Using CEM Process Control Systems for Moisture, Fat and Protein Analysis in Meat Production

Meat-based products such as poultry, beef, and pork are processed and produced to meet high yield demands in the food industry. Companies have to ensure that the products they produce meet consumer needs and are also economically feasible so that they can be provided to customers at a competitive price.

The three most important components of raw and cooked products include protein, fat, and moisture. Whether companies are testing fat content in-process, protein of incoming meats, or water concentration of an end product, inaccurate testing of these ingredients will not only reduce yield, but would also result in significant loss of money.

Process Control Systems

To overcome these issues, CEM has developed three specialized systems for process control such as the ProFat Meat Analyzer, the MEAT Trac Analyzer, and the Sprint Protein Analyzer. The ProFat Meat Analyzer is a complete fat, moisture, and protein system designed for raw meats and blends; the MEAT Trac system can assess fat and moisture in incoming raw meats and finished products; and the Sprint Protein Analyzer can assess any food product for true protein. Each system is developed to enhance yield and maintain ease of use and low cost. All three analyzers use authorized AOAC techniques for meat products and data management systems to meet any LIMS or auditing demands.

Production of Raw Meat

CEM’s ProFat Meat Analyzer (Figure 1) is a highly accurate and easy-to-use system developed for process and quality control testing of raw meat and poultry. It is capable of testing fat, protein, and moisture using an algorithm for protein and fat content and an AOAC-approved technique for direct moisture analysis.

The system does not require any calibration or manual calculation and can analyze within minutes. It is also simple and long-lasting and hence can be utilized at-line. The ProFat Meat Analyzer is suitable for validating and maintaining in-line equipment such as X-ray and NIR. Table 1 shows ProFat results analysis for beef and chicken, respectively.

Figure 1. ProFat Meat Analyzer

Table 1. ProFat results analysis

BEEF

Chicken (MSC/MDC)

Manufacture of Raw and Finished Products

CEM’s MEAT Trac (Figure 2) is an advanced NMR system that is capable of analyzing meat products. It combines a sophisticated NMR magnet for fat analysis with the SMART Turbo Microwave for solid and moisture analysis of in-process products, incoming raw meat, and finished goods. More precise than FTNIR and NIR systems, the MEAT Trac uses an authorized AOAC method for meat products.

The user-friendly interface creates complete results within a matter of minutes. In addition, the system is integrated with full data management for importing into a LIMS network. The MEAT Trac Analyzer also removes the need for harmful glassware and solvents typically required by reference technology.

After a method has been developed, a process that takes just three samples and an hour easily changes to texture, color, granularity, or alternatively ingredients have no impact on the results. This means there are no costly recalibrations.

Figure 2. MEAT Trac Analyzer

Similar to the MEAT Trac system, the Sprint Protein Analyzer (Figure 3) uses an AOAC-approved method and automates and improves dye-binding methods that have been shown to be effective since 1970.

Since the Sprint Protein directly calculates protein, it does not require any calibration or calculation that is common with Kjeldahl and combustion methods and is also not affected by adulterants and other NPN molecules. Table 2 shows MEAT Trac and SPRINT results analysis for raw chicken and beef blend beef, meat slurry, sausage, and jerky, respectively.

Figure 3. Sprint Protein Analyzer

Table 2. MEAT Trac and Sprint results analysis

Raw Chicken and Beef Blend

Meat Slurry

Sausage

Jerky

CEM’s patented iTag solution replaces toxic chemicals and complex gas lines and tubes utilized with other techniques. Testing can be easily carried out by novice technicians, and results can be quickly recorded and stored for use in the future.

Method Development

The Sprint Protein and the MEAT Trac systems follow the same protocol for creating new techniques. 3-8 samples are examined by utilizing an established form of reference analysis. Each of these reference samples are tested three times on the corresponding CEM system, which in turn will generate a linear correlation curve. After the most representative points have been selected on the curve, the technique is deemed complete and ready for real-time analysis.

ProFat techniques are developed by means of identity codes for the type of meat under analysis. Blends can be tested by entering the source, percentage, and cut of each product being utilized into the system. Then, the quantity of added ingredients is introduced. Although reference data is not needed, it can be used to ensure that the results obtained are precise.

The samples were then obtained from CEM customers and integrated in CEM’s laboratory. For protein analysis, the Kjeldahl technique was employed as a reference test, while for moisture and fat results, forced air oven drying and Soxhlet extraction methods were utilized as reference tests, respectively.

Conclusion

The MEAT Trac Analyzer, Sprint Protein Analyzer, and ProFat Meat Analyzer are designed to produce precise fat, protein, and moisture values within a short time period. The systems can easily assess in-process samples, incoming raw meat, and finished products. They are accurate and provide data that is similar to the precision found in reference methods.

This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by CEM Corporation.

For more information on this source, please visit CEM Corporation.