Mid-infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics for the authentication of meat products

Mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy is used to address certain issues connected with the authentication of beef and ox kidney and liver: is it possible to distinguish muscle from offal tissue; does the condition, cut of meat, or type of offal influence the distinction; can pure minced beef be distinguished from that adulterated with offal? Using partial least squares (PLS) and canonical variate analysis, predictive models are developed to identify MIR spectra of beef, kidney, and liver. Using modified SIMCA, the pure beef specimens are modeled as a single class; this model identifies spectra of unadulterated beef as such, with an acceptable error rate, while rejecting spectra of specimens containing 10-100% w/w kidney or liver. Finally, PLS regressions are performed to quantify the amount of added offal. The prediction errors obtained (±4.8 and ±4.0% w/w, respectively, for the kidney and liver calibrations) are commensurate with the detection limits suggested by the SIMCA analysis.