Search Results (69)

This study evaluated a portable multispectral imaging (MSI) system for simultaneously assessing chicken meat quality, including freshness and authenticity detection. For freshness, total aerobic counts and MSI analyses were performed on fresh and thawed samples throughout storage at 4 °C. For authenticity (product condition and origin), Greek and Danish chicken samples, both fresh and thawed, were analyzed in separate laboratories using identical instruments. Data were modeled using PLS-R, kNN, and SVM. Model performance for total viable count prediction was evaluated via R² and RMSE, while classification used accuracy, specificity, recall and precision. PLS-R beta coefficients highlighted the contribution of specific wavelengths. For Greek chicken fillets, kNN achieved the best performance on fresh samples (RMSE = 0.347, R² = 0.979), while PLS-R performed best on thawed samples (RMSE = 0.787, R² = 0.859). Wavelength 460 nm was the most important for all freshness predictions. Differences between Danish and Greek samples were observed in classification performance, optimal algorithms and key wavelengths. For origin classification (using fresh and thawed samples), models reached near-perfect accuracy, with PLS-DA highlighting 660 nm and 850 nm as most significant. These results demonstrate the MSI system’s potential for the rapid, accurate and simultaneous evaluation of multiple chicken meat quality attributes using a single instrument. Full article

Foreign plastic objects (FPOs) in poultry products present significant food safety risks and cause economic losses for the industry. Conventional detection methods, including X-rays and color imaging, often struggle to identify small or low-density plastics. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) offers both spatial and spectral information but suffers from high computational cost when applied for FPO identification in industrial environments. This study introduces a parameter-efficient and computationally efficient spatial–spectral transformer framework for pixel-level classification of FPOs on broiler meat using NIR-HSI (1000–1700 nm). The framework integrates three innovations: (1) center-focused linear attention (CFLA) to reduce computational complexity from $O\left(n^2\right)$ to $O\left(n\right)$; (2) patch-local mixed-axis 2D rotary position embedding to preserve geometric relationships within hyperspectral patches; and (3) low-rank factorized projection (LRP) matrices to reduce parameters by approximately 50% within projection weight matrices. The framework was trained and evaluated on a dataset of 52 chicken fillets, comprising 295,340 labeled target hyperspectral pixels from 12 common polymer types and 1 fillet class. The model achieved 99.39% overall accuracy, 99.57% average accuracy, and a 99.31 Kappa coefficient across 248,540 test pixels. Per-class precision, recall, and F1-score exceeded 98.05%, 98.59%, and 98.76%, respectively, across all classes. Efficiency analyses showed an 83% reduction in multiply–accumulate operations (MACs), a 22% reduction in trainable parameters, and a model size reduction from 1.72 MB to 1.35 MB relative to the baseline configuration. These gains also translated into practical inference benefits, with the final model achieving a throughput of 212,971.5 hyperspectral patch cubes/s and a 4.19× speedup over the baseline. These results demonstrate that the proposed framework combines strong classification performance with high efficiency, supporting high-throughput inference for real-time monitoring and enabling contamination source traceability and preventive quality control in industrial poultry processing. The approach provides a benchmark for applying transformer-based models to food safety inspection tasks. Full article

In recent years, with changes in dietary structure, beef has become the third most consumed meat in China after pork and chicken, with its consumption increasing by approximately 50%. The quality and commercial value of beef vary considerably across different muscles. However, due to the high similarity in the appearance of beef cuts and strong background interference, traditional image features are often insufficient for accurate classification. In this study, an improved convolutional neural network based on YOLOv11 was proposed. Four beef muscles were categorized: sirloin (longissimus dorsi), fillet/tenderloin (psoas major), oyster blade (infraspinatus), and ribeye (longissimus thoracis). A dataset comprising 3598 images was established to support model training and validation. We divided the dataset into training, testing, and validation sets in a 6:2:2 ratio. To enhance model performance, wavelet convolution (WTConv) was employed to effectively expand the receptive field and improve image understanding, while a large separable kernel attention (LSKA) module was introduced to strengthen local feature representation and reduce background interference. Comparative experiments were conducted with other deep learning models as well as ablation tests to validate the proposed model’s effectiveness. Experimental results demonstrated that the proposed model achieved a classification accuracy of 98.50%, with Macro-Precision and Macro-Recall reaching 97.38% and 97.38%, respectively, and a detection speed of 147.66 FPS. These findings confirm the potential of the YOLOv11n-cls model for accurate beef classification and its practical application in intelligent meat recognition and processing within the Chinese beef industry. Full article

