title: Feasibility of boar taint classification using a portable Raman device.
abstract: The feasibility of Raman spectroscopy for boar taint detection and classification was investigated using tainted and untainted backfat samples of 46 boars. For this exploratory study, backfat samples were selected according to their levels of androstenone and skatole as determined by gas chromatography and their sensory score by a trained panel. Raman spectra were collected with a portable device at freshly cut surfaces of frozen-thawed samples. Both inner and outer layers of subcutaneous fat were studied. Their varying level of unsaturation was reflected in the Raman spectra. Partial least squares regression discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was applied to the spectra together with various pre-processing methods. A model using only spectra obtained at the inner layer resulted in the highest classification accuracy for boar taint (81% of samples correctly classified). The discrimination is shown to reflect differences in the degree of fatty acid saturation between tainted and untainted boars. In conclusion, the findings suggest that with further development Raman spectroscopy may be used to classify boar taint.
authors.affiliation: Key laboratory of Meat Processing and Quality Control, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China; Department of Animal Science, University of Göttingen, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Xiaoye
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: University of Bayreuth, Bioanalytical Science and Food Analysis - Research Center of Food Quality, D-95326 Kulmbach, Germany.
authors.forename: Heinar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, University of Göttingen, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany. Electronic address: daniel.moerlein@agr.uni-goettingen.de.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mörlein
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry*; D000738:Androsterone / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D005504:Food Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005524:Food Technology / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D012862:Skatole / Q000737:chemistry*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013552:Swine; D013649:Taste
chemical_list: D012862:Skatole; D000738:Androsterone
keywords: Androstenone; Animal welfare; Chemometrics; Fatty acid composition; Piglet castration; Pork; Quality control; Raman spectroscopy; Rapid detection; Skatole; Slaughter; Subcutaneous fat