Abstract

Visible to near-infrared spectroscopy have been applied for non-invasive assessment of meat freshness. The reduction of oxymyoglobin absorbance associated with freshness drop is clearly seen in the visible range of spectra, as well as supplementary fat, water, and proteins contents variations are observed in the near-infrared range. A table-top spectrophotometer equipped with an integrating sphere was utilized for a shallow probing depth (80 μm) and covered 400–1700 nm spectral range. A fiber-optic linear array was coupled to a portable spectrophotometer (measurement range 400–1000 nm) for increasing the average probing depth up to 570 μm. The studied samples of meat experienced an immediate loss of superficial freshness, while kinetics of spoilage was detected after about 2.5 hours. The fiber-optic approach capable for sensing freshness and spoilage process shows promise for design of a compact, portable device for a variety of users at the meat supply chain.