Meat juice leakage is a natural phenomenon, evident in culinary meat packaging, and is a key indicator of meat quality. This study aimed to evaluate the amount of meat juice leakage into the packaging during culinary pork, beef, and chicken storage in a refrigerated display case simulating retail conditions (2–4 °C, 12 days). The study included 1800 high-quality culinary meat samples, i.e., free of technological defects, packaged in vacuum (VAC) and modified atmosphere (MAP), with and without absorbent pads, obtained from meat processing plants. On the 12th day of storage, the leakage was determined in the meat portions using the gravimetric method, and pH and color (CIEL*a*b*) were measured using instrumental methods. It was found that the leakage level from culinary meat ranged from 2.10% for pork shoulder VAC to 10.70% for pork loin VAC, in slices, being influenced (p < 0.01) by each grouping factor: meat type, meat cut, and package type. Regardless of the packaging method, culinary chicken meat had a lower pH (p < 0.001) than pork and beef. The study also found significant negative correlations between pH and leakage in most culinary meat cuts, as shown by the results for ham VAC (r = −0.66), ham MAP (r = −0.59), and heel of round MAP (r = −0.50). Among meat color parameters, the most significant variability was observed for lightness (L*), whose mean value differed significantly depending on the type of meat (p < 0.001) and the meat cut (p < 0.001), and within the same culinary cut—except beef tenderloin and chicken breast fillet–also depending on the type of packaging (p < 0.05). Based on the results obtained in this study, covering a large number of culinary meat samples, it was suggested that recommended leakage levels, i.e., those that raise no concerns regarding meat quality, could range from 2% for shoulder and pork neck (both VAC) to just over 10% for tenderloin slices (packaged using the MAP and VAC methods). Our findings can be used by both meat producers and quality control authorities to monitor the quality of culinary meat, e.g., they may help determine maximum permissible leakage levels and design meat packaging methods to reduce leakage. Ultimately, these measures will enhance consumer confidence in meat production and quality. Additionally, the results systematize knowledge on meat leakage, providing valuable insights for scientists who support producers and retailers in their efforts to minimize this issue. Full article

The present study aimed to develop biodegradable films formulated with pectin/carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and cinnamon essential oil, investigating the effects of CP treatment time on the properties of the films. The developed films were used as packaging to evaluate the shelf life of chicken meat. Biodegradable films were produced from a film-forming solution containing pectin/CMC, glycerol (30%), and cinnamon essential oil (2%). All formulations included the essential oil, and the control group corresponded to the film that was not subjected to CP treatment. The CP treatments were applied at 22.5 L/min, 20 kV, and 80 kHz for 10, 20, and 30 min. The results showed that increasing CP treatment time led to a progressive reduction in apparent viscosity, indicating improved homogeneity of the polymer system. Hydrophobicity increased with treatment time, as shown by a higher contact angle (from 51.15° to 62.38°), resulting in lower water solubility. Mechanical properties were also enhanced, with tensile strength rising from 3.29 MPa to 6.74 MPa after 30 min of CP. Biodegradability improved with treatment time, reaching 99.51% mass loss after 15 days for the longest exposure. Films produced from the solution treated for 30 min (FCP30) were most effective in extending the shelf life of chicken breast fillets, reducing lipid oxidation (TBARS: 61.9%), peroxide content (58.7%), and microbial spoilage (TVB-N: 59.2%) compared to the untreated film. Overall, the results highlight the importance of CP treatment time as a key factor in enhancing film performance, supporting its application in sustainable active packaging. Full article

The aim of the study undertaken was to determine the effect of a marinade using unpasteurised fruit vinegars and spirit vinegar, on the quality of raw poultry meat fresh (F) and after thawing (S). The raw material for the study was chicken breast muscle fillets. The meat was divided into two batches (F and S). This study evaluated the potency of unpasteurized quince, apple, grape and cherry fruit vinegars. The effect of the type of fruit vinegar used in the marinating process on the pH value of the meat was shown. Meat (F) marinated in fruit vinegars had a lower pH (4.55–5.04 pH) compared to the control group (5.65 pH). When poultry meat (F, S) was marinated in fruit vinegars, there was a brightening of colour, as evidenced by the higher values of the (L*) component. The use of vinegar in marinating poultry affected the rheological characteristics: hardness, elasticity, chewiness, gumminess, adhesiveness, cohesiveness, stringiness and bumpiness (p < 0.05) depending on the type of fruit vinegar used. The type of poultry meat used (F) and (S) in the marinating process had an effect (p < 0.05) on hardness, springiness, chewiness adhesiveness, and bumpiness, but not on their (p > 0.05) gumminess, cohesiveness, stringiness. Using unpasteurized fruit vinegars to marinate poultry meat can be an attractive alternative to commonly used marinades. Full article

