Application of Diode-Laser Raman Spectroscopy for In situ Investigation of Meat Spoilage

Published in:
Food Bioprocess Technol., online first (2010).
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Abstract:
Raman spectroscopy is well suited for noninvasive and non-destructive analysis. The spectra provide detailed information about the composition of the matter like a fingerprint on molecular level. Here, we have applied Raman spectroscopy for the characterization of meat spoilage. For this purpose, pork chops (musculus longissimus dorsi) were ice-stored at 5°C, and time-dependent Raman spectra were measured daily up to 3 weeks post mortem. A prototype Raman probe for meat was constructed featuring a miniaturized optical bench combined with a customized 671-nm microsystem diode laser for the integration into a handheld device. During the timedependent investigations with this laser scanner, the Raman spectra preserve their basic spectral features, but small changes of the protein Raman signals occur during storage. The time correlation of the complex spectra were analyzed with principal components analysis leading to a distinction of spectra on the time scale between day 8 and 10 typically. This corresponds to the transition from unspoiled meat to meat at and beyond the end of shelf life identified by means of visual inspection.

Keywords:
Raman spectroscopy, Portable Raman sensor, In situ, Meat spoilage, Diode laser

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