Determination of intramuscular fat content in beef using magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

The amount and distribution of intramuscular fat in beef and pork are some of the most important quality characteristics because they highly influence the nutritional value and eating quality of the meat. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a suitable non-invasive alternative method that can provide both qualitative and quantitative information on beef meats with high spatial information. In this study, we used MRI technique in combination with image processing tools for the visualization and prediction of intramuscular fat distribution in beef meats. The results from image analysis were compared with the chemical reference result for the percentage of intramuscular fat. The results show a strong correlation (R2 = 0.98) between the MRI detected and chemically measured values. The distribution uniformity of intramuscular fat within the beef meats was evaluated by calculating their distribution and pixel size in the MRI according to four levels of beef quality grade (1+, 1, 2, and 3).