Background: The pandemic and lockdown caused a slowdown or halt in many work activities across sectors, including academic research, which had to adapt lab procedures to lockdown restrictions. This study aimed to assess an innovative approach to sensory analysis that aligned with the pandemic’s constraints and could enhance traditional methods even in normal conditions. Methods: Remote training of judges was conducted to test the method’s effectiveness. Sensory evaluation of sous-vide chicken breast fillets was conducted at different temperatures (60, 70, 80 °C) and time combinations (60, 90, 120, 150 min), compared to a control (boiled at 100 °C for 60 min). Judges tasted 6 out of 13 randomized samples, recording intensities on a cloud-based sensory card. Results: Judges demonstrated good repeatability and panel homogeneity (RSD ≤ 30%). Significant differences (p < 0.05) in olfactory and flavor characteristics were noted among samples. Higher-temperature samples had stronger boiled meat and chicken flavors, and sous-vide samples showed greater juiciness, especially LT2 and LT3. Conclusions: The remote home-tasting approach proved effective in distinguishing key differences in meat characteristics based on cooking conditions. This method’s reliability and adaptability make it a promising alternative to lab-based sensory evaluation, ensuring research continuity in restrictive conditions and broadening potential for decentralized studies. Full article

Bioactive compounds and organic acids are applied to a wide range of foods against different types of foodborne pathogens. In the present study, carvacrol and thymol (1000 mg/L) were applied in wine-based marinades, alone or in combination with them and in combination with tartaric acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid, citric acid, and acetic acid (in concentration 0.1% w/v), in chicken and beef fillets and their antimicrobial activity, antioxidant capacity, and pH were estimated during refrigerated storage. Likewise, their antimicrobial activity was recorded against Enterobacteriaceae, total mesophilic bacteria, yeasts/molds, and lactic acid bacteria. The outcome demonstrated that both meats kept under similar storage conditions (4 °C/9 days) exhibited lower microbial growth, particularly with Enterobacteriaceae, when treated with wine-based carvacrol—thymol marinades and may extend their shelf-life. This antimicrobial action was more pronounced in the beef samples. The total phenolic content (TPC) and the antioxidant activity of the applied marinades were determined using the Folin−Ciocalteau method and ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activity methods, respectively. The results revealed that marinades with thymol and/or carvacrol in combination with acetic or ascorbic acid had greater TPC and antioxidant activity. The pH values of the respective marinades applied to both chicken and beef fillets exhibited an upturn during storage. Consequently, these marinades, even at low concentrations, could be used as natural preservatives in meat products. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of two types of plastic flooring—one with and one without nanotechnological antimicrobial additives—used as complete or partial replacements for wood shavings on broiler chicken performance, yield, meat quality, and litter microbiology over 42 days. A total of 1500 Ross 408^® male broiler chicks were randomly assigned to five treatment groups: wood shavings (WS), plastic flooring (PF), a 50/50 mix of plastic flooring and wood shavings (PF + WS), plastic flooring with antimicrobial additives (PFA), and a 50/50 mix of antimicrobial plastic flooring and wood shavings (PFA + WS). This study evaluated organ biometrics (liver, heart, spleen, and gizzard), the severity of Eimeria lesions, microbiological profiles, performance indices, and meat quality. The results indicated that plastic flooring, particularly when used alone, presented challenges such as increased intestinal lesions related to coccidiosis and a higher prevalence of Salmonella. Moreover, broilers raised on plastic flooring presented worse feed conversion and lower body weights and carcass yields than those raised on wood shavings. The meat quality was also negatively affected, with plastic flooring leading to less favorable fillet characteristics. Overall, the use of plastic flooring reduced the performance and health parameters of broiler chickens. Full article

