Development and validation of a probe to measure meat quality

Carcase assessment is a constant challenge for red meat processors, as lamb carcasses are only commonly assessed for market suitability on weight, sex and fat score. While informative for meat yield, these attributes are variable and may not be indicative of eating quality characteristics, such as tenderness. Consequently, better carcase assessment methods are required by the sheep meat industry. This report describes an investigation into the development and validation of one optic technology; a Raman spectroscopic hand held device for the assessment of meat quality of commercial lamb processed in Australia.