This document discusses using computed tomography (CT) to analyze carcass composition, meat quality, and intramuscular fat content in live pigs, carcasses, and cuts. It can be applied at various stages of production from breeding to processing. CT images are processed to estimate composition and weight. Studies estimated lean meat percentage in carcasses and cuts with high accuracy using CT scans and calibration curves. CT was also used to determine intramuscular fat content in pork loins and composition of beef cuts at different ages. CT provides a non-invasive method to analyze composition throughout the meat supply chain.

1. Use of CT in the evaluation of carcass composition
and meat quality in live pigs, carcasses or cuts
Maria Font-i-Furnols
22nd April 2015
Applications of computed tomography in the meat sector

2. Non-invasive
Applicable at:
– Breeding
– Nutrition
– Animal Health
– Slaughter plants
– Cutting plants
– Processing plants
Computed Tomography (CT)

3. IRTA

4. 3

6. Calibration Curves

7. Calibration Curves
boneleanfat
Grey intensity
Volume

9. USE OF CT IN LIVE PIGS

10. IMAGES PROCESSING

11. IMAGES PROCESSING
Estimation of carcass and cuts
composition and weight

12. CARCASS AND CUTS COMPOSITION AND ALLOMETRIC
GROWTH BY GENOTYPE AND SEXE
Carabús et al., 2015 - Animal

13. USE OF CT IN CARCASSES AND CUTS
Calibration of CT to estimate lean meat percentage
in commercial pig carcasses
N=123 carcasses
Selected according fat depth G34FOM: 24-49-27%
Representation of the 3 sexes: C, F and M
100·
)tenderloinshoulder,belly,loin,,weight(ham
tenderloinshoulder)belly,loin,lean(ham,

 
 ·89.0(%)089LMP
140 kV, 145 mA, DFOV = 460
mm, 10 mm-thick, pitch 1,
Matrix 512 x 512,
reconstruction algorithm:
STD+

14. IRTA

15. Predictive Equation
X: LMP0.89
Y: from Hounsfield -100 to +120
lv=5
Linear fitting (R²=0.952)
50
55
60
65
70
75
50 55 60 65 70 75
LMPCT
LMP089
Activas Modelo
Int. de conf. (Media 95%) Int. de conf. (Obs. 95%)
Observations
Mean CI (95%) Observations CI (95%)
Regression equation: LMP0.89=0.98 LMPCT+1.14
PLS
Font-i-Furnols et al. 2008. Chem. Intel. Lab. Systems, 98, 31

16. Prediction of the lean meat percentage of the carcass by
means of the CT scanning of the 4 different main joints
(variables from -100 to +120 Hounsfield) (n=52).
Joint Extracted
factors
RMSEPCV
(%)
Ham 5 0.97
Loin 4 1.37
Belly 2 1.73
Shoulder 2 1.75
Ham+Loin+Belly+Shoulder 6 0.71
Font-i-Furnols et al. 2008. Chem. Intel. Lab. Systems, 98, 31

17. CT: GE HiSpeed Zx/i CT
161 Holstein steers and bulls
Beef cuts between the 9th
and the 11th ribs.
Slaughtered at 10,12 and 14
months of age.
BEEF CUTS COMPOSITION
Scanned completely
1 image every 10 mm
(average 27 images)
Imatge at the
level of the
10th rib
10 mm-thick
Helical 2s
140 kV
145 mA
512 x 512 matrix

18. Dissected, separated and weighed
Lean
Intermuscular fat
Subcutaneus fat Bones

19. 1820/05/2015
USE OF CT TO DETERMINE INTRAMUSCULAR
FAT IN PORK LOINS

20. -Scanned by CT General Electric HiSpeed Zx/i
-Scanning of the loin at the level of the 3th-4th last rib
- 2 types of scanning procedures:
Axial full 3s
1mm thick
120 kV
200 mA
EDGE
Scan 1
Axial full 1s
10mm thick
140 kV
145 mA
STND
Scan 2
Font-i-Furnols et al. 2013. Chem. Intel. Lab. Systems, 122, 58

21. Table 4: Calibration and validation accuracy when multiple
linear regression is applied.
Font-i-Furnols et al. 2013. Chem. Intel. Lab. Systems, 122, 58

22. Calibration to determine NaCl contents, water content, water
activity and intramuscular fat during dry-cured ham processing
Determinations of fat and lean content in fresh ham
Assessment of salt diffusion in ham during salting
Impact of pre-salting treatments in dry-cured ham processing
Impact of storage conditions previous salting and salting
temperature in dry-cured ham processing
Day 0 Day 12 Day 30
APPLICATION IN HAM PROCESSING

23. Calibration Curves
maria.font@irta.cat