Prediction of lamb meat fatty acid composition using near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS)

• Published in: Food chemistry 2011-08, Vol.127 (3), p.1280-1286
• Main Authors: Guy, F., Prache, S., Thomas, A., Bauchart, D., Andueza, D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal productions; Biological and medical sciences; fatty acid composition; Fatty acids; Food engineering; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gas-liquid chromatography; grinding; hay; homogenization; Lamb; lamb meat; lambs; Life Sciences; longissimus muscle; Meat; Meat and meat product industries; near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy; NIR spectroscopy; polyunsaturated fatty acids; prediction; reflectance; Terrestrial animal productions; Vertebrates; wavelengths
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2011.01.084

► We assess the feasibility of NIRS for predicting lamb meat fatty acid composition. ► We compared ground and intact non-ground meat samples. ► Predictions were better with ground than with intact non-ground meat samples. ► NIRS is a rapid and convenient tool to predict the major fatty acids in lamb meat. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) for predicting lamb meat fatty acid composition. We compared ground vs. intact non-ground meat samples to determine whether grinding and homogenisation of meat samples improved the performance of the predictions. We used 76 male lambs, of which 32 were pasture-fed and 44 stall-fed with concentrate and hay. The reflectance spectrum of Longissimus lumborum muscle was measured at wavelengths between 400 and 2500nm. Predictions were better with ground than with intact muscle samples. NIRS accurately predicts several individual fatty acids (FA) (16:0, 18:0, 16:1 Δ9 cis, 17:1 Δ9 cis, 18:1 Δ9 cis, 18:1 Δ11 cis and 16:1 Δ9 trans) and several FA groups (total linear saturated FA, total branched saturated FA, total saturated FA, total cis monounsaturated FA (MUFA), total trans MUFA, total MUFA and total polyunsaturated PUFA). These results show the potential of NIRS as a rapid, and convenient tool to predict the major FA in lamb meat.