The old Hungarian poultry breeds are the hidden reserves of the Carpathian Basin’s agriculture. The aim of this study was to examine the slaughter weight, carcass merit, and certain meat properties of two of them: the Partridge-colored Hungarian Chicken (PC) and the White Transylvanian Naked-neck Chicken (TN) under semi-intensive and traditional fattening conditions. Test slaughtering of chickens was conducted at 12th and 18th weeks of age. The eviscerated body weight (and the weight of cuts) of the PC (1140 g) and the cockerels of both breeds (1148 g) was larger than that of TN (878 g) and pullets (870 g). The farming system did not influence the carcass composition. At the same time, the pullets were characterized with larger values (p < 0.001) in regards to, for example, the breast–whole leg (0.81:1), breast fillet–thigh fillet (1.29:1), breast fillet–breast bone proportion (2.40:1) in comparison to the cockerels (0.7:1, 1.10:1 and 2.17:1, respectively). Examinations of meat quality revealed that the pH-value of the thigh (5.73 vs. 5.83) and breast meat (6.21 vs. 6.43) of the PC was significantly lower. However, the lightness (L*) of breast fillet was higher (55.2) than that in the TN (49.9). In addition, the yellowness (b*) value of the breast meat and breast skin was significantly higher in the PC, but the redness (a*) of the breast skin was higher in the TN. Results showed that the farming system affects these values, too. Accordingly, the yellowness (b*) of breast meat, breast skin, thigh meat, and thigh skin was significantly higher in the traditional group. The PC showed more satisfactory results in poultry production today. However, the reddish meat of the TN should be emphasized, which is excellent and appropriate in traditional agriculture. It is argued that the indigenous chicken breeds should be supported for the chicken meat trade regardless of their competitiveness. Full article

The current study investigated the impact of nutmeg essential oil (NEO) and tea tree essential oil (TTEO) on the preservation of raw chicken fillets during nine days of refrigerated storage study. The primary aim was to explore the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of these essential oils (EOs) and assess their ability to extend the shelf life of poultry meat. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was utilized to identify the chemical compositions of NEO and TTEO, revealing the presence of compounds like myristicin and terpenoids, known for their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Antioxidant properties were evaluated using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays, where both oils exhibited potent free radical scavenging abilities, with NEO showing higher efficacy than TTEO. The EOs showed their antimicrobial potential, exhibiting significant antibacterial activities against tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, respectively. Raw chicken fillets treated with either NEO or TTEO at 1% were analyzed for physico-chemical, microbiological, and sensory attributes. Results demonstrated that both NEO- and TTEO-treated samples maintained better microbiological qualities, with lower total viable counts and enhanced sensory attributes, such as color and odor, compared to the control samples. Furthermore, NEO and TTEO effectively delayed spoilage, extending the shelf life of chicken fillets by up to seven days. This study concludes that both the test’s essential oils can be considered natural preservatives for enhancing the safety and quality of meat. Full article

The significance of Escherichia albertii as a foodborne pathogen is increasingly acknowledged, but the assessment of its occurrence and transmission remains challenging due to the lack of validation of selective isolation, detection, and identification methods. The aim of the present study was to examine its presence on various meat samples at the retail level in order to assess a potential foodborne transmission and its occurrence in clinical stool samples. First, the evaluation and selection of a selective enrichment broth and isolation medium, combined with an optimized identification by MALDI-TOF MS, as well as a suitable DNA extraction method and a PCR-based detection strategy were developed. After the evaluation of existing isolation strategies and the formulation of an adapted enrichment and isolation medium, 100% isolation specificity was not achieved. An identity confirmation of suspected colonies remains necessary. A total of 292 samples, including 45 beef fillet, 51 minced beef, 50 pork fillet, 30 minced pork, 30 chicken carcass, 51 chicken fillet, and 35 minced chicken samples were examined. Samples were all collected at the retail level, including supermarkets and local butcheries. Escherichia albertii was isolated from two chicken fillets (3.9%) and additionally detected in one minced chicken (4.5%) and two other chicken fillet (4.5%) samples by a PCR assay. All beef and pork samples tested negative for its presence, but transmission through these meat types cannot be excluded, as it potentially correlates with the level of fecal contamination that was significantly higher on poultry products. With other hygienic conditions and processing steps applied, the presence of E. albertii on food can therefore differ in other parts of the world. Escherichia albertii was present in 0.4% of the 2419 clinical stool samples examined. The future development of a chromogenic isolation medium, as well as further extensive epidemiologic approaches and a genomic comparison of human, food, and animal isolates, could enhance the assessment of the emerging pathogen status and its potential as a foodborne hazard. Full article

