Advances in Techniques for the Objective Evaluation of the Eating Quality of Meat Products

As the economy rapidly develops and residents’ consumption patterns change, consumers’ demand for meat and meat products is growing increasingly and consumers raise higher requirements for the quality and safety of meat and meat products. The major meat quality characteristics are color, tenderness, flavor and taste. Meat quality evaluation was initially completed by the mouth, nose, tongue and other organs of humans. With the development of food processing science and technology, meat quality evaluation techniques gradually tend to be specialized, and more sensitive and objective methods are now available to evaluate meat quality. This paper summarizes the main techniques for meat quality detection including hyperspectral imaging, computer vision, chromatography-mass spectrometry, electronic tongue and electronic nose as well as the latest progress in their research and application, so as to provide a theoretical basis for the objective evaluation of meat quality.