatland, H.J.: "An Effect of Connective Tissue on the Taste Panel Tenderness of Commercial Prime Beef Detected with a UV Fiber-Optic Probe", Department of Food Science and Animal & Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada.
Nadeau Steven P.
Richmond Robert J.
Evans F. L.
Ontario Cattlemen's Association
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