The aim of this research was to determine the feasibility of sustainable chicken meat production, using good- and low-quality raw material and two different devices (own construction—OC, and a Dutch company’s—DC) for electrical stunning at the slaughter stage. A statistical analysis was also performed to indicate which of the analyzed courses of action is the most important for the company to maintain a balance between the quality of produced meat (pH, number of hemorrhages—small and large, defectiveness, and color on the external and internal surfaces of the fillet and tenderloin), and environmental and economic aspects. It has been shown that the use of device OC for stunning poultry compared to the device DC has a positive effect on: (1) reducing the number of hemorrhages on the outer surface and inside of the fillet—mainly large hemorrhages, (2) increasing by ~50% the share of production of fillets without hemorrhages, and (3) brightening and unifying the color of the external and internal surfaces of the fillet and tenderloin. Taking the above into account, it was concluded that the goals of sustainable chicken meat production depend mainly on the type of stunning device used; therefore, it is recommended to replace the Dutch device (DC) currently used in the plant with an innovative device (OC). It is also recommended to use financial tools when concluding contracts with poultry breeders so that meat producers can implement the goals of the sustainable management policy already at the raw material stage. Full article

The present study discusses the technofunctional properties (color, texture) of grilled chicken with both objective (colorimeter, texture profile) analysis and subjective (sensory) analysis. Besides them, the total content of potentially carcinogenic heterocyclic amines (HCAs) was also monitored by the applied grilling time–temperature combinations. The same samples were analyzed during the heat treatment of chicken breast samples for 5–15 min at 150–230 °C on an electric contact grill. The grilling variables included the effect of skin cover. Among the structural parameters, hardness exhibited a significant difference between the groups of skin-covered and not-covered ones, and in this case, a linear connection was also found with the time and temperature values, respectively. The structural parameters obtained by sensory and instrumental analysis were compared to each other. In addition, the structural parameters were compared to the color ones (sensory, color according to the CIELAB system: brightness, redness, and yellowness) and to the total HCA content. In the case of closed grilling, sensory-evaluated parameters such as juiciness and tenderness showed a strong negative correlation to instrumentally measured hardness (R = −0.879; −0.749) and chewiness (R = −0.872; −0.718) due to the water loss from the increase in grilling temperature and time. The total HCA content positively correlated to chewiness (R = 0.789). The sensory color parameter and the brightness had a strong connection with juiciness (R = 0.738; 0.723), hardness (R = −0.795; −0.706), and chewiness (R = −0.843; −0.818); redness showed positive correlation to cohesiveness (R = 0.764) and chewiness (R = 0.829). Accordingly, juiciness and chewiness showed a connection to the total HCA levels, which makes it possible to carry out further research on instrumental and sensory parameters that may predict the formation of hazardous amounts of carcinogenic heterocyclic amines. Full article

This meta-analysis review undertakes a comprehensive examination of various approaches for identifying myopathic fillets and meticulously evaluates the effects of bird age, deboning time, and different cooking and storage conditions on woody breast (WB) myopathic conditions in broiler deboned fillets. The data, meticulously collected from 20 articles based on predefined inclusion criteria sourced from various databases and online resources, reveal significant insights. For instance, the analysis uncovers that deboning time significantly affects Meullenet-Owens Razor Shear (MORS), Blunt Meullenet-Owens Razor Shear (BMORS), and descriptive analysis values (p < 0.001). Instrumentation techniques, such as compression force and shear force, along with different cooking conditions, strongly impact BMORS shear force values (R² = 86.80%), with significance levels ranging from 0.01 to 0.001. Deboning time also substantially impacts MORS shear force values (R = 64.03%). In contrast, the effects of deboning time, bird age, and cooking conditions on descriptive sensory evaluation are minimal when compared to woody breast fillets (age of birds: R² = 26.53%; cooking conditions: R² = 32.57%; deboning time: R² = 10.06%). The overall effect of bird age on chicken breast meat quality shows significant differences for the evaluated parameters (Hedges’ g [95% CI] = −0.72 [0.17, 1.26], I² = 93%, p < 0.01). The sous vide cooking method significantly affects shear force energies and sensory descriptive evaluation for woody breast fillets (Hedges’ g [95% CI] = 5.30 [−50.30, 83.40], I² = 98%, p < 0.01). These findings, with their significant implications, provide valuable insights for optimizing processing conditions in the poultry industry to reduce woody breast occurrences and enhance meat quality, instilling confidence in the robustness of the research. Full article