The recent discovery of unintended content of horse meat in food products has prompted TOMRA Sorting Food to investigate if its unique transflectance technology could be adapted to detect the presence of horse meat mixed with beef.
Research and testing
The QVision 500 analyser is currently focused on the meat and protein sector, measuring fat/lean, protein, collagen and moisture with outstanding accuracy. The solution can also be adjusted to analyse by shape and temperature with all batches weighted and controlled.
Research and testing are currently taking place to determine the accuracy of the solution in horse meat detection; all preliminary test results to date are very encouraging.
"Initial testing has shown we can detect horse meat with a degree of accuracy, in addition to the normal functionality of in-line fat analysis, etc.," explains Matthias Gessner, market unit manager meat at TOMRA Sorting Food.
Engaging with the meat industry
TOMRA now plans to engage with the meat industry to see how best to leverage this technology as part of future food safety procedures.
The QVision system currently measures fresh or frozen meat, at any grind size (ground, diced, small trims), across the full width of its conveyor belt, with analysis penetrating as far as 20mm deep into the meat.
"With its accuracy, price point, ease of integration and ability to simplify production control, the system has the potential to make in-line fat analysis mainstream," explains Matthias Gessner. "With the addition of horse meat detection and unrivalled capacity at 30 tons per hour this machine will become a must have for the meat industry."
Results
The benefits obtained by investing in our new analysis solution are:
- Lean meat savings
- Live in-line data
- Consistent high quality standards
- Supplier and batch control
Great effort has been made with the design of the QVision system to meet the high requirements of the food industry; the result is a very accurate and flexible solution. In addition it provides a fast return on investment and can easily be integrated into your line and existing IT